Name: Stephen Scott MCIOB
Employer: now of Mansell (formerly of Kier South East)
Project: North Kent Police Station, Gravesend
Recruited specifically for this high-profile scheme, Stephen Scott overcame the client’s considerable reservations about PFI, by demonstrating perfect customer focus. He knew the client was not always right, but devoted the time and care needed to ensure that what was being delivered was exactly what the client wanted.
Stephen overturned the perception of PFI as poor value for money by putting huge effort into quality control. He led visits to existing police facilities to ensure that all key suppliers and subcontractors knew what good looked like, made sure sample areas were completed early, and rapidly identified and rectified defects. The client was so pleased with the quality of the completed building it intends to enter it for the Better Public Building Award.
Justifiably proud of the quality of workmanship, Stephen was keen to show it off to the client. But he also owned up when matters had not gone as well as they might have, and explained what he was doing to sort problems out. This openness of approach stimulated an excellent working relationship with the client and a sense of real partnership.
Stephen put relationships and responsibilities with both staff and stakeholders at the heart of his management style. Unafraid to engage with the site’s neighbours, he worked hard to minimise the impact of the project on their lives. Piling, for example, was halted whenever there was a burial in the adjacent cemetery.
And when it was clear from an early stage that the design was 12 weeks behind with little chance of recovery before site start, he grasped the nettle and commenced critical activities onsite prior to the sign-off of key design milestones. This, along with his continual rescheduling and reprogramming to mitigate delay, gradually pulled back the programme.
Stephen’s enthusiasm and firm leadership educated a team with an average of just five years’ construction experience into a can-do mindset. The result of his cohesive teambuilding was a project that hit budget and timetable, and convinced the client that PFI can indeed deliver exceptional quality.