A NORTH-EAST council's portfolio of property is to be maintained and upgraded by a private firm.

Jarvis will be responsible for a range of services from cleaning public toilets to running security at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's buildings under the deal.

The company has subcontracted the work from Liberata, the group which is preferred bidder to run a range of council services, particularly for information technology.

The deal is worth £90m and will effectively see Jarvis acting as the council's new works department.

Jarvis's facilities and management and infrastructure services group will create 150 jobs in the first two years because the company can use its employees for commercial contracts as well as working for the authority.

Jarvis's work for the borough covers the council chambers, all council-run schools, social services centres and public parks.

Under the agreement, Jarvis will become the new bosses of maintenance engineers, plumbers, cleaners, security guards and some other estates staff from the council.

Liberata is expecting to finalise a deal with the borough council next month, with work beginning in April.

The deal will run for ten years and be worth £230m.

Liberata is expecting to create 2,000 jobs during the life of the contract.

Councillor David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: "The delivery of this contract is central to ensuring that this council moves into the 'good' category and later to 'excellent' under the Audit Commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment."