Features
29 October 2009 - POOLING POWER
Combining council reserves could provide a way out of the funding crisis, argues Chris Leslie, director of the New Local Government Network.
29 October 2009 - ONE SIZE FITS NONE
Standard contracts do nothing to cut procurement costs or delays, Al Goodwin, senior associate at Burges Salmon, points out.
29 October 2009 - TRIGGER-HAPPY BOND
The current economic climate means performance bonds are increasingly under the spotlight, says Peter Dzakula, special counsel, K&L Gates.
28 October 2009 - LIFT GOING UP
Confusion over accounting changes threatened to leave Lift hanging, but the joint venturing programme is on the up again. James Donne reports.
23 October 2009 - GOING DOWN
An alarming number of PFI schemes have collapsed in recent months after contractors found themselves unable to deliver on their promises. As the aftershocks of the economic recession continue, will more badly designed deals be exposed? Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi reports.
23 October 2009 - IT'S, LIKE, TOTALLY
The latest exercise to shake up the world of local government,Total Place, could lead to more work for outsourcing and PPP firms – but only if Whitehall loosens the purse strings. By Max Rashbrooke.
23 September 2009 - PICKING THROUGH THE WRECKAGE
Could Building Schools ride to the rescue of the further education college programme? By Paul Jarvis.
23 September 2009 - CHALLENGING TIMES
More bidders are challenging councils’ decisions and new laws will strengthen their hand, says Mike Mousdale, a partner at Eversheds.
23 September 2009 - SECURITY GUARDS
Contractors may have to provide more insurance against going bust in tough economic times, warns Craig MacDougall, an associate at Davis Langdon.
22 September 2009 - HELL FREEZE OVER
Sandy Rosie, non-exective director of Caledonian Economics, explains how the Aberdeen City schools PPP survived the collapse of its Icelandic bank funder.
22 September 2009 - PENSIONS - THE HIDDEN DANGER
Trouble looms for PFI contractors taking on underfunded public pension liabilities, according to John Prior, head of public sector outsourcing at Punter Southall.
11 September 2009 - COSTS BUILDING UP
Six years into the programme, setting up a Building Schools for the Future scheme is still proving more expensive than councils expect. A PPP Bulletin investigation shows them struggling to keep costs under control. By Max Rashbrooke11 September 2009 - OUR HOUSES
In July, 10 local councils were awarded £1.7bn in housing PFI credits after a lengthy wait. Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi talks to six of those 10 councils about what they hope to do with the money.
11 September 2009 - SALES AGREED?
ANALYSIS - Councils are taking a risk with their new housing PFI schemes by banking on a property market recovery.
11 September 2009 - HUB-BA HUB-BA
ANALYSIS - Scotland’s new primary care building scheme will seek private investment – within limits
11 August 2009 - A RUBBISH DEFINITION
Defining waste might seem an abstract task, but can cost councils lots of time – and money, says Amelia Whittaker, a solicitor at Trowers & Hamlins.
11 August 2009 - GREAT SCOTS
Our radical new model offers better value - and stronger community support - than traditional PPP, claims Stephen Gibson, director at Cordale Housing Association.
11 August 2009 - BANKING ON HIGHER PRICES
The industry must adapt to a quantum shift in the way banks lend to PFI deals, warns Adrian Olsen, head of global project finance at the Bank of Ireland.
5 August 2009 - A RING ROAD POINTS THE WAY
The M25 deal is good news for the project finance market, whatever the pessimists may say. Richard Threlfall, partner at KPMG, comments.
5 August 2009 - WHERE TO FROM HERE?
We won’t close any major deals this year. But here’s our manifesto for 2010, says Mark Baxter, PPP Unit director at Miller Construction.
