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News Release from: Partnerships for Schools | Subject: Local Education Partnership
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 06 July 2006
Close on first-ever Local Education
Partnership
Bristol City Council, Skanska and Partnerships for Schools have reached financial close on the first-ever Local Education Partnership
Bristol City Council, Skanska and Partnerships for Schools confirmed today that they reached financial close on the first-ever Local Education Partnership (LEP) on Friday 30 June The LEP will deliver the first stage of the city's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, representing some £173m of capital investment
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 3 Apr 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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The LEP, which is set up for a minimum of 10 years, will deliver capital allowing the development of new schools as well as the refurbishment of the city's secondary school estate in a manner that will transform education delivery.
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Over the last six months, the partners have demonstrated a clear and robust ability to work together effectively towards the goal of educational transformation for Bristol.
In advance of financial close, Skanska commenced work to ensure the first school, Speedwell Technology College, will be ready on time in September 2007.
Jim Knight, Minister of State for Schools, said "This is excellent news and shows that Building Schools for the Future is really moving forward".
"This Government is committed to an unprecedented rebuild and upgrade of our school stock".
"Under BSF every secondary school in England will be rebuilt or refurbished ensuring that children are learning in an environment fit for the 21st century".
Councillor Jos Clark, Bristol City Council's Executive Member for Children and Young People's Services, said: "The partnership and all it brings to Bristol schools demonstrates that Building Schools for the Future is so much more than new buildings.
There are so many positive things happening now in education to bring real and lasting improvement.
But this initiative, perhaps more than all the others, feels like the start of something big for the city".
"We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Bristol City Council in bidding for and winning this prestigious project," said Barry White, Director of Education, Skanska".
""Having developed the project over the last 18 months it is now very exciting to be delivering first class schools for Bristol".
"Setting up the Local Education Partnership provides an opportunity to work very closely with the local authority and stakeholders on future projects".
Partnerships for Schools' Chief Executive Richard Bowker said "Today is hugely important not only for the schoolchildren, parents, teachers and communities of Bristol, but also for the BSF programme across the whole of England".
"The Bristol team have worked phenomonally hard and are to be congratulated for keeping to the planned timetables for school delivery".
"We have proved that the Local Education Partnerhsip is the right way forward to develop real partnerships based on common goals".
The first phase of the partnership will see the rebuilding of Brislington Enterprise College, Hartcliffe Engineering Community College, Speedwell Technology College and Whitefield Fishponds Community School.
The programme is funded through central government Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits worth £150.7 million together with some £9.5m of the council's own funds, and there will be ongoing consultation with parents, students, staff and the community as the project develops.
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