Reflection on "PFI Expiry: Why London Boroughs Must Plan Now"

On Thursday 25th April, I chaired a roundtable discussion, with Future of London and attendees from 15 London Boroughs on the crucial topic of "PFI Expiry: Why London Boroughs Must Plan Now".

I was joined by:

Joanne Cooke PFI Commercial Manager, Leeds City Council

Sarah Channin, Commercial Director PFI Expiry and Lifecycle,  Equans UK & Ireland

Michael Berrington, Director of Local Partnerships LLP

Some key numbers for context:

• There are around 90 PFI projects in London
• More than two thirds of those were procured by local authorities
• Over half of the London local authority PFI projects relate to schools

These figures, particularly when taking on board all the related stakeholders, demonstrate the need to take notice of PFI expiry. 

Given the scale and complexity of these projects Local Authorities and other contracting authorities are advised by the Infrastructure & Projects Authority to review their projects at least 7 years in advance of expiry to adequately prepare and plan for the future.  So how prepared do London Boroughs feel? It was a great discussion and gave a good insight into the concerns of local authorities and the need to navigate the road to expiry.   I thoroughly enjoyed engaging all our delegates round the table on:

• how to determine the key resources for expiry and engage those resources
• exploring how the public and private sectors can work together effectively
• considering the strategic opportunities that PFI expiry could create

This event forms part of a major research project by Future of London which Devonshires is sponsoring  to find out how London boroughs are gearing up for PFI expiry and help them navigate this complex process. 

For more information on this topic, do not hesitate to contact me.

Photo provided by Future of London