Press statement: Liverpool’s BSF project moves ahead
11 April 2006
Liverpool City Council and Partnerships for Schools announce next phase of £400m BSF programme
Liverpool City Council (LCC) and Partnerships for Schools (PfS) have reached an agreement on the way forward for Liverpool’s £400million Building Schools for the Future programme. Five schools will be completely rebuilt through BSF in the first phase of work: West Derby Comprehensive School with Ernest Cookson School, King David High School and Gateacre Community Comprehensive School with Hope School. Six schools will be also extensively refurbished, and a further 20 schools will benefit during the next phase of work, affecting a total of 30,000 pupils. The first schools are due to open in 2009. LCC will very shortly submit its detailed business case and plans to the Department for Education and Skills.
LCC and PfS have worked closely to agree the most appropriate delivery and funding mechanism for the schools. A study carried out by LCC found that PFI funding does demonstrate the best value for money solution for the new schools. However, very specific local factors have meant that in this instance PfS has decided to fund Liverpool’s BSF programme with conventional capital funding. LCC are committed to ensuring the sustainability and standards of their rebuilt and refurbished schools, and will require all contracts for Liverpool’s schools to contain long-term commitments to lifecycle costs and facilities management. This model will ensure a comparable quality of schools achieved for pupils and the wider community consistent with what is being delivered by the BSF programme elsewhere.
LCC and PfS will now move to procure a Public Private Partnership which, with the successful private sector partner, will be responsible for delivering the BSF programme in Liverpool. The partnership will also maximise the potential of the existing delivery frameworks that LCC have in place for ICT and design.
Colin Hilton, Interim Chief Executive of Liverpool City Council said:
“We are delighted to have reached agreement on the way forward for Liverpool. Whilst we recognise that PFI does offer an effective and value-for-money solution for new schools, we are pleased that Liverpool’s individual needs have been reflected in this agreement with PfS. We now look forward to moving into the delivery phase of this vital programme“
Richard Bowker, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, said:
“Liverpool City Council’s BSF investment represents an important part of the overall BSF programme. We are pleased to now be able to move forward with our colleagues in Liverpool and put in place an education partnership to benefit the children of Liverpool.
“Notwithstanding the one-off characteristics of Liverpool’s case, we are very pleased it has been evidenced that PFI represents value for money. Our decision was finely balanced and we consider that this is a sensible and pragmatic approach. In future we will ensure that any complicating factors are addressed right at the very outset, perhaps even before a Local Authority enters the BSF programme, so that we can rigorously apply the standard approach”
Notes for Editors:
- Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. The aim is to rebuild or renew every one of England's 3,500 state secondary schools during the 15-year lifetime of the £45 billion programme.
- Partnerships for Schools (PfS) is the delivery agency for Building Schools for the Future. It was established in April 2004 as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), and is operated and funded under a joint venture between DfES and Partnerships UK.
- BSF is funded with a combination of PFI credits and conventional funding (grants and supported borrowing).
- The total funding (Capex and ICT) for the Liverpool City Council project will be £428million.
For further information contact:
Richard Farnell, Liverpool City Council Press Office: 0151 225 5517
