East Renfrewshire Schools
The background
To successfully deliver first class education to thousands of pupils in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, East Renfrewshire Council launched a PPP project to deliver eight new schools, comprising both primary and secondary schools, to replace outdated and inadequate facilities.
The project was part of East Renfrewshire Council’s initiative – Building Schools for the 21st Century PPP, to improve school facilities in suburban communities on the southside of Glasgow and increase school places. The project aimed to improve the educational outcomes and opportunities for children and young people in East Renfrewshire.
Invesis successfully delivered the East Renfrewshire Schools Ltd project in 2011 on behalf of the client, as part of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) agreement to design, build, finance and maintain the the schools. Through partnering with Invesis, East Renfrewshire Council were able to deliver modern teaching and learning environments for students through first class building solutions and state of the art facilities, while providing long-term value for money through the use of private sector finance and expertise.
Client
East Renfrewshire Council
Capital Value
€82m
Sponsor/Investor
Invesis
Consortium
East Renfrewshire Schools Ltd
Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)
BAM Construction
Operations and Maintenance (O&M)
BAM FM
Business value
During the bidding phase, Invesis embarked on an extensive consultation exercise with the Council and the schools to ensure that the reference designs could be optimised to align with affordability requirements, and thereafter developed to ensure that the design could adapt to accommodate future learning and teaching styles.
The project was complex as construction works had to be carried out while two of the schools remained open. By partnering with Invesis, the client worked with a trusted partner who liaised effectively with the school’s management team and our selected construction partners to identify a solution which allowed the remodelling works to take place without disrupting pupils learning.
The concession has been operational for 15 years and throughout its lifecycle, we have worked cohesively with BAM FM to continuously improve the schools’ facilities, though standard maintenance and facility adaptations for the authority. For example, the provision of a temporary nursery, a special needs classroom and playground and classroom adaptations.
Key features
By using the PFI approach and partnering with Invesis, the concession…
- was received in immaculate condition, providing approximately 4,200 pupils with high quality learning environments
- was designed and constructed taking into consideration the needs of local stakeholders – Invesis alongside our partners developed an effective engagement plan
- was fitted with high-quality furniture and equipment to achieve 25 to 30 years of life, which substantially reduced the lifecycle budget for the client
Margaret McCrossan, Head of Accountancy and Chief Financial Officer at East Renfrewshire Council says, “Certain characteristics of the project required highly tailored solutions and Invesis invested significant time and effort in listening to our views and ensuring that their designs met out Education/Technical team’s expectations”.
