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Summary of the Tallinn snow removal audit results and city’s actions for improvement

Summary of the Tallinn snow removal audit results and city’s actions for improvement

A report by Tallinn’s Internal Audit Service titled “Analysis and Recommendations for Winter Street Maintenance Management” reveals that the previous city administration set unrealistic goals for snow removal and failed to monitor contractors’ compliance with contract terms. The renewed city government and leadership of the Urban Environment and Public Works Department have conducted analyses to improve the situation, which are reflected in the audit, and have developed new measures to enhance winter maintenance quality and transparency. Efforts to improve oversight and snow removal quality are ongoing.

Snow removal in Tallinn is managed jointly by the Urban Environment and Public Works Department and district administrations. Additionally, property owners are responsible for clearing sidewalks adjacent to their properties, with the Municipal Police (MUPO) overseeing compliance. The audit highlights fragmented maintenance management as a significant issue.

The audit reveals inadequate oversight of maintenance work, with particular problems in sidewalk, stairway, and bicycle path maintenance and monitoring during the winter season. Many control activities, including on-site inspections, were not documented, making it impossible to verify the extent of actual inspections.

The report notes that thoroughly monitoring service quality would result in an unreasonably high workload for city institutions.

The audit also highlights that no market analysis was conducted during tender preparation, and the department underestimated contract costs. All contracts signed in 2022 exceeded estimated costs by 47–138%.

Compared to the 2015–2022 period, contract costs increased by up to 3.5 times, with snow removal expenses in 2023 rising over 60% compared to 2022. Costs rose from €20.1 million to €32.6 million, driven by increased maintenance area and snow transport volumes, higher road maintenance standards, and inflation.

In 2023, a contractor submitted €400,000 worth of false data to the city. The audit highlights that some contractors did not comply with tender and contract terms, and the city failed to ensure enforcement. Contractors were allowed to use subcontractors, but there was no verification of who provided the service or under what conditions. Additionally, contractors’ reports were sometimes unreliable, and the city did not consistently verify their accuracy. Spot checks revealed that in 2023, a contractor submitted €400,000 worth of false data, including non-existent vehicles or passenger cars listed as snow transport vehicles.

Contract amendments resulted in unexpected price increases. The handling of contract amendments was not clearly defined in tenders or contracts, leading to misunderstandings with contractors and unforeseen cost increases.
Contracts signed under unfavorable conditions for the city will remain in effect until the end of 2029.

Actions by Tallinn to improve the situation

The new Tallinn City Government and the renewed leadership of the Urban Environment and Public Works Department see stricter oversight and greater transparency in tenders and operations as key solutions.
To achieve this, the Urban Environment and Public Works Department has installed cameras at snow disposal sites and GPS devices on vehicles to monitor snow volumes transported. This provides additional data on the actual amount of snow removed.

Additionally, the department continues to develop information systems to enable more efficient use of GPS data.
Starting in autumn 2024, the department will conduct unified analyses of snow removal operations across all contractors and partners.

New measures implemented this winter in Tallinn to improve street maintenance and ensure transparency:

  1. Equipping snow removal vehicles with GPS tracking.
  2. Launching video monitoring services at snow disposal sites.
  3. Enhancing information systems and reporting capabilities for completed work.
  4. Introducing supervision services during off-hours, such as weekends.
  5. Replacing key leadership in the Urban Environment and Public Works Department and Kadriorg Park, bringing new expertise and experience in national road maintenance.
  6. Significantly increasing the volume of sidewalks maintained by Kadriorg Park, accompanied by additional staffing and new equipment purchases.
  7. Mapping winter maintenance risks for district administrations.
  8. Establishing oversight principles for district administrations.
  9. Identifying and analyzing risks associated with maintenance partners.
  10. Creating cooperation agreements between districts, MUPO, and maintenance partners to improve snow removal in residential areas.
The report "Analysis and Recommendations for Winter Street Maintenance Management" is available in Estonian. Read more for details.