09 April 2004
Support is at hand for local education authorities looking to join with the private sector to renovate dilapidated school buildings.
Partnerships for Schools, a new non-departmental public body, began work on April 5. It will help LEAs link with the private sector to deliver Building Schools for the Future, the government's £2.2bn, 15-year school renewal programme.
The Department for Education and Skills estimates that 180 schools from 14 English LEAs will take part in the first wave of projects, due to begin in 2005/06.
Schools minister David Miliband said: 'It will encourage the sharing of good practice and work to secure Best Value.'
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