Water gripes fallen on “deaf ears”

A ROW about an ongoing water outage in Goodricke College will be settled at a University appeals panel – after accommodation officials refused to accept responsibility for the matter.

YUSU Welfare and Community Officer George Offer announced he was seeking a review of the issue last week when University officials said the situation was “out of their control.”

The problems, spanning back to October 2012, have involved two investigations.

The first, launched in November 2012, was triggered following an issue with the mains system not supplying water.

The second was launched in May 2013 after reports of a seizure in the valves causing problems with water pressure.

Goodricke Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC) Chair Dean Hickey said students feel their complaints have fallen on “deaf ears.”

“Goodricke students rightly feel like their legitimate complaints against the University has fallen [sic] on deaf ears,” he said.

“But I want to reassure everyone upset by the University’s decision in this matter that the JCRC is listening and we will ensure, working alongside YUSU that the student voice is heard.”

In the letter received by the students, almost four months later than the 28-day deadline stated by Accommodation Services, Co-Ordinator Catherine Browne apologised for the problem but insisted it was “out” of the University’s control.

“It is our contractual responsibility to provide a number of service and facilities, which include those listed in your complaint form. However, in rare occasions we are unable to meet our responsibilities, due to circumstances out of our control,” she said.

“Your contract specifies that ‘we will not be liable, for any failure or interruption to any services or facilities … if the failure or interruption is due to reasons outside our control.’ Further, a reason outside our control does include ‘for example, mechanical breakdown, failure, malfunction’.

“Regrettably, this is what occurred during the incidents at Goodricke.”

The first investigation originally came under fire in June, after it emerged that a lack of communication between Goodricke College’s private contractor Derwent FM and the University had prolonged problems relating to the mains water supply not working.