SCOTTISH Borders Council has awarded a contract worth £10m to a consultancy company, it has emerged.

A notice has been published on the Public Contracts Scotland website outlining the terms of the agreement with Edinburgh-based Turner & Townsend.

The firm is set to offer consultancy services on construction, engineering and building projects, and project management over the next six years.

Despite ongoing financial pressures the local authority is committed to pushing ahead with £300m worth of capital investment over the next three years, including new schools and care facilities.

An SBC spokesperson said: “This is a contract with an initial three-year term with optional extensions for another three. The contract value over the full six years is estimated at £10m.

“It is anticipated that this contract will provide the bulk of the consultancy work required to supplement internal resources within our assets and infrastructure directorate, particularly in relation to the delivery of our ambitious capital plan projects over this time frame, which includes new school and care facilities.”