BOLTON Council has swept the board to win a crucial cleaning contract - and saved 520 jobs.

Jubilant council chiefs were today celebrating a victory after their in-house company beat off private competition to claim a £4 million deal.

The three-year contract to clean all council buildings, most schools and libraries comes into force in January - and there is an option to extend it for an extra 12 months.

Labour Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, chairman of the council's contract services committee, said: "I am delighted. Our win reflects the very high quality and standards achieved by our staff."

He stressed that there was no pay cut for employees of the Building Cleaning Services Direct Labour Organisation to win the contract.

The bid from the DLO was £480,000 a year less than the lowest tender, and a saving of almost £2 million over the full period.

It is understood that the DLO beat two other firms to win the contract.

Cllr Kilcoyne added: "It wasn't easy, but we have concentrated on sharpening up the DLO and have achieved significant savings through increased efficiency and reduced management and administrative costs.

"The bid followed extensive consultation with all staff and, when we put the deal to them, 85pc supported the bid and it's paid off."

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