Derwent services York students

17 October 2011

Derwent FM has been awarded a £2m five-year, 600 bed deal for facilities management, which will see it provide services for students at Goodricke College at the University of York.

The contract is with the Student Accommodation Provision Limited Liability Partnership (SAPLLP), a joint venture between the University of York and Evans Property Services. The university has over 14,000 students and 3,000 staff and is ranked among the top ten universities in the UK. Goodricke College was officially opened by HRH Prince Andrew in April 2010. It has three accommodation blocks – Janet Baker Court, Kenneth Dixon Court and Oliver Sheldon Court.

Martin Corbett, managing director, Derwent FM, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this very prestigious and high profile contract despite being up against some much larger Facilities Management companies.

“Derwent FM has a solid background in student accommodation and further education and we were able to demonstrate this in our bid, along with our emphasis on partnership, customer service and support, which will bring long-term benefits in the delivery and management of student accommodation at the University.

“Our service delivery ethos revolves around how we can deliver the services to students in partnership with SAPLLP to directly enhance the student experience. The dynamics of the student services environment means it is critical to provide an integrated, flexible and responsive service to meet the needs of students.”

Harlan Pollitt, property and development manager, Evans Property Group, said: “Derwent FM stood out among other companies we considered because of their experience in the student accommodation and education sectors and their innovative approach to the bid and the competitive edge this provided. We are looking forward to working with the company over the next five years to deliver a first-class level of service to students and staff.”