Greater standardisation of the PFI process and improved accounting guidance.
School design issues:
• Involving a wide range of individuals and organisations (such as cabe and the Design Council) in the preparation of key design guidance, such as Schools for the Future BB95, the revision of Area Guidelines for Schools BB82 (placed on the DfES website and formally superseding BB82, with figures up 10% for secondary schools and 15% for primaries), and the forthcoming Schools Cost Study, which aims to establish benchmark cost data.
• Schools for the Future BB95 illustrated the benefits that good design can bring to the education environment.
• The continuing participation of cabe, the Design Council, RIBA, private consultants, private contractors, chief education officers and head teachers as members of steering groups advising on many DfES publications.
• The same parties are represented on the Advisory Group on School Design established to advise Ministers on better procurement.
• Funding cabe to provide project enablers to advise LEAs on design and related issues in PFI projects.
• Options appraisal guidance, which advises LEAs as part of the asset management planning process to appraise all major building projects against the Schools for the Future model.