Some of the biggest names in the construction industry turned out for Southampton City Council's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Bidders' Event this week.

More than 250 individuals from nearly 120 organisations attended to find out more about the city's £200 million programme to invest in its secondary school estate.

The guest list included national consortia already delivering BSF projects elsewhere in the country and Southampton-based businesses looking for opportunities to enter the supply chain.

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Potential bidders were briefed on the construction, infrastructure and facilities management requirements of Southampton's programme. They also took part in workshops to find out about students' expectations of their new schools and the city council's position on design, ICT and educational transformation.

Councillor Paul Holmes, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said: "BSF is a huge commitment by the council to improve education. So, it is reassuring that so many organisations have invested their time to find out more about our proposals. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the city and we hope that from this event we can move forward to find the right partner to help us deliver our programme."

(CD/GK)