8.38 In 'Building Schools for the Future' the Government has committed to a programme of rebuilding and renewal to ensure that all secondary schools in England have facilities to 21st century standards. With over £5 billion a year available for capital investment in schools by 2005-06, over £2 billion of which is earmarked for strategic renewal of the secondary estate, the Government is committing the resources necessary to enable local education authorities (LEAs), schools, parents and governors to work together to achieve 21st century standards for every school in the country over the next 10-15 years.
8.39 DfES is currently working with Partnerships UK and 4Ps to develop a new national body to manage its programme of PFI and conventional investment in secondary schools, and to work with LEAs on solutions to meet their needs. This offers a way to increase procurement skills and reduce procurement costs and delays in the schools sector, and ensure that the expertise is in place to identify where PFI can offer value for money and where conventional procurement will provide the better option. This new national procurement body is planned to launch in the autumn, ready to take forward the first local strategic plans.
8.40 The DfES is in the process of developing exemplar designs that will set a new benchmark standard for school design, and which can be customised to meet local needs and circumstances. Much greater support to LEAs and schools in negotiating terms for large-scale investment will also be provided, reducing the procurement burden on local authorities, while helping them realise their local vision and strategies. The new body would be expected to:
• manage the delivery of the programme of strategic investment, supporting local procurements to reduce time, cost and complexity;
• use both PFI and conventional procurement, efficiently and as appropriate to local needs;
• work with LEAs and schools to develop the programme of strategic renewal;
• ensure supply chains are tested to achieve best value and gains are passed on to schools; and
• encourage and develop the market of private sector suppliers.