The contract will run for 25 years from completion of the construction, during which time Equion will also provide facilities management services including on site cleaning, maintenance and catering.

The seven schools include two secondary schools, three primary schools and two special schools for pupils with severe learning difficulties.

The project includes the creation of a pioneering Learning Campus containing four schools, a cyber cafe, sports facilities, a physiotherapy and speech therapy unit and a hydrotherapy pool. The facilities will also be made available to the wider community as well as to local health and social services professionals.

Chief Executive of Swindon Borough Council, Simon Birch said: “We believe that a partnership approach is the best way forward and look forward to working with Equion to bring about a successful long term partnership that will allow the schools involved to develop and flourish further.  We don’t know what the future may hold for education but together, we will design schools that are flexible, inclusive and personal to the local community.  These schools will showcase the best of the design and construction industry in this country.  The buildings will be inspirational and encourage the whole community to continue learning. “

John Cann, Director of Equion plc said: “As a leading provider in education PFI, we will draw on our extensive track record to deliver this project in partnership with Swindon Borough Council. We are proud to be partners in this exciting initiative that will improve the educational opportunities for all the people of Swindon.”

The North Swindon schools consortium comprises Equion plc as the equity investor, Equion FM as facilities management provider, the Architects Co-Partnership (ACP), the contractor Laing O’Rourke and funder Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein.

-Ends-

For further information please contact or Christine Jones on Tel: 020 7901 3200.

Notes to Editors
· Equion is a specialist provider of facilities in the PFI and PPP markets with a long-term perspective and approach. Equion offers a combination of skills and experience, from planning and funding through to design, construction and operation. It is actively involved in the management of a wide range of education, police, health, defence and special purpose government facilities including:

- Highlands Secondary School in Enfield
- Newham and Enfield Combined Schools project
- Glasgow and Edinburgh Schools project
- South East Essex College at Southend
- the Ministry of Defence Main Building refurbishment in Whitehall
- 17 police stations and facilities in Greater Manchester
- the Metropolitan Police Service Specialist Training Centre in Gravesend
- the new Norfolk & Norwich, and Queen Elizabeth (Greenwich) Hospitals
- a radical restructuring of primary health care facilities in Manchester, Salford and Trafford

· John Laing plc, is one of the UK’s leading corporate developers and investors in public infrastructure through the Private Finance Initiative with a proven record of delivering new investments on time and to budget. It holds a large and expanding portfolio of investments under three main divisions: Laing Roads, Laing Rail and Equion. The Group currently invests in a total of 36 projects spanning education, transport, health and special purpose government facilities, of which 22 are fully operational. It is currently preferred bidder on 15 PFI and PPP projects and shortlisted for a further 13. The majority of the investments are within the UK though a number are in continental Europe. http://www.laing.com/

· Equion and its parent company John Laing plc won the Infrastructure Journal Developer of the Year Award in February 2004. http://www.equion.plc.uk/

· Equion provided one of the first PFI schools in the country, Highlands School in Enfield, which opened in 2001.