The Hertfordshire County Council Children’s Services PFI consortium, also known as ‘Young Herts’, won the ‘Best Community/User Involvement in a Project’ at the 2008 Public Private Finance Awards.
The consortium, formed and lead by Osborne, working with investment partners UMEI and facilities management provider CBS, is working on the £24 million project to provide refurbished homes and facilities for vulnerable young people.
Young Herts held workshops and activity days to engage those who would live and work in the homes. This included encouraging the young people to influence colour schemes of homes and the design of the gardens.
The project has been running since 2007 and has already refurbished two family support centres. It is about to complete three new children’s homes and in total the team will deliver 14 facilities across Hertfordshire.
Roger Simons divisional director of Osborne comments:
“We are delighted that the project has been recognised in these awards. Our continuing strategy is to bring the children who live in the homes into the process.”