Glasgow lines up Commonwealth 'ODA', health project test is designed to kill PPP

Glasgow Council is preparing to set up a vehicle similar to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) after winning its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games last Friday, reported Ðǿմ«Ã½ magazine.

The search is now on to find a chief executive to head the operating commission - its equivalent to the ODA - which will be responsible for managing a £500m construction programme - to include a £245m athlete's village, a £76m indoor sports arena and a £112m entertainments arena.

Although individuals are yet to be approached, Ðǿմ«Ã½ quoted a source close to the games as saying organisers were looking for a "high profile figure from the world of politics" to lead the programme. After the appointment's made, work to find contractors will begin. According to the bid document, £228m of the village's cost is likely to be met by the private sector and sources say a public/private partnership is likely.

The PPP route seems to be losing credibility in Scotland, however. Construction News reported that three teams are to test bid for a new contract designed to replace PPP in Scotland.

CN reported that Canmore/Mclaughlin & Harvey/NG Bailey, Equion/Laing O'Rourke and Robertson/Morgan Ashurst are all thought to be competing for the £83m Tayside and North Scotland mental health development project, with prequalification documents due to be returned to client Tayside Health Board early next month.

CN said the scheme, to improve mental health units at the Murray Royal Hospital in Perth and Stracthro near Brechin in Angus, is tipped as the model for the future procurement of major public sector building projects in Scotland. Following its recent election as lead party in the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish National Party has said it is opposed to PPP and is now looking at a non-profit-distributing mechanism - used for the first time in the health sector on the Tayside scheme, having previously been used for schools projects in Argyll & Bute, Falkirk and Aberdeenshire.