St Helens Council is expected to confirm shortly that Interserve has triumphed on its £150m schools BSF plan to build eight schools in the area.

In a separate BSF deal, Balfour Beatty is also believed to be waiting in the wings for an announcement on a £200m BSF deal in Derby to build 10 secondary schools and a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU).

Both contractors are  said to be on tenterhooks. Next week Chancellor George Osborne will spell out the Government’s plans for the future of the £55bn BSF programme.

Most of the national contractors are counting on him giving approval to jobs where contractors have reached financial close or preferred contractors are on board.