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Two new schools to be built under PPP


Two new schools in Hobsonville are to built and maintained under a public-private partnership (PPP), the Government said today.

NZPA
Wed, 06 Apr 2011

Two new schools in Hobsonville are to built and maintained under a public-private partnership (PPP), the Government said today.

Infrastructure Minister Bill English said while financial savings were expected to be relatively small, overseas experience showed appropriate use of PPPs introduced new design, financing and maintenance techniques.

"This government has made it clear we are open to greater use of private sector expertise where it makes sense," he said.

"Building and maintaining two new schools through a PPP is likely to result in a range of benefits."

The Government would seek formal expressions of interest for the new primary and secondary schools at Hobsonville Point, north west of Auckland, he said.

Education Minister Anne Tolley said students and teachers would benefit.

"The private sector partner will be responsible for financing, designing, building and maintaining the property for 25 years of school operations," she said.

"This means the schools and boards can focus more on teaching and learning, without the added responsibility of maintaining the property."

Mrs Tolley said the land and schools would still be owned by the Government, and the board of trustees would remain wholly in charge of the governance and day-to-day running of the school.

"In addition, the private sector partner will carry the risk around time-consuming and expensive problems like leaky buildings and be required to sort them out quickly or suffer a financial penalty," she said.

NZPA
Wed, 06 Apr 2011
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Two new schools to be built under PPP
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