Garden Bridge Inquiry Finds 'Robust and Informed Decision-making' Behind Use Of Public Funds

The Garden Bridge charity, established to help the construction & maintenance of Thomas Heatherwick's garden bridge project which proposed to give a 367mt long bridge across the Thames. It also proposed to feature the bridge with full-size trees and planting beds on its desk. The whole project was expected to cost $185 million. $40 million of $60 million had already been spent from Government's fund.

In 2013, first, the tender of a river bridge across the Thames was run by Transport for London. The bridge design was selected through competition. Promoters created a charity to collect funds for building and to continue the work after construction.

No charity was eager to take it due to high risk. But Garden Bridge Trust took it in 2013 & on Jan. 14, 2014, got registered as a charity. Soon a lot of complaints about charity and public discussion regarding the danger involved with this project were admitted to the committee building. The complaints were raised to question the ability of charity, the awarding of contracts, the funding structure & governance of charity. An operation compliance case was undertaken to review the trustee's legal duties and charity law.

According to Dezeen, David Holds the garden bridge trust met its obligation as a registered one and the trust has robust financial controls. He proposed that this type high profile cases always attracts public's attention and they expect the charity to be clear & accountable. According to him, charity can work effectively when they possess high skilled trustees.

The four-page report published by UK investigators found no problem against the charity. They also found the charity as "informed decision maker". Report evidenced that project's fund is in good hand. A well-managed relationship between trustees and senior management team with a super ability of handling problems and challenges were also found in this report.

According to In Your Hands, Mayor Sadiq Khan public fund problem was been solved as a pledge of no public funds would go towards the project. Margaret Hodge, former chair of parliament's public accounts committee this will give clearance whether project worth for money or not.

So the inquiry was satisfied with evidence of "clear strategy & active budget management" and the project dogged by problems saw some clear sky at last.