A county council pledge to back business could net local firms up to £60m as part of the biggest school expansion programme in Surrey's history.

Around 30 primary school construction contracts worth £50m are set to be awarded through the BuildSurrey website over the next two years.

On top of the school work, £10m of other council building and repair deals will be offered through the site if the Cabinet gives the go-ahead on Tuesday 4th February.

BuildSurrey was created to boost the council's drive to ensure 60% of its spending on goods and services is with local businesses.


Growing demand fuelled by a surging birth rate means Surrey needs to create 10,000 school places over the next three years after building 6,000 – the equivalent of 15 primaries – since 2010.

Tony Samuels, Surrey County Council's Cabinet Member for Assets and Regeneration Programmes, said: "Local businesses are the cornerstone of every community, creating jobs and spurring economic growth. If they thrive, we all prosper and that is why we have pledged to ensure 60% of our spending is with local firms.

"The £60m of work they will do will contribute to helping us push on with the biggest schools expansion project Surrey's ever seen, which will see 10,000 school places built over the next three years to meet growing demand from demographic changes beyond our control."

(CD/JP)