Trowers & Hamlins

James, assisted by Public Sector Commercial department Solicitor Dan Toohey, worked with a firm wide team to advise the Council on issues including the procurement of the joint venture vehicle which will take the project forward, its corporate structure as a limited company and a number of contractual issues which developed as the project progressed.

Under the terms of the contract Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Kier Building Maintenance have created a new organisation called Kier Stoke which will carry out repairs and maintenance on the city’s 20,000 council-owned houses as well as its municipal buildings estate. The Council will retain a 20% share in the new company which will carry out its function over a ten year period with an optional extension over a further five years. Over 500 council employees will transfer to the new company as part of the contract which over its lifetime will have an estimated total value of £400 million and will make a significant contribution to Stoke-on-Trent City Council's obligations under the government's Decent Homes programme as well as promoting the Council's regeneration objectives for the area.

The deal underlines the market leading position of Trowers & Hamlins as legal advisers in the Strategic Partnership market and is the third such project which the team has helped bring to completion over the last twelve months, the first being the £200 million Strategic Partnership concluded between Swindon Council and Capita Group plc in February 2007 with a second following between Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council in May of the same year. Trowers & Hamlins continues to advise a number of clients including Wolverhampton City Council, the London Borough of Newham and Welwyn Hatfield Council on a variety of Strategic Partnership projects which aim to deliver improved public services.

Commenting on the deal Partner James Hawkins said:
'The successful conclusion of the Stoke/Kier Strategic Partnership will allow the Council and its private sector partner Kier to deliver significant improvements to the lives of the people of Stoke and the environment in which they live. The project is equally important for Trowers & Hamlins as it underlines our continued success and market leading position in the Strategic Partnership sector with an emphasis on sustainable communities and corporate social responsibility. We look forward to building on this success for the benefit of our clients in the future'.