Salford and Wigan sign schools deal with private sector consortium

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Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a school buildings investment programme

8:02 am, December 9, 2009
Salford and Wigan sign schools deal with private sector consortium

Salford City Council and Wigan Borough Council have signed a deal with a consortium including Hochtief and Lang O'Rourke to deliver their Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

The two councils said financial close had been agreed on the cross border private finance initiative, which is the first of its kind in the North West.

Salford said it secured the building of its first two new schools, Walkden and Irlam and Cadishead, which are due to open in September 2011.

Salford and Wigan's private sector partner is the Transformational Learning Partnership consortium, which consists of Hochtief PPP Solutions, Hochtief Facility Management, Laing O'Rourke and RM Education.

The consortium will design, build, refurbish and manage more than 20 new and existing schools across the two authorities.

Wigan's phase one schemes include turning Hesketh Fletcher High School in Atherton into a new 14 to 19 centre and expanded facilities at Westleigh High and Bedford High schools; a new learning campus on the site of Lowton Civic Hall to replace the existing Lowton and Golborne High School and Lowton Junior and Infants School; and a new school for Hindley High.

Tim Byles, chief executive of Partnerships for Schools, the government agency responsible for delivering the BSF programme, said: “I am delighted that Salford and Wigan have reached financial close - as one of only a handful of joint Local Education Partnerships, reaching this milestone is a testament to the successes of the close partnership working between Salford and Wigan so far.

“I look forward to charting the progress of these authorities as they work together to deliver 21st century schools for pupils, teachers and local communities.”

Wigan council's cabinet champion for Children and Young People's Services, Cllr Susan Loudon said: “The world is changing rapidly and we have realised that we have to make sure that our children and young people can compete for jobs and opportunities on a global scale and today's decision means we really can begin to build schools for the future.”

Jane Barber, chief executive of Hochtief PPP Solutions UK,said: the financial close of this first phase of the Salford & Wigan BSF project marks a major milestone for ourselves and our partner Laing O'Rourke plc. We have worked closely with both councils to develop a partnership for the delivery of their BSF programme and look forward to cementing that relationship over the coming years.”

Salford's BSF proposal had promised a £182 million investment across all the city's high schools over the next five years.

BSF is a national programme to rebuilt England's secondary schools. It is mainly funded by central government with contributions from local authorities.

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