A Public Private Partnership (PPP) is a project which is carried forward in partnership between the Council and the private sector. In the case of the private sector, normally a construction company, a bank and perhaps a facilities management provider form a consortium to take the project forward and look after it for a period of time – perhaps 25 or 30 years. Facilities management companies are companies which look after cleaning, catering, grounds maintenance etc.
Within Highland the PPP arrangement has already resulted in the establishment of 15 new schools built by September 2008.
The 15 schools operated by PPP consortia are:
- Ardnamurchan HS
- Glen Urquhart HS
- Spean Bridge PS
- Strathdearn PS
- Cawdor PS
- Culbokie PS
- Dingwall Academy
- Drummond School
- Inshes PS
- Inverness Gaelic School
- Kinlochleven HS
- Kinlochleven PS
- Millburn Academy
- Portree HS
- Resolis PS
The consortium will build a school, paying all Capital costs and will then maintain that school both in terms of the building but also in terms of other services such as grounds maintenance, cleaning, janitorial requirements. school security etc. for a period of up to 30 years.
The Council remains responsible for the employment of all teaching staff and for all staff that support the teaching function, including, in the case of Secondary schools, librarians, technicians etc. and in the case of all schools, the administrative and clerical support staff and catering staff (excluding Lochaber schools).
The following budget headings are therefore not included in the devolved budget provided by the Council to a PPP school:
- Janitors
- Repairs & Maintenance
- Water
- Energy
- Building Cleaning
It should be noted that for the avoidance of any doubt the following expenditure items remain the responsibility of the Highland Council:-
- Provision of Television Licences
- Telephone costs
- Vandalism during school hours
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