Flintshire County Council in Wales has awarded a £6.1m school building contract to local contractor Read Construction.

Read has been hired to build a new infant school in Connor’s Quay and demolish two old school buildings to create the site for its playing fields as part of the agreement.

Construction is hoped to be complete by July 2012, and demolition will begin in September 2012.

Welsh deputy first minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said offering these types of public sector contract to small local businesses such as Read was essential to support the local economy.

He said: “The public sector will control £16bn of expenditure in Wales this year, with funding on capital developments accounting for around £1.7billion. It is therefore very important that Welsh businesses are given an even chance to win contracts competitively and that they have the opportunity to deliver what we need.”

Read has pledged to offer 90% of its sub-contracts to local suppliers.

• Balfour Beatty wins £230m Oldham school building contract
• DTZ wins 14m sq ft Welsh health contract
• Hull signs £400m school building deal
• Teachers lobby Westminster over school building cuts
• Axed school building scheme slices into construction market