The Scottish Government body that manages procurement for public sector infrastructure projects said it delivered £146million in cost savings in its most recent financial year.
The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), which has replaced discredited public private partnerships (PPIs) and private finance initiative (PFI) funding mechanisms, said it was on course to reach its objective of securing £500 – £750million of savings during the five-year corporate plan period, ending in March 2019.
SFT projects in the region have included Alford Community Campus delivered through SFT’s £1.8billion Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme, and Inverness College, funded through SFT’s Non-Profit Distributing programme.
SFT chief executive, Barry White, said: “We have secured the construction of 3,000 affordable-rent homes with 1,260 homes now occupied; we have pushed the value of first-class community facilities under construction through our hub programme to over £1billion which is supporting over 7,000 jobs and we have unlocked over £1billion of economic investment into Edinburgh and Dundee city centres though our Growth Accelerator programme.
“The economic and social impact of our work means we are securing employment, attracting investment and saving energy. These are just some of the many positive and tangible benefits SFT’s programmes of work are having across Scotland.
“By the end of this financial year, 20 more new schools will be open for pupils and local communities to use and enjoy and construction will have started on a further eight; 120,000 more energy efficient LED street lamps will have been installed and 200 more affordable-rent homes will be built and occupied.”
