AMEY AND CYRIL SWEETT REACH FINANCIAL CLOSE FOR DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY PPP PROJECT

The Amey and Cyril Sweett consortium - E4D&G (Education for Dumfries and Galloway) - have achieved Financial Close for the Dumfries and Galloway Council Smarter Schools PPP Project.

Amey and Cyril Sweett Investments have created a special purpose project company, E4D&G Limited to deliver the 30 year, 9 school PPP contract .The project commencing in January 2008 with the intention of all schools being operational by 2010.The project invests over £100 million in the Dumfries and Galloway school estate, with eight new schools and one refurbishment and extension project in an existing school. The project funding is being provided by HSBC Bank PLC and the European Investment Bank.

Amey will deliver the £110 million Facilities Management contract commencing in August 2009 when the first schools are operational.   

Mel Ewell, Chief Executive of Amey said: “This Smarter Schools Project is an excellent start to 2008 for the Amey and Cyril Sweett consortium.  We look forward to building on our already successful educational portfolio in Scotland and developing our partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council.”

Construction will be delivered by FMP, a joint venture of Farrans, H&J Martin and Pattons.  All three companies are committed to using local contractors, suppliers and labour to carry out much of the construction work.

The 9 schools involved in the project will be: 

• Castle Douglas Primary School
• Dumfries Roman Catholic Primary School
• Heathhall Primary School
• Kirkcudbright Primary School
• Lockerbie Primary
• Lockerbie Academy
• Moffat All Through School
• Stranraer Academy
• Wallace Hall Academy

Dean Webster, Chief Executive of Cyril Sweet said: “We are proud to be involved in such a key PPP education project. This reinforces Cyril Sweett’s commitment to the education sector within which we continue to develop our services and resources to ensure that our skills remain recognised as the industry benchmark.”

Council Leader, Councillor Ivor Hyslop stated: "The Smarter Schools Project is a significant step in the rejuvenation of Dumfries and Galloway’s schools estate and I look forward to seeing construction commencing at all of the sites in the near future."

For further information, quotes or interviews please contact:

Gemma Anderson on 0141 810 9563 or email: gemma.anderson@amey.co.uk

Or Amey Press Office on 020 7344 1260 or email: press.office@amey.co.uk