WIREDGOV

A £302 million cash injection for the first time gives England’s colleges free rein to decide how best to repair their crumbling buildings.

The funding will be directly allocated to further education institutions, providing a golden opportunity to carry out much-needed work on an estate that Skills Minister Jacqui Smith described as “simply not fit for purpose”.

The windfall, announced last week, is a welcome development, but educators - who are already under significant pressure - will need some understanding of construction in order to spend it effectively.

A survey by Gov.uk revealed that education leaders are likely to work 50 to 59 hours per week – without tackling problems such as leaking roofs, broken windows and dilapidated learning spaces.

“As customers, they can’t possibly know everything about construction, and that’s where it’s invaluable to secure expert guidance before spending a single pound,” said YPO buildings, highways and construction category manager Kath Johnson.

She has helped hundreds of further education providers and trusts see their projects successfully through from design to completion.

“Sometimes, they might have already had someone in who has made a mess,” she said of a complex jigsaw whose pieces include timing, pricing, specifications and mandatory requirements. “It’s important that we use providers that can deliver and that they get it right first time.”

Colleges must put work out to tender to ensure they abide by the regulations of the Procurement Act 2023 or the Procurement Contracts Regulations of 2015 and spend public money with fairness and transparency and in such a way that it brings social, economic and environmental benefits.

“Finding a suitable contractor isn’t easy, but public sector tendering via YPO is designed to pave the way on a smooth journey,” said Kath.

“YPO has established a number of framework solutions - agreements that make the construction tendering process easier and quicker by using template documents, together with our guidance on specifications and tendering processes.

“We have hundreds of pre-qualified providers, including SME artisans and national multi-service organisations able to mobilise rapidly to resolve structural or infrastructure issues.”

College leaders will be interested in YPO’s customer-friendly dynamic purchasing systems (DPSs), including the Building Envelope Services DPS, which covers a range of external projects from glazing and cladding to demolition. The Buildings Internal Fit-out and Maintenance DPS, which is recommended by the Department for Education’s “finding a framework” service, covers work including joinery, kitchen and bathroom installations, and floor coverings.

“We are able to offer customers a guiding hand. They can use our template document, with YPO assisting as little or as much as they want,” said Kath. “To give them confidence, we can give guidance from the very beginning of the process, right through to contract management, including site visits.”

For more information, contact the team via construction@ypo.co.uk or call 01924 834870.