Schools' Â£50m overhaul

The Deanery High School has recently undergone a re-build

The council has awarded contracts to 10 construction companies to establish a framework agreement for repairs and maintenance at educational buildings across the borough beginning in 2017.

A spokesperson for the council told Wigan Today that so far there are no specific projects allocated within the contract but that the council is in “constant contact” with education providers.

Two of the businesses chosen during the tendering process include Ince-based Link Contracting Services Ltd and Truline Construction and Interior Services Ltd based in Martland Business Park.

Penny McGinty, Wigan Council’s assistant director for corporate contracts and assets, said: “The council’s construction framework has been renewed for the next four years following a tendering process.

“This means that some of the council’s construction work will be provided by the ten companies which were successful in being appointed to the framework.

“We are pleased with the standard of the successful applicants and that the framework includes local companies which will support the borough’s economy and jobs.”

The work will be split into two lots, the first of which is allocated Â£15m to work on individual projects ranging anywhere from Â£250,000 to Â£1m.

The second lot will cost around Â£35m and will be given to projects ranging from Â£1m to Â£5m.

Although the framework has been given an estimated value of Â£50m, Wigan Council has said that this budget is subject to whether the capital funds are made available.

The Deanery High School is one of the establishments to have already benefitted from a Â£20.3m re-build, which materialised from a large Government grant. Parts of the new school have already been completed and construction company, Morgan Sindall, is aiming to have the project completed by September.

Contractors Carefoot, based in Preston, have promised to bring “added social value” into the borough by providing expanding its STEM programme to provide education and resources for young people, as well as offering apprenticeships in trade and technical disciplines.