South Derbyshire shows the way

Published by Danny Calogero for Fellows Associates in Local Government and also in Central Government, Communities

An innovative partnership set up to improve services in South Derbyshire has got off to a flying start.

The contract between South Derbyshire District Council and Northgate Public Services, which began in August, is designed to provide added value for money for residents and create economic opportunities.

A Corporate Services Strategic Board, made up of representatives from the Council and Northgate, met to discuss progress after the first three months.

The message was clear: South Derbyshire is showing the way.

Northgate has been looking at a variety of ways of making additional savings and helping the Council to become even more efficient. 

Progress has already been made to further develop areas such as customer services.

To make it easier for residents to contact the Council, technology has been implemented to modernise the telephone switchboard.  In addition, figures show just 2.6 per cent of calls made to the Customer Services telephone number were unanswered in October, compared to 9.7 per cent at the same time last year. 

Efficiency measures have also been put in place to ensure staff make contact with visitors to the Civic Offices within three minutes.

Improvements are reflected in customer satisfaction surveys showing that 93 per cent of telephone callers and 92 per cent of visitors to the District Council are happy with the service they have received.

Cllr Bob Wheeler, Chairman of the Corporate Services Strategic Board, said: “The partnership is a pioneering response to the age of austerity and will allow the Council to build on the high levels of service already provided.

“It is clear that we are developing a strong partnership with Northgate that will help us to continue to deliver top quality, good value services to our residents and partners, while driving down the cost of delivering services in the future.”

Northgate is also carrying out efficiency reviews. This includes looking at how the authority can tap into the company’s expertise for efficient purchasing. In addition, new finance and human resource systems will be in place by May 2011.

Using the Civic Centre, in Swadlincote, as a base, Northgate’s regional centre of excellence provides business transformation services for both public and not for profit organisations throughout the East Midlands and nationally.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director for Northgate Public Services, said: “While the challenges facing the public sector are greater now than at any time in recent history, so too are the opportunities for new ideas, exciting possibilities of working differently and inspirational leadership.

“This is all about delivering better for less. We have fostered an extremely positive relationship with South Derbyshire District Council in which a culture of collaboration, quality and genuine value for money can flourish and grow.”

As part of the partnership, Northgate has taken on responsibility for managing the District Council’s Corporate Services.

This includes Finance, Organisational Development, Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services, IT and Business Improvement. In total 84 staff members have been successfully transferred.

The contract, worth £22 million, is guaranteed to make savings to the Council of £2.1 million over seven years. As part of the contract, Northgate also plans to bring at least 100 jobs into the District. 

-Ends-

For further information
Fellows’ Associates

Kathy Sutton                         
+44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Danny Calogero                   
+44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

South Derbyshire District Council

Carole Warburton
+44(0)1283 595741; +44(0)7967 323591

Notes to editors

1. At the heart of England and the National Forest, South Derbyshire is one of, if not the fastest growing districts in the East Midlands. Offering the blend of a growing economy, attractive countryside and numerous places for leisure and tourism, the District can truly provide an excellent place to live and work. With a population of over 92,000, South Derbyshire is home to over two hundred companies, including Toyota’s global production centre for the European region and JCB’s only diesel engine manufacturing plant.
2. The tendering process for the provision of Corporate Services began in October 2008. Each bidder was told that the key objectives were to ensure medium and long term stability, improve access to a wide range of skills, retain and grow additional jobs in South Derbyshire, protect the interests of both the current and future workforce, deliver cashable savings and invest in continued business improvements.
3. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too is its depth and breadth across public services.
4. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology; to understand why and what change is necessary; to provide new thinking leading to improved performance; and to link company rewards with positive outcomes for the communities for whom it works. It supports transformation through sustainable performance partnerships.
5. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has more than 12,000 employees.