Northgate-is - News Item 745

Northgate partnerships transforming transport services

Innovative performance partnerships are transforming transport services across the country, delivering continuous improvement and saving local authorities millions of pounds.

Through unique public-private partnership arrangements linking fees to performance and prioritising the transfer of skills to employees, councils working alongside Northgate Information Solutions are able to radically improve services and realise efficiencies throughout the contract period and beyond.

Northgate, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, is providing its high-performance, guaranteed-outcome service to councils including, in recent months, City of York and Darlington councils under contracts worth a total of £1.4 million.

At City of York, the partners have already implemented changes that have radically improved services for vulnerable adults, people with disabilities and children getting to and from school. The independent travel service in place for children with Special Educational Needs has now been extended into adult social services. Through better use of resources, the council has also introduced walking escorts for children and enhanced independent travel training. The council is now working with Northgate to identify further opportunities to deliver more accessible services and promote independence, and expects to deliver £800,000 of savings over its two and half year project.

Darlington Borough Council is looking to improve value for money and maintain service quality through transforming the management of its fleet. Through finding the correct balance between lease and purchase arrangements, managing procurement effectively, and maximising the benefit from existing vehicles, the council will be able to reduce unnecessary journeys, deliver cost-effective services and transform the management of its transport service.

Both councils will also benefit from:
- an innovative approach to sharing risk with the private sector, with services expected to be self-financing through efficiency savings;
- a proven knowledge and skills transfer process, enabling them to sustain improvements beyond the end of the contract period;
- hands-on operational management and support, rather than just advice;
- a clearer understanding of the relationship between budgets, available resources and the needs of service users, supporting effective planning for the future.

Other councils operating in similar partnerships have identified the potential for annual savings of between 15% and 30%.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services said today:
“Public services are constantly under pressure to deliver value for money whilst transforming services for their citizens. The private sector must rise to the challenge and engage in new forms of partnership that offer flexibility and greater control for public service providers whilst delivering high-performing services. Our performance partnerships offer clients guaranteed outcomes, lower risk and heightened rewards, helping to make a real difference to people’s lives. We are delighted to be working with City of York and Darlington councils to help put sustainable transformation at the heart of their transport services.”
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For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Naomi Stevenson    020 7849 3508; 07966 890403; nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

1. Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology, and to share in the economic and social benefits that this brings.

2. In the UK, the company works with four out of five local authorities and every police force. Northgate supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its technology is used in the administration of more than £12 billion of revenues and benefits; in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; to support the national system for reporting police performance; and in the management of over three million local authority and housing association properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has over 6,000 employees.