COUNCILLORS have today confirmed the appointment of a contractor for the Building Schools for the Future Project which will start in Fenland. Cambridgeshire County Council s Cabinet approved the appointment of Equitix Learning Partnership as the preferred

COUNCILLORS have today confirmed the appointment of a contractor for the Building Schools for the Future Project which will start in Fenland.

Cambridgeshire County Council's Cabinet approved the appointment of Equitix Learning Partnership as the preferred bidder for the �100million programme, when it met today at Shire Hall.

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

As we exclusively revealed last week, the first schemes will take place at Neale-Wade Community College in March and at Thomas Clarkson Community College in Wisbech.

Work is set to start at both schools in summer 2010.

Councillor 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: "This is an important milestone and means that the county 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.