Councillors have confirmed the appointment of a contractor for Cambridgeshire’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project.

Cambridgeshire County Council’s Cabinet approved the appointment of Equitix Learning Partnership as the preferred bidder for the £100m programme, when it met today (December 15).

This decision follows a 15-month procurement and selection process and six weeks of intense and thorough evaluation of final bids.

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a national programme, with a total cost of around £55 billion, for the refurbishment or rebuilding of all secondary schools in England over the next 10 to 15 years.

The government’s priority is on improving outcomes for young people. Cambridgeshire’s first BSF project will improve facilities for secondary aged students in Fenland. Major improvements are planned for Meadowgate School in Wisbech, Thomas Clarkson Community College, Sir Harry Smith Community College, Cromwell and Neale Wade Community Colleges and the Fenland Junction Pupil Referral Unit.

Work is due to start in summer 2010 at the first two schools – Thomas Clarkson Community College in Wisbech and Neale-Wade Community College in March.

Cllr Martin Curtis, County Council Cabinet Member for Children said: “This is a significant milestone in the development of Cambridgeshire’s BSF project. It will mean significant improvements to Cambridgeshire’s secondary schools – starting with those in the Fenland area. I am delighted that Cabinet approved the appointment of the Equitix Learning Partnership and I am looking forward to working closely with them over the coming years to improve facilities and therefore outcomes for young people in Cambridgeshire.”

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, the organisation responsible for delivering the national BSF programme said: “I am pleased that Cambridgeshire has appointed a selected bidder for its BSF project. This is an important milestone and means that the Council can progress with its plans to design and refurbish the area’s schools, which will benefit the lives of not only school pupils but local communities as a whole.”

Nick Parker, Director of Equitix, added: “I am delighted that we have been selected to work in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council to create schools which will put the needs of learners first. Our vision is to work with the schools and communities of Fenland to develop truly exciting environments that will meet the demands of a modern education system, with integrated ICT at its core.”