Page 14 - link magazine

14 The Link Magazine • June 200 3
Governors keeping fingers
National
crossed for 2005 completion
Schoolwearuc-L L U H H
PUPPIES The temporary governing body for North Swindon's secondary
school to be built in Priory Vale are wrestling with the immense
A wide range of schoolwear for ages 4 to 18
complexities of building a new school on a joint campus under the
Official stockists of Brownies, Cubs, Scouts and Guides uniforms
private finance initiative (PFI).
Unit 39 Brunel Arcade Swindon Tel: 01793 520843

Headstarts Da Nursery School I
r
Established 1990
•
Delta Business Park, Westlea. West Swindon
llcad.stark is a friendly, 'family' nursery offering a warm,
y
happy and relaxed environment where ever child benefits
from individual attention.
Conveniently located within afew minutes drive from M4
Junction 16, Town Centre, Westlea and Abbey Meads.
q Monday - Friday 8am till 6pm all year
q Sessions for 0 - 5 year olds - am, pm, school day, all day.
q Real value for money. From £108 per week full ti me
q Funded child-care credits available." , I Caught in a storm, four of the temporary governors Mark Edwards,
q Government Funded Nursery Sessions" Claim up to
Julie Little, Neil Askins and Linda Rankins at the school site
£37 worth of Nursery Credits per child per week.
In the past borough council of- chitecture in the Built Environment
For further information or to arrange a visit, '
please call Alison on 877779. — —' Conditions apply Rates may vary) ficers developed a project and ap- nominated by the Department for
•
L— — — — — — — — — plied to government to sanction Education and Skills to ensure that
capital borrowing, establishing a buildings proposed by the private
temporary governing body once companies are fit for purpose and
funding had been agreed. Under designed to enhance the environ-
PFI, the project involves private ment.
companies who design, build, With a background in quantity
manage and maintain the facili- surveying and PFI projects else-
ties. where, Abbey Meads resident Neil
Windows & Conservatories In October the Government ap- Askins is well placed to chair the
proved PFI expenditure to the temporary governing body. "Be-
A family business
value of £58 million to enable: cause of the size and complexity of
with over 25 years experience • rebuilding Hreod Parkway the provision in North Swindon
School on the south site, off Akers this initial phase of drawing up
PVCu Windows Way; specifications for the new build-
• building a learning campus at ings has presented both council
and Doors Priory Vale which will include a officers and the volunteers who
secondary school, a primary school, have come onto the temporary
PVCu & Hardwood two special needs schools and com- body a huge challenge. There are
Conservatories munity and sporting facilities; so many unknowns that the proc-
• building a further three primary ess has been a very steep learning
Composite Doors schools elsewhere in the develop- curve for all of us.
ment area. "Our meetings since September
Primary & Swindon council tax payers will have been dominated by PFI and
Secondary Glazing have to meet the £2.5 million re- discussing our expectations of the
payment costs every year for the school. I've met with the council
25 years that the arrangement will officers' project team every two
COMPETITIVE LOANS CAN BE ARRANGED
be in existence. weeks to reinforce the views of the
Because of the large amounts of governors as the invitation to ten-
money that needs to be spent der document is finalised. Over
SUPPLY & FIT
wisely, and also the fact that PFI the next three to four months we
.. ; SUPPLY ONLY schemes elsewhere in the country should be able to look at education
issues, such as the appointment of
have been subject to criticism on
U ® - I j TRADE OR value for money grounds, a large the headteacher and the senior
RETAIL.
amount of time is being spent by
staff, and be able to establish how
council officers on preparing the many year groups will start at the
'invitation to tender' document. school when it opens."
FENSA This details every requirement The preferred bidder for the PFI
i i a Registered Company for the rebuilding of Hreod and will be chosen in the autumn and a
the new schools, both in terms of contract should be in place before
. their educational use and use of the end of next January. If the
cea c wuutv w & ecniewatawea .&,nited
the facilities by the community. scheme progresses smoothly, both
Station Road, Minety, Malmesbury, Wilts SN16 9QY The shortlisted private contractors the new secondary school and the
will then be able to assess what rebuilt Hreod Parkway could be in
Tel: 01666 860736 Fax: 01666 860761 they can deliver for the money operation for September 2005.
Tel: Steve 01666 860885 or available and tender their services. Governor Mark Edwards, a
Quality of build has been an- member of the Taw Hill residents'
David 01793 772463 eves & w/ends other major criticism of PFI and association said, "it is fascinating
www.classic -windows.com the council has retained a consult- to be in at the beginning of a new
ant from the Commission for Ar- education initiative."