Northgate-is

Hugh Christie Technology College awards Northgate Extension to 3 year contract which currently saves College �40,000 per annum in capital outlay

2012-05-09T23:00:00+01:00

Hugh Christie Technology College has awarded Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), BETT Award winning ICT Company of the Year, a £302,000 contract to provide the school with onsite managed services for an additional 2 years, an extension to its current 3 year contract. Northgate, as a leading provider of education based ICT solutions, will use its proven expertise to continue to deliver efficient managed services while providing more innovative ways to make ICT provision sustainable.Included as part of the package will be Northgate’s My-School cloud-based online learning environment which promotes independent learning, successfully piloted at Hugh Christie for a 6 month period, and Arcadu, a personalised homework and revision solution covering 14 national curriculum subjects, which uses arcade quality games to educate, entertain and engage students. An upgraded wireless infrastructure to improve speed and reliability of service, particularly with the increase in mobile users, will also be provided, and work will commence on a joint project to deliver Northgate’s managed services to neighbouring primary schools, Long Mead and Kemsing.Commenting on the contract, Jon Barker, Executive Principal, said, “We are delighted to renew our contract with Northgate, whose managed services and cloud-based solutions have enabled us to save over 20% on capital costs – an estimated £40,000 per annum. The partnership we have with Northgate is strong and has bought significant benefits, enhancing the educational impact of teaching and learning opportunities throughout the school.“We are also very much looking forward to working with Northgate to extend its managed services into local primaries Long Mead and Kemsing and to realise shared objectives to develop community partnerships that will benefit children and their families.”My-School is an online learning portal developed by Northgate, which allows students and teachers to access school's on-line systems and applications 24 x 7 from any device with internet access. The learning platform is a cloud based application offering on demand pay per user licensing costs which schools can deploy without further investment in IT infrastructure. Concluding, Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services, said, “The extension of our contract with Hugh Christie is an endorsement to Northgate’s ability to not only provide efficient managed services but to provide exciting and innovative ICT solutions which promote engaging, relevant and personalised learning. We are delighted to extend our partnership with the College and we will work closely together to ensure the services delivered meet the challenges of the school.”

PRINCE'S TRUST RECEIVE XL FINANCIAL BOOST FOR SCHOOLS PROGRAMME FROM NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES

2012-04-25T23:00:00+01:00

Leading education ICT specialist Northgate Managed Services is financially supporting The Prince’s Trust to help deliver its ‘XL’ programme to seven schools in the Newtownabbey area.

The Trust’s XL programme is aimed at those young people aged between 13 and 19 years who are considered to be a risk of underachieving or exclusion from school. The programme is youth-led and delivered informally with teams of young people working together to deliver enterprise and community projects that promote mutual respect and co-operation.

This format allows the Prince’s Trust to create a learning rich environment that provides young people with the space and attention needed to help build confidence and to take ownership of their work and personal development.

Commenting on Northgate’s involvement with the Trust’s XL programme, Ian Jeffers, Director, The Prince’s Trust said, “Northgate has been a great supporter of The Prince’s Trust through its national membership of our Technology Leadership Group and we are delighted that they are now involved locally in financially assisting the delivery of the XL Programme at seven schools in Greater Belfast and Newtownabbey areas.

“The XL Programme has consistently been successful across the UK in helping young people re-engage with learning and developing a sense of achievement from which they can regain momentum in education. Here in Northern Ireland there are over 100 XL clubs in mainstream schools, special schools, educational guidance centres and youth clubs.

“To have a company with Northgate’s reputation supporting the Trust, and in particular the XL Programme, is fantastic and will do much to not only raise the project’s profile, but also signals an endorsement of what the Trust is trying to achieve with these young people. The project has had real success to date but Northgate’s funding will allow us to extend the project in Northern Ireland and to help many more youngsters.”

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “As a company we are delighted to be in the position to positively help young people from the Newtownabbey area. The Prince’s Trust, and in particular its XL programme offers young people a real lifeline and an opportunity to become more involved in their local communities, experience new learning and to develop a sense of belonging and achievement. We look forward to working in partnership with The Prince’s Trust and to delivering the XL programme locally.”

Northgate recognised for "Outstanding Service to Business" at the prestigious Belfast Telegraph Business Awards

2012-04-25T23:00:00+01:00

Newtownabbey based Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), one of the UK’s leading ICT service providers, is today toasting its success having scooped the ‘Outstanding Service to Business’ gong at the prestigious Belfast Telegraph Business Awards, at a gala ceremony held in Belfast’s Ramada Hotel.

The award recognises Northgate’s successful business to business relationships which enhance the business efficiency and productivity of its clients. Customers benefit from interacting with highly skilled technical teams allowing strong, valued partnerships to be formed.

Despite the tough economic trading conditions, Northgate has delivered strong organic growth across its main business sectors during 2011. It secured more than 80 new customer accounts, increased its revenue by 21% to just over £131m and also strengthened its position outside of Northern Ireland by winning a series of contracts including a £19m project with NHS health boards in Scotland.

Northgate has continued this momentum in the first quarter of 2012 winning the highly sought after Education Network Northern Ireland project. The five year, £170m contract will see Northgate design, implement, manage and support Europe’s first Education Cloud environment for schools in Northern Ireland.

The company has invested in its staff and services in order to ensure its service delivery and quality remains high. This includes a commitment to further develop relationships with key technology partners including Dell, Cisco and Microsoft.

Commenting on the award, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “This award is a fantastic achievement for the company, especially when you consider the calibre of the other applicants. It recognises the tremendous effort made by everyone involved in helping to position Northgate as one of Northern Ireland’s most successful and innovative companies.

“The rationale behind the award is perhaps the most pleasing element for me. To be selected by a panel of industry judges as the company that has done the most to deliver outstanding service to its clients is a great endorsement of our professionalism, but also of the way in which we engage with each of our customers.”

John Simpson, chair of the judging panel, said: “This award is seen by some businesses as being more difficult than others to convincingly articulate. Nevertheless, Northgate Managed Services had a compelling and convincing account of support in advanced knowledge based services which is world class. Their recent new business contracts ranging from services to the education network in Northern Ireland to others in education and health across England and Scotland are building a business with a highly regarded reputation.”

Northgate, also a finalist in the Belfast Telegraph “Excellence in the Development and Leadership” category, employs over 1,150 staff across the UK and is Northern Ireland’s largest indigenous IT services company.

The Belfast Telegraph ‘Outstanding Service to Business’ award follows on the heels of Northgate being named the ‘IT Supplier of the Year’ at the British Computer Society and Computing UK Industry Awards and the winner of the ‘BETT 2012 ICT Company of the Year’.

Northgate Managed Services Secures �170m contract to provide Education Cloud for Northern Ireland

2012-03-20T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has further cemented its reputation as a leading provider of ICT services after being appointed by Classroom 2000 (C2k) to provide the new ‘Education Network Northern Ireland’ (ENNI) contract.

Northgate will take responsibility for all aspects of the service, including the Wide Area Network, Local Area Network and Telecoms which will be delivered in partnership with its subcontractor Eircom.

The five year contract will see Northgate design, implement, manage and support Europe’s first Education Cloud environment for schools in Northern Ireland, providing secure access to resources online, 24 x 7 from a wide range of devices. Eircom will deliver superfast connectivity to the Education Cloud, providing schools with up to 200mb of bandwidth.

The new service has been designed to create a dynamic, future proofed, flexible service which provides schools with increased access to learning resources and the ability to collaborate and develop skills which will equip learners for the future.

Schools will have greater flexibility and choice in how ICT is used across the curriculum. Improving wireless technology supports the growing trend for using mobile devices in the classroom - allowing teachers and students to gain access to the network and resources securely via personal devices such as smart phones, IPads, tablet PCs and laptops. Schools will access a range of applications, educational resources and toolsets through Northgate's innovative My-School learning portal.

The new Education Cloud provides the ability to scale computing resources to meet the needs of schools both today and in the future with schools benefiting from secure cloud computing. Centralised backup and archiving services ensure that schools have access to virtually unlimited storage.

Commenting on the contract, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said "This is a tremendous achievement for the company and is one that clearly positions Northgate as a leading provider of innovative ICT services for schools. Building the first Education Cloud in Europe is a significant point in the company’s history and creates a fantastic platform for future growth in the UK and beyond.

"Winning the contract is also of great significance for the local economy. The continued investment in ICT in schools ensures that every student can attain the vital ICT skills needed for today's technology driven workplace and support the continued growth in Northern Ireland’s vibrant technology sector”

Jimmy Stewart, Director, C2k said, "The new ICT service has been designed to recognise the educational requirements of Northern Ireland schools, deliver technology driven learning environments and incorporate the latest innovations in technology.

Northgate Managed Services secures contract to provide Christian Aid with state-of-the-art desktop service

2012-03-01T00:00:00+01:00

International development charity, Christian Aid, has awarded a three year ICT contract to Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) to upgrade and manage its PC estate. Christian Aid’s investment of over £500k in this new IT solution is set to deliver efficiencies and provide an improved and consistent service enabling the organisation to focus on its vital fundraising activities. The contract award, testament to a highly cost-effective, quality service at a predictable, flexible revenue cost, further strengthens Northgate’s position in the Third Sector.

The project will see Northgate refresh more than 520 desktop machines (mix of new PCs, laptops and notebooks) to support 500 staff in 20 offices throughout the UK and Ireland – each machine will operate the most modern software. The timing of the upgrade couldn’t have been better for Christian Aid as much of the existing kit is outdated. The aging estate has resulted in high maintenance costs and Christian Aid’s support being stretched.

Northgate, recently crowned UK IT Supplier of Year at the British Computer Society (BCS) & Computer UK Industry Awards 2011, will provide comprehensive user training for Christian Aid staff. Delivered by an experienced Northgate team, staff will be able to access key learning resources via a dedicated e-learning portal as well.

Commenting on the new ICT contract Dr. Philip Humphries, Head of ICT Services, Christian Aid said “This is an ambitious project for Christian Aid as it will be our greatest reliance on external IT support to date. As a charity it was vital that any investment was able to reflect value for money and a degree of flexibility in the way the contract was to be costed, and indeed delivered. Northgate’s solution not only met these requirements but also provided us with the quality of service we were looking for in a partner. Northgate is clearly committed to developing a lasting relationship with Christian Aid and we are looking forward to working with them.”

James Turnbull, Northgate Managed Services commented, “We are delighted to have been awarded the Christian Aid contract. This decision is a vote of confidence in Northgate’s ability to deliver a high quality, modern and functional service which is flexible and supportive in its design. Christian Aid is keen to ensure that the new ICT solution is not only robust and demonstrates a clear return on investment, but is one that its staff can take full advantage of as the Charity works towards realising its vision of ‘ending poverty’. Northgate’s extensive experience within the Third Sector will help them to do this.”

Northgate has been working with Third Sector organisation for more than 10 years and currently supports more than 1,700 IT users in organisations such as the NSPCC, Children’s 1st as well as a number of Housing Associations.

Northgate Managed Services Achieves Cisco Master Managed Services Certification

2012-02-23T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) announced today it has achieved the Cisco^® Master Managed Services Certification. This certification recognises Northgate’s investment in the ITIL® processes, practices and tools necessary to provide high-quality managed services.

Commenting on the certification, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate, said “To be the first Irish based company, and one of an elite number of companies across the whole UK and Ireland, to hold this certification, is a tremendous achievement. It comes about as the result of significant investment and commitment from all at Northgate and recognises the importance and relevance of this certification to optimising our managed services business for our customers.

By attaining the highest level of achievement for partners delivering Cisco technologies as a managed solution, we not only strengthen our relationship with Cisco but truly differentiate Northgate and enhance our customer offering through state-of-the-art technologies and services.”

As a Cisco Master Managed Services Certified Partner, Northgate has demonstrated the ability to deliver sophisticated solutions, met stringent requirements that reflect a depth of capabilities, and undergone an independent audit by an objective third-party auditor. Northgate was also required to offer at least two managed services using the resources and procedures necessary to deploy, manage and support Cisco solutions.

“Northgate’s investment in the Cisco Master Managed Services Certification ranks it among an elite group of channel partners with the resources to deploy, manage and support services for multiple technologies,” said Edison Peres, senior vice president of worldwide channels at Cisco.

Cisco, the Cisco logo, Cisco Systems and Cisco TelePresence are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems Inc. in the United States and certain other countries.

Northgate Managed Services Secures �1.3m Education Contract with the Hastings Academy

2012-02-10T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services, winner of BETT 2012 ‘ICT Company of the Year over £3million turnover’ award, has further cemented its reputation as a leading provider of education based ICT solutions with the award of the £1.3m managed service contract for The Hastings Academy, East Sussex. Northgate, with its significant portfolio of ‘direct to school’ contracts, will use its proven expertise to help the Academy deliver a technology led environment designed to assist student learning and to raise standards.

The £1.3million 3 year contract will see Northgate working closely with the Academy to develop, design and manage a state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure to promote active learning to the Academy’s 900 students. This will include the introduction of new hardware and software, Wi-Fi, a host of audio visual equipment and a new cashless catering system operated using the latest biometric technologies. Northgate will help support this multi-platform infrastructure from its service desk in Belfast, ensuring that the Academy has access to a broad range of specialist staff and systems.

Many of the Academy’s students come from areas of deprivation. Despite this the dedicated staff in Hillcrest, the predecessor school, led a dramatic improvement in results. Following the opening of the new Academy in September 2011 this great work is continuing and accelerating. The team are helping students attain better GCSE results and improve their life chances by preparing them for the world of work or further study.

The Academy is part of the Hastings Academies Trust whose main sponsor is the University of Brighton. Additionally the Trust has East Sussex County Council and BT as co-sponsors. The combined power of highly motivated staff and strong sponsorship means the outlook for students is even brighter. In support of this and by way of adding value to its partnership with the Academy, Northgate has made a number of places available on its in-house apprenticeship scheme for eligible students when they leave the Academy. Each will have the opportunity to train with Northgate; to achieve ICT related qualifications and with the added incentive of possible full time employment.

Theresa Phillips, Principal, The Hastings Academy said: “We are delighted that Northgate Managed Services has been appointed as the ICT contractor to the Hastings Academies Trust, following a highly competitive procurement process. The Hastings Academy has specialist ICT status and Northgate will work with us to make sure that cutting-edge ICT solutions are delivered as the new build takes shape over the coming months. Together we will ensure that our students’ life chances are improved through unprecedented access to technologies that inspire, stretch and support learning.”

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services added: “The award of The Hastings Academy contract is a real testament to the quality of the work we do across the UK’s education sector and, alongside the company’s short listing in the BETT Awards, underpins our reputation as one of the UK’s leading educational ICT solution experts.

“We will be working closely with the Academy to ensure we design and deliver a solution and change programme that meets the challenges of the school. The Academy is keen to ensure that the new ICT solution is not only robust, but is also one that teachers can take full advantage of in order to benefit their students. Northgate’s extensive experience with schools across the UK will ensure this is delivered.

“I am also delighted that we are in a position to offer students access to a number of places on our apprenticeship scheme with a view to enhancing their employability skills. I personally feel that this type of training, especially at a time when University fees continue to rise, can make a real difference, particularly to those students who feel the academic route is not for them. I look forward to working with The Hastings Academy to develop this part of our relationship further.”

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,250 schools, colleges and academies across the UK including every school in Northern Ireland through Classroom 2000 (C2k).

Northgate Managed Services wins 2012 BETT Award - ICT Company of the Year

2012-01-12T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services, leading provider of IT services to the education sector, is celebrating today having scooped ‘ICT Company of the Year - over £3million turnover’ at the 2012 BETT Awards which took place on 11th January 2012, at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London. The BETT Awards form an integral part of the annual BETT show and celebrate the creativity and innovation that can be found in technology for education. The winners are chosen on the basis of excellence in ICT provision and support for nurseries, schools, Academies, colleges and special schools alike, with a clear focus on what works in the classroom.

The award recognises Northgate’s outstanding provision of ICT services and its contribution to the success of schools which has led to a six to seven percent increase in GCSE results at A*-C within the schools with which it works. It also recognises Northgate’s commitment to building solid partnerships, provision of first class customer service, significant investment in staff training and development and improving the employability and education opportunities for young people. This success is reflected in the company’s strong financial performance and dynamic growth of 13% in revenue in the education sector.

Commenting on his company’s success, Andy Ross, Chief Executive for Northgate Managed Services said: “Northgate Managed Services is really delighted to have won ICT Company of the Year in the 2012 BETT Awards! It demonstrates our commitment to working in partnership with schools and Academies across the UK to deliver effective IT services and solutions within the education sector and to improving outcomes for teachers and learners. We have highly committed employees who take pride in delivering a high standard of service. Each one should be very proud of their contribution to this achievement.”

The judges, including key government agencies, teachers and local authority representatives, commented “Northgate is clearly committed to working with schools and has adapted well to the changes in funding to produce solutions that will work with schools. The size of the company means that they are able to supply many different solutions and sustainability options.”

Northgate works with 1,250 schools and colleges providing a full range of innovative and flexible IT services and solutions, supporting over 430,000 teachers, students and IT users across the UK. The company works in partnership with its customers to gain a deep understanding of their objectives to design, implement and deliver services and solutions to meet these needs.

Northgate Managed Services Named as Preferred Supplier for the Education Network Northern Ireland Contract

2012-01-11T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has further cemented its reputation as one of the UK’s leading providers of ICT services by being named as Classroom 2000’s (C2k) preferred supplier for the new ‘Education Network Northern Ireland’ (ENNI) contract. The news was announced today at BETT 2012, Europe’s largest education ICT event in London.

The five year contract will see Northgate design, implement and manage a completely new and innovative Private Cloud environment for all schools in NI, providing secure access to resources online, 24 x 7 from a wide range of devices. The new ICT investment will bring schools the benefits of cloud computing while ensuring students and teachers are secure online. The new Education Cloud provides the ability to scale computing resources to meet the needs of schools both today and in the future. Schools will access a range of applications and educational resources through Northgate’s My-School learning portal.

The continued investment in ICT in schools ensures that every student can attain the vital ICT skills needed for today’s technology driven workplace and support the continued growth in NIs vibrant technology sector.

The new infrastructure will also offer greater device connectivity - allowing teachers and students to gain access to the network and resources securely via personal devices such as smart phones, IPads, tablet PCs and laptops. Broadband provision will be improved with schools being provided with up to 200Mb. This contract will see Northgate take responsibility for the Wide Area Network, Local Area Network and Telecoms.

Commenting on the award of preferred bidder status, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said “This is a tremendous achievement for the company and is one that clearly positions Northgate as one of the UK’s leading providers of ICT services for schools. Our previous experience in this sector both in NI and across GB has enabled us to propose a solution that we feel proactively and innovatively offers the end user a more intuitive system and one that is based on the very best in Cloud technology.

“Achieving preferred supplier status is also of great significance for the local economy. Securing technology jobs in NI can only be viewed as a positive boost for Northern Ireland.”

Jimmy Stewart, Director, C2k said, “When preparing the ENNI contract specification we were very clear that it should recognise the educational requirements of NI schools, have the ability to deliver technology driven learning environments and for its solution to be innovatively designed and developed in a manner that provided flexibility – Northgate’s submission offered us this and much more.

“The award for preferred supplier status to Northgate is as of a result of the company’s innovative response and of its extensive experience in the sector. Northgate has continuously demonstrated excellence in the education services it has developed and has a highly talented and dedicated team in place. I look forward to working with Northgate in the coming months and to deploying the ENNI infrastructure in schools across NI.”

Northgate Information Solutions appoints Adel Al-Saleh as Group Chief Executive

2011-11-28T00:00:00+01:00

(London, 28 November 2011) Northgate Information Solutions, the leading international systems and outsourcing Group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Adel Al-Saleh as Group’s Chief Executive Officer. Adel will succeed Chris Stone, who previously announced his decision to leave the firm.

Adel, aged 48, is an experienced technology business leader who has worked across multiple industries and geographies. Prior to this appointment, Adel spent 5 years at IMS Health, a leading technology based analytics and services company for the healthcare industry, where he held several senior positions including president of EMEA, senior vice president Global Pharma Solutions, and president of US.

Prior to joining IMS Health in 2007, Adel spent 19 years at IBM, working his way up after joining as a systems engineer. Adel held several senior positions at IBM across the world, including general manager of Sales and Industries in the Group's European region, general manager Global Wireless Business, vice president of Communications Sector Americas (covering Telecommunications, Utilities, Media and Entertainment industries), and vice president EMEA Sales and Services Personal Systems Group.

Adel said: "I am delighted to accept this prestigious role. In the past few years Northgate has grown to become a global leader in HR outsourcing and systems, managed services and public sector systems. Under KKR's ownership it is poised to continue that development, build on recent acquisitions and consolidate the leadership positions it has taken in its chosen sectors."

Todd Fisher, Northgate's Chairman, added: “We are very pleased to have persuaded Adel to join us. His successful track record at IBM and IMS Health speaks for itself. He is a technology business leader through and through and we feel he is exactly the man to build on Northgate's successful track record and work with its talented management team to deliver growth in this demanding environment. I look forward to working with him."

Adel is married and has four children. His hobbies include fitness training, cooking, the performing arts, and he plays an active role in improving education standards.

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES SUPPORTS 'COMPUTER CLUBS FOR GIRLS' IN 40 PRIMARY SCHOOLS

2011-11-14T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate and e-skills UK provide schools with access to online IT club for girlsNewtownabbey based Northgate Managed Services, one of the UK’s leading providers of educational IT services and solutions, has sponsored ‘Computer Clubs for Girls’ (CC4G), an e-skills UK after-schools club initiative which encourages girls aged 10 to 14 to consider IT related education and careers. Northgate’s support allows 40 schools from across Northern Ireland to access this specially designed online resource.Created by e-skills UK and designed by Aardman, the creators of ‘Wallace & Gromit’, the colourful and exciting virtual world of CC4G aims to inspire girls aged 10 to 14 to consider IT-related futures by bringing technology to life through projects based on topics that girls enjoy, such as music, fashion and sport.The website allows learners to log-on from school or home and share their progress with parents and guardians, bridging the gap between what happens at home and at school. CC4G was born out of industry wide research which showed that girls begin to lose interest in technology from between 10 and 14 years of age; with most believing it to be unappealing, ‘geeky’, and just for boys.This attitude is very much reflected in the low number of women working in the sector; only 17% of the 1.2 million individuals designing, building and running the systems on which we all depend are female and just 8% of computing A-level candidates in 2011 were girls.Commenting on the CC4G project Eleanor Lee, Marketing Director at Northgate Managed Services said; “It is fantastic for Northgate to have the opportunity to play an active role in this hugely worthwhile initiative. As ICT is imbedded across the curriculum ensuring all learners are confident in using ICT is critical. e-skills UK research has shown that girls are less confident in using IT and this also impacts on the number of girls choosing to pursue technology-related careers. Technology offers fantastic career opportunities which can be incredibly rewarding, not least in terms of salary and travel opportunities.“The importance of engaging with the next generation as early as possible cannot be overstated. In today’s economic climate nothing could be more important than giving young people the resources to have bright futures, and now more than ever that means technology. 90% of all jobs require IT skills and every year 110,000 new people across the UK are recruited into IT specialist careers. These facts and figures cannot be ignored and that is why Northgate is firmly behind CC4G.”Carole McConville, e-skills UK, said; “Having an organisation of Northgate’s stature on board is just fantastic and a real endorsement of CC4G. Their support and sponsorship has been invaluable and has allowed 40 schools from across Northern Ireland to take part in the project and to run a CC4G club. These clubs will not only teach the girls valuable IT skills, but will also show them the importance of teamwork and project management , and help develop their communication skills.“We know that there are many more schools that want to set up a CC4G club, but without further sponsorship this is just not possible. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage other businesses to follow Northgate’s example and get involved with their local school.”To find out more about CC4G, please go to: www.e-skills.com/cc4g , and to find out how to sponsor a school or a group of schools, please contact: carol.mcconville@e-skills.com

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES WINS '2011 IT SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR' AWARD AT PRESTIGIOUS UK IT INDUSTRY EVENT

2011-11-14T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services has been nationally recognised as the IT Supplier of the Year at the British Computer Society (BCS) & Computing UK Industry Awards 2011.Newtownabbey based Northgate Managed Services has cemented its reputation as one of the UK’s leading providers of ICT services by being named ‘IT Supplier of the Year’ at the British Computer Society (BCS) and Computing UK Industry Awards 2011. The award recognises Northgate Managed Services' dynamic growth and its strong financial performance which saw the company return a 21% increase in its revenue, successfully win more than 80 news clients in a range of sectors; invest significantly in staff training and development, strengthen industry partnerships, and create more than 100 new jobs across its UK operation. Commenting on the award, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “We are delighted to have won the 2011 IT Supplier of the Year Award. This is the second time in 3 years that we have won this award and reflects a huge amount of hard work over many years and is a fantastic endorsement of the services and IT solutions we provide to our clients. “None of this would be possible without our staff. Each individual plays a vital role in the client engagement lifecycle and in support of this we have rolled out a significant programme of training and development. The results have been pleasing, with customer satisfaction surveys returning a rating of 98%. “Being named 2011 IT Supplier of the Year is a great honour for all of us, especially against such strong and notable competition. I know that winning this award will motivate us all to work even harder to retain the high standards to which we all aspire.” David Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said: “On behalf of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, I’d like to congratulate all our winners, medallists and finalists. The awards are very rigorously judged so to be a winner or medallist means that you really are the best of the best. “The variety of organisations from across different sectors that collected awards this year reinforce the fact that today the IT profession is integrated into the business and is increasingly being seen as a partner that can help deliver real value, benefit and success. “It also highlights the extent to which IT is embedded in our society, from our healthcare, the high street and car production, to the stage; IT is the enabler behind so many businesses in the UK.” The awards are sponsored by Computing Magazine and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.The BCS & Computing UK IT Industry Awards provide a platform for the entire profession to celebrate best practice, innovation and excellence. In total, this year’s Awards featured 23 categories which covered: project, organisation, technology and individual excellence. The categories were open to organisations and individuals involved in IT across the public, not for profit and commercial sectors.

Northgate Managed Services named Finalist in 2012 BETT Awards in two categories - 'ICT Company of the Year' and also 'ICT Service and Support'

2011-11-14T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services, a leading IT services provider to the education sector, is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted as a Finalist in the BETT Awards 2012 in two categories – ‘ICT Service and Support’ and ‘ICT Company of the Year’. The 2012 BETT Awards will take place on 11th January, 2012 at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London. Commenting on his company’s success, Andy Ross, Chief Executive for Northgate Managed Services said, “Northgate Managed Services is delighted to be announced as Finalists in the upcoming BETT Awards 2012. It demonstrates our commitment to working in partnership with schools and academies across the UK to support improving outcomes for teachers and learners. “Being amongst the Finalists in both the ‘ICT Company of the Year’ and the ‘ICT Service and Support’ categories is something we are extremely proud of and demonstrates our ability to deliver effective IT services and solutions within the education sector. We have highly committed employees who take pride in delivering a high standard of service. Each one should be very proud of their contribution to this achievement.” The BETT Awards celebrate the best digital products and technological companies supplying ICT for education. As a partnership between the BETT Show organisers Emap Connect and BESA, the awards are widely regarded to be the most highly esteemed awards in the industry and truly showcase outstanding education sector products and learning solutions. Northgate works with 1,250 schools and colleges providing a full range of innovative and flexible IT services and solutions, supporting over 430,000 teachers, students and IT users across the UK. The company works in partnership with its customers to gain a deep understanding of their objectives to design, implement and deliver services and solutions to meet these needs.

Productive New School Term for Northgate Managed Services

2011-09-28T23:00:00+01:00

Over 380,000 teachers and learners across the UK now benefiting from Northgate’s expertise…including those at the country’s first Free School.

As pupils and teachers settle into routine after the back to school rush, the first month of the new school term has proved to be highly productive for Northgate Managed Services, a leading provider of education-based ICT services and solutions.In September alone, an additional 7,000 teachers and learners benefitted from the delivery of new ICT and Northgate’s educational expertise. The contracts, which are worth over £9m to Northgate, are a firm indication of the company’s strength and reputation within the education sector across the UK. Included in the new education contracts is the UK’s first free school, Aldborough EACT Free School, as well as three new Academies including Richard Rose Morton Academy in Carlisle, Malcolm Arnold Academy in Northampton and Havelock Academy in Grimsby.Pleckgate High School, the first of 18 schools in Blackburn to be completed under the former Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, is also benefiting from a flexible ICT rich learning environment supported by Northgate. For each school, Northgate has tailored bespoke services and solutions to meet its specific requirements. These incorporate a range of teaching and learning tools including wired and wireless networks, remote access, cashless catering, access control, managed print and Northgate’s cloud-based online learning portal, My School. Northgate's service desk and onsite teams will continue to support and manage the ICT in these schools. In addition to maximising the potential for learners and enriching the educational experience, the services will also deliver long term cost savings and efficiencies. Commenting on the company’s ever expanding reach into the UK education sector, Chris Wiseman, Education Sales Director of Northgate Managed Services said:“The new academic year has highlighted the key role Northgate is playing in delivering ICT in education today. This is not only good news for learners and teachers at the many schools, colleges and Academies we are servicing, but it is also recognition for the educational team at Northgate Managed Services. “Ensuring each establishment was ready for the new school year was a top priority and was achieved thanks to the expertise and dedication of our on-site and service desk teams. This approach, coupled with our partnerships with suppliers, local authorities, contractors and the schools themselves has ensured every teacher and pupil – no matter what stage they’ve reached on their educational journey – has access to the very best resources and most up to date learning environment.”

Third Year Lucky for New IT Apprentices at Northgate Managed Services

2011-09-21T23:00:00+01:00

For the third successive year, Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) is offering young people a career development opportunity in Information Technology (IT) through the recruitment of up to 10 apprentices. The announcement reflects the strength of the IT sector and in particular the demand for IT & Telecoms professionals in Northern Ireland which is forecasted to grow by 3.71% in the next decade. The Northgate IT Apprenticeship Scheme which is supported by the Dept for Employment & Learning has been hugely significant in helping to build a skilled and qualified workforce. Since it was first launched in NI in 2009, the apprentices who have successfully completed the training scheme are now working as full time Northgate employees. Following its success in Northern Ireland, this year the company has extended the scheme across the UK with apprentices now accounting for over 5% of the company’s workforce. The 18-month ‘earn while you learn’ programme is targeted at school-leavers or those who are by-passing university. In addition to studying for their NVQ (levels 1, 2 and 3) the Apprentices gain hands-on experience across a variety of roles and departments within Northgate, with a permanent job on offer to those who successfully complete the Scheme. As a huge advocate of the apprenticeship concept, Andy Ross, Northgate Managed Services’ Chief Executive is delighted to extend the programme for the third year. “We work very closely with the education sector in Northern Ireland so it is fitting that we are also helping those leaving school to get a first step up the career ladder. I would actively encourage young people - irrespective of their qualifications and training - to consider this as a viable career option. Working in the ICT sector can be highly dynamic, stimulating, and rewarding and this will be vouched for by many of our employees, a significant percentage of whom do not have degrees but have the determination, drive and ability to succeed. “I’ve no doubt that coupled with our graduate recruitment programme, the Northgate Apprenticeship Scheme is forming the backbone of a sustainable and valuable workforce that will not only strengthen our own business but bolster the NI economy as a whole.” As well has having an interest and passion for ICT, anyone interested in applying for the Apprenticeship Scheme must hold GCSEs in Maths and English. Further information is available on www.northgatemanagedservices.com

Northgate Managed Services and Abraham Guest High School launch National Level 3 Certificate in ICT for pupils.

2011-09-14T23:00:00+01:00

Pupils from specialist sports and arts college, Abraham Guest High School, Wigan are set to benefit from a new and innovative partnership with one of the UK’s leading providers of education ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) with the creation of a new ICT based course that aims to provide students with a unique mix of theory based learning and ‘industry ready’ experiences.The ‘Northgate Academy’ builds on the strong relationship that exists between Northgate and the School. Northgate provided and now manages the technologies which facilitate true anytime, personalised learning for the school’s 900 students. The Academy will offer groups of year ten pupils, with an aptitude and enthusiasm for ICT, the opportunity to study for an OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations) National Level 3 Certificate in ICT. The course comprises six modules and will be facilitated by staff from Abraham Guest and Northgate over a two year period.Students will be given the chance to engage directly with Northgate by travelling to the company’s Northern Ireland headquarters for a number of work based learning days. During their time at Northgate’s Newtownabbey site, students will participate in specially designed workshops and be mentored by staff from departments such as Customer Services, Technical Services, Servicedesk Support, Sales, Marketing and HR.Northgate is playing a key role in the curriculum for the course and has provided input into modules covering issues such as collaborative learning and problem solving. Northgate will provide the students with a practical case study for some of the topics explored and its staff will act as ‘online mentors’ for the students on an ad hoc basis.Commenting on the new Northgate Academy, Paul Bousfield, Headteacher, Abraham Guest High School said, “Creating the Northgate Academy is a great development for the School. Having the ability to offer students the opportunity to attain such a high level qualification at Key Stage 4, in partnership with an industry leader such as Northgate, is not only fantastic, but also singles out the School as a forward thinking and progressive learning institute.“Northgate’s input and professionalism throughout this process has been second to none. The students that have already begun the course have all enjoyed their time in Northern Ireland and have learnt a lot from their Northgate mentors.”Chris Wiseman, Education Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services commented “The ‘Northgate Academy’ is something that we’re all very proud of. Being asked by a school to get involved, and indeed to actively shape the learning of its pupils is a tremendous honour for us and is certainly something that we feel very passionate about.“Taking a hands-on approach offers us the opportunity to ensure that we provide the Abraham Guest students with skills required by the ICT industry. Over recent years and as a result of our own recruitment process we have identified a number of gaps in skills in young people wishing to pursue ICT based careers. This is something we wanted to address and getting the opportunity to do so using the Northgate brand is fantastic. We very much look forward to strengthening our relationship with Abraham Guest High School and to developing the ‘Northgate Academy’ further.”

Northgate Managed Services Announced Finalists in UK IT Industry Awards

2011-09-13T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has been recognised as a leader in the IT industry by being named finalist for two categories in the prestigious UK IT Industry Awards. With offices across the United Kingdom, the firm which is a leading cloud, infrastructure and ICT managed services provider are finalists in both the IT Supplier of the Year and IT Employer of the Year Categories. Held in November (10^th), the UK IT Industry Awards are the ultimate recognition of achievement for any company involved in ICT in the United Kingdom. Northgate, which employs over 1,300 people across the UK, made it through to the final stage in the Employer of the Year Category in recognition of the excellent employment and career opportunities which are offered to their workforce. The company invests heavily in skills and personal development for all employees. Being named finalist in the IT Supplier of the Year, compliments last week’s announcement of the company’s strong financial results for the full year ended April 30th 2011. Strong growth is demonstrated by Northgate Managed Services due to the roll out of orders won in previous years. The company continues to demonstrate business successes and recently secured a UK wide deal with estate agents Strutt and Parker to provide IT services across all of their 50 offices. Northgate also won a number of schools and academies deals including
a £5.8m contract with the Isle of Sheppey Academy in Kent, a £1.5m contract with Malcolm Arnold Academy in Northampton and a £2.5m contract with Rushey Mead School in Leicester. They continue to grow in the Health Sector and are currently working with every health board in Scotland and Northern Ireland to deliver smarter, more efficient ways of operating. Andy Ross, Chief Executive for Northgate Managed Services, said: “This nomination underpins a hugely successful year for the company and demonstrates the brilliant work which our team have been involved with. Already in 2011 we have secured a long line of contract wins across the UK and are confident that this will continue. Being amongst the finalists for IT Supplier of the Year is something which we are extremely proud of and demonstrates our ability to deliver effective IT services and solutions across a range of sectors. Our services are provided by highly committed teams of employees, so being recognised for their achievements by being shortlisted in the Employer of the Year category is very important to us”. The awards are sponsored by Computing Magazine and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. David Clarke, Chief Executive Officer, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, says: “Congratulations to the finalists; the competition to reach this stage of our prestigious Awards is tough. Our Awards are central to our mission to recognise the innovation and professionalism of those working in IT and I’m delighted that every year we have such a variety of high quality entries. They are an excellent reflection of the impact IT has on so many aspects of our information society and the potential IT has to transform business, society and our lives.”

Northgate Seminar Unleashes the Power of SharePoint

2011-09-12T23:00:00+01:00

IT, Finance, Marketing and HR Business Managers Urged to Attend Seminar

Proof that Microsoft SharePoint 2010 is one of the most most flexible and robust application platforms in use today will be shared with the public and private sector at a seminar hosted by Northgate Managed Services (22 Sept 2011).

The half-day workshop (8.30 - 1pm) is the first to be held at Northgate's new sales and marketing office in Mossley Mill. Experts from Microsoft and Ergo will offer delegates a detailed insight into why Sharepoint 2010 has earned its reputation as a robust application platform - predominantly due to its relevance and compatibility across business units. In essence it makes it easier for people to work together through better management, workflow and sharing of information.

As a Microsoft Gold Partner, James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services, explained why the seminar is a valuable opportunity:
"Our research indicates a lack of understanding regarding SharePoint 2010 and its full potential, not only within different business units but ultimately across organisations as a whole. We're confident the expert opinion and customer endorsements on offer at the seminar will help businesses appreciate how this unique solution can help them streamline business processes, free up management time and drive efficiencies throughout."

One such customer is Nadene Aspel, Software Solutions Manager from the Western Health & Social Care Trust who will explain how SharePoint 2010 has helped integrate service delivery across the organisation which spans five Council areas and employs 12,000 staff:
"Having gone through a period of organisational change I'm delighted to have the opportunity to share the positive experience of working with Northgate and Ergo to highlight the benefits which SharePoint 2010 has delivered to the WHSCT. From the establishment of common practices and procedures, to the integration of services and enhanced information sharing it continues to deliver positive results throughout the Trust which can only be good news for those who work for us and for those who use our services!"

Places, which are free of charge, can be reserved by contacting Ciara on 028 9085 7025 or by registering online at www.northgatemanagedservices.com/sharepointevent

Northgate Information Solutions delivers 12th successive year of increased profitability

2011-09-08T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions (“NIS”), the leading international systems and outsourcing Group, announces its results for the full year ended April 30th 2011.

Malcolm Arnold Academy invests in ICT to engage and stimulate students

2011-08-24T23:00:00+01:00

Malcolm Arnold Academy in Northampton is to benefit from a new robust, flexible and sustainable Information & Communications Technology (ICT) service and change management programme from Northgate Managed Services. The £1.5million contract will help equip the Academy with the tools and skills required to further engage their students when it re-opens in September 2011.

Opened in September 2010 and sponsored by the David Ross Education Trust, the academy represents an initiative to broaden the horizons of its students and is committed to increasing achievement through provision of an innovative curriculum. The Academy believes in the potential of ICT as a tool to deliver and support their innovative teaching and learning approaches and have invested in the most up to date technology and resources.

Through engaging with teaching and support staff, Northgate will be supporting the academy to prepare for change as it moves to the new ICT rich environment. After analysing existing needs, an extensive training and developmental programme has been designed to build confidence and encourage wider use of ICT in the classroom. A 'proof of concept' room has been set up so that teachers can familiarise themselves with the new hardware and software.

Teachers and students will be able to access the academy's educational resources from any device connected to the internet, at any time, with the implementation of a mix of technologies such as thin client, virtual desktop, wireless and Northgate's "cloud-based" learning environment, MY-SCHOOL. Northgate will ensure the entire program is successfully delivered through effective project management of the ICT solution which will be supplied, installed and managed by Northgate.

Principal, Philip Cantwell,

"It was important for us as an academy to have a robust IT solution that would integrate seamlessly with the existing school environment. Not only did we want a solution that was technically viable, we wanted one that was highly effective in the classroom as a teaching and learning tool. We realise the potential of how the effective use of ICT can engage and stimulate students and improve and enhance their learning. It was important for us to unlock that potential.

Teachers are already thinking about how they can use the new Interactive White Boards (IWBs) and visualisers to develop the way they can use ICT in their classrooms, such as recording clips of practical demonstrations for upload into the students' resources on MY-SCHOOL, where students can watch whenever they need to, at school or at home.

We're also very excited at the opportunities to expand teaching and learning outside the classroom with the introduction of the new campus-wide wifi network. We're looking forward to our fantastic new redeveloped atrium being used for cross-curricular and informal learning opportunities, with students collaborating in small groups with staff, using our new wifi thin client laptops and mobile IWBs.

Working closely with the team at Northgate Managed Services, we will be developing an on-going training programme to ensure that both teaching and non-teaching staff can develop their skills to ensure they benefit fully from the new ICT provision. We look forward to working in partnership with Northgate in the future"
Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services
"We are delighted to be working with the David Ross Education Trust and Malcolm Arnold Academy. We have focussed on designing a solution and change programme that meets the challenges of the school. The academy is keen to ensure that the new ICT solution is not only robust, but is one that the teachers can take full advantage of to benefit their learners. Northgate's extensive experience with schools right across the country will help them to do this."

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,250 schools, colleges and academies across the UK including another David Ross Academy, Havelock Academy in Grimsby.

Northgate Managed Services exhibits at NHS Scotland Event

2011-08-22T23:00:00+01:00

On August 23rd and 24th, Northgate Managed Services is exhibiting at Stand No.42 at the NHS Scotland Quality in Action Event, at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow.

Together with their partners, Northgate will be demonstrating the latest healthcare and industry ICT services and solutions that support patient focused health services.

As one of the leading health events in Scotland, It provides an opportunity for individuals working in, and with, NHS Scotland to consider and discuss some of the important challenges and opportunities for health now and in the future. The 2011 event will be showcasing the successes NHS Scotland has had in improving sustainable quality of healthcare in Scotland and share examples of best practice in quality.

As part of this, Martin Egan, Director of eHealth at NHS Lothian, will be presenting a session "Nearly The Holy Grail - Clinical Portals For Faster, Better and Borderless Care". This session explores the piloting of a clinical portal giving clinicians across NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, instant electronic access to patient data in order to deliver better, faster care. The session examines what the portal provided, how it was assessed, how the system was set up across four NHS Boards and how it is being rolled-out. The portal solution is based on technology from Carefx who is working in partnership with Northgate to deploy and support the system.

Partners exhibiting with Northgate Managed Services include CareFX, Imprivata, G2Speech, Data fusion International, Tracline, MetaCompliance, Patientrack and Courion.

New jobs for Hartlepool and the North East created by Northgate

2011-08-17T23:00:00+01:00

Twenty five new jobs in the local area are being created by Northgate Public Services as the company celebrates a number of new contract wins including the national Blue Badge Improvement Service for disabled drivers.

The Regional Business Centre, based in Wynyard Business Park, is currently on the look out for local people to fill a number of new vacancies to work on Blue Badge, benefits assessment and other support functions carried out by the Centre. The recruitment is underway and is planned to be completed by January 2012.

The Centre, which works with local authorities across the UK to transform processes and help deliver better services for less, opened in 2006 with a staff of just six. Since then it has gone from strength to strength and now employs 42 people. The Centre will be involved in delivering the five-year national Blue Badge Improvement Service contract recently awarded to Northgate on behalf of central government and local authorities. The service is aimed at responding to the challenge of continued high demand for badges and preventing fraud, while also improving customer service and the administration and enforcement of the Blue Badge Scheme.

Northgate is also teaming up with Hartlepool College as part of a modern apprenticeship programme. The scheme will offer local young people the opportunity to gain valuable on-the-job experience. The first four students join next month.

Joe Bradley, Executive Director for Northgate Public Services said: “The Business Centre opened in 2006, in a small office on Wynyard Park, with a team of 6 people and has gone from strength to strength. We now occupy a much bigger office and employ 42 people who work on various contracts. This is a really exciting time for us as we work to support new economic opportunities in the local area. We are delighted to bring approximately 25 much needed new jobs to Teesside and are now actively recruiting for a variety of vacancies.”

Steven Wallis, Assistant Principal, Hartlepool College said: “Hartlepool College are delighted to be working in partnership with Northgate in order to offer apprenticeships to local people in the field of business and administration. Northgate will provide the employment, training and mentoring in an attractive and progressive working environment, while we will provide the structured learning and assessment consistent with national standards. It's a superb opportunity to earn and learn at the same time, work for a superb company and achieve excellent qualifications.”

Northgate to provide newborn hearing screening service in Ireland

2011-08-16T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services in association with the English Newborn Hearing Screening Programme Centre (NHSP) announces that it has been awarded a framework contract by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to provide a newborn hearing screening service in Ireland.

The two year deal, which comes with the possibility of a further extension for a year, builds on Northgate’s and the NHSP’s long track record in both infant and adult screening in the UK.

The service which has initially been commissioned in Cork University Maternity Hospital will be rolled out across the whole of HSE South by early 2012. Once completed, Northgate will be screening over 17,000 babies per year at hospitals in Cork, Wexford, Waterford, Tralee, Kilkenny and Tipperary.

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive, Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted to have been selected by HSE as their partner on this important programme. We all want to give our children the best possible chance in life and infant screening programmes help to achieve this. This Newborn Hearing Screening Programme is one of a number on national initiatives to improve hearing services for children. It will make a real difference to Irish families and their children.”

Northgate backs Glasgow City Ladies as final countdown for Europe begins

2011-08-03T23:00:00+01:00

Glasgow City Ladies FC were today celebrating another great result without even kicking a ball – as ICT firm Northgate Managed Services renewed its sponsorship of the club. The Scottish champions will again display Northgate’s logo on the sleeve of first team shirts for another year, starting with next week’s UEFA Women’s Champions League ties. Glasgow City head off for Europe this week to prepare for qualifying games against Serbian cracks �FK Spartak Jaffa as well as Mosta FC of Malta and Faroese outfit KÍ Klaksvík. They will do so boosted by Northgate’s second year of sponsorship after the company confirmed their backing for another season. City’s General Manager, Laura Montgomery, expressed the club’s delight in the renewed sponsorship. She said: “These are really exciting times for our club just now, as we head off into the UEFA Women’s Champions League once more, to take on some of Europe’s best. “To do so, on the back of the fantastic news that Northgate Managed Services have signed up once more to be a principal sponsor is a great boost for everyone at Glasgow City. “We strive to set standards both on and off the park and to have a company the stature of Northgate renew their partnership with us, hopefully re-affirms their belief and our own in the level of ambition at this club.” ICT firm Northgate has a Scottish base in Glasgow and is headquartered in Belfast, with more than 1,300 staff providing cloud services, infrastructure services and ICT specialist managed services to public, private and third sector organisations across the UK.

James Turnbull, managing director of Northgate Managed Services, said: “As Northgate grows its own reputation in Scotland, so too are Glasgow City with another league title achieved and representing their country in Europe – again – just days away.

“We were only too happy to commit to backing the club as they aim to break new ground and become the first Scottish team to qualify into the knockout stages. “At Northgate we continue to attempt to find new ways to use technology to help firms increase their potential and allow our own business to grow, so both organisations are similarly ambitious. “We wish everyone at Glasgow City LFC all the very best for their European matches and are sure they will do Scotland proud.”

South Derbyshire partnership leads the way

2011-08-01T23:00:00+01:00

The first year of a pioneering partnership between South Derbyshire District Council and Northgate Public Services has been a success, both organisations announce today.

Launched on August 2nd 2010, the partnership showed an innovative response to the age of austerity by focusing on delivering better services for less.

Under the terms of the agreement, Northgate took on responsibility for managing much of the District Council’s Corporate Services and guaranteed to deliver £2.1m of savings over seven years, to continuously improve services and to create economic opportunities for the area.

Over the past 12 months, Northgate has been looking at a variety of ways of making additional savings and helping to further improve the Council’s back and front office services in areas such as Finance, Organisational Development, Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services, IT and Business Improvement. This has helped deliver positive results for local residents and the Council’s employees.

Increased staff training and investment in technology has seen service improvements including a reduction in the time taken to process a benefit claim from 23 days to 12 days. Abandoned telephone calls have reduced from 10 to 2.8 per cent. Overall, this has helped customer satisfaction to reach an all time high of 96 per cent.

One of the key features of the partnership was the creation of new jobs in the area. Working with Burton and South Derbyshire College, the partnership has been able to provide new opportunities for local residents at Northgate’s Regional Business Centre, based in Swadlincote, South Derbyshire.

The pioneering work was recognised this year when the partnership was awarded the Government Business Outsourcing Award 2011. It has also drawn interest from across the country, with other authorities using it as an example of best practice.

Cllr Bob Wheeler, the Leader of South Derbyshire District Council, said: “I am delighted that our partnership with Northgate is helping us to continue to improve our services to the public. Northgate’s understanding of local government, its commitment to deliver on promises, and the emerging relationships built up with the Council have empowered our staff to achieve more at an already high performing authority. Our shared vision has allowed us to continue delivering high quality, efficient services and realise savings. This will continue into the future.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Northgate Public Services, said: “We are proud to be working closely with South Derbyshire District Council to enhance services and deliver better for less. Together, we’ve helped to drive forward innovation and offer high performing, accessible and personalised services for residents. Northgate and the Council have fostered an extremely good relationship in which a culture of collaboration, quality and value for money is growing and getting stronger all of the time.”

Northgate awarded place on new Government Procurement Service framework agreement

2011-07-31T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services has today announced that it has been successful in being awarded a place on the new Government Procurement Service (formally Buying Solutions) Local Government Software Application Solutions framework agreement.

The new framework has been set up by Government Procurement Service to give local government bodies an easy and cost effective procurement route for a range of application solutions and associated goods and services. The framework will cover all business areas, including revenues and benefits, performance management, social housing and social care.

Northgate has previously been awarded places on a number of other Government Procurement Service framework agreements, including Software Application Solutions and IT Managed Services.

This current award will enable the company to continue to offer its full range of solutions and associated goods and services to customers across the public sector through the framework route.

Peter Rottier, Director of Innovations and Partnerships at Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted to have been awarded a place on the Local Government Software Application Solutions framework. This will continue to allow local authorities and other local government bodies to gain access to our full range of solutions and services that will help them to deliver better for less. We look forward to using the framework to develop partnerships focused on meeting the challenges that the public sector currently faces.”

Northgate scores a Customer First with the Award of prestigious UK standard for its excellent customer service in schools sector

2011-07-31T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has successfully been reaccredited with the prestigious ‘Customer First UK Standard’ for its outstanding levels of customer service and continuous improvement within the Schools Sector. Northgate implements and manages a range of IT services to more than 1,300 schools throughout the UK, including every school in Northern Ireland. Northgate was first awarded the ‘Customer First UK Standard’ by Customer First UK in 2009 and since then has invested time and resources to further improving the level of service and support it provides to clients. Northgate were assessed against 30 statements , covering three key areas; the; building customer relationships, maximising market awareness and developing people . The assessment team looked for a consistency of approach throughout the business and how best practice and development areas were communicated and actioned. The organisation was highly commended for its strong client relationships, quality monitoring, improved internal communications and commitment to training and development. Commenting on retaining the ‘Customer First UK Standard’ Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services, said “I am delighted that the business has once again been recognised for its customer-orientated culture. Client support is central to what we do an area that we pride ourselves in. This award is a fantastic achievement for each and every Northgate employee. “We are committed to maintaining a leading marketing position in schools ICT and we constantly strive to improve by listening to our customers and responding to feedback in an innovative way. Retaining this accreditation further demonstrates our continued commitment to customers and the importance we place in building strong relationships.”

Northgate Managed Services and Imprivata Partnership Delivers Single Sign-On to NHS Scotland

2011-07-27T23:00:00+01:00

No-Click Access^TM for Health Workers across Scotland to Provide Enhanced Security for Electronic Health Records to Support Scotland’s ‘Better Health, Better Care’ StrategyNHS Scotland has confirmed a purchase of a single sign-on and password reset (SSO/PR) solution to improve access to health systems, increase productivity and enhance data security for health workers across Scotland. The solution from Imprivata will provide No Click Access™ to the many patient systems that run in hospitals and health communities across Scotland. The agreement was procured through value added reseller, Trustmarque Solutions and will be facilitated via a partnership between Imprivata and leading ICT service and solution provider Northgate Managed Services, which will deliver and support Imprivata OneSign^® across all of Scotland’s NHS boards.In support of its “Better Health, Better Care” initiative, a strategy and action plan established by the Scottish Government in 2007, NHS Scotland wanted to remove unnecessary cost, delays and better manage the workflow complexity associated with accessing electronic patient data. Building the best security was also a key priority to help protect the increasing volumes of sensitive information while allowing for maximum clinician-patient service improvement. After Northgate and Imprivata delivered a successful pilot ahead of schedule, NHS Scotland worked with Trustmarque through the tender process to secure a country-wide agreement to include licenses for Imprivata’s OneSign, services, and five years of maintenance and support. “NHS Scotland is committed to ensuring the highest levels of data security while enabling all employees to work as efficiently as possible to deliver high quality patient care,” said Ronnie Monaghan, Head of e-Health Programme at NHS Fife. “Through a smart combination of healthcare and IT security expertise, Northgate Managed Services and Imprivata demonstrated the importance of understanding the complexities in patient and clinician workflow, ensuring that our patient data remains highly secure, and the need for maximising the time available between patient and clinician. As the appliance-based solution required no changes to existing infrastructure such as Active Directory, Imprivata OneSign can be seamlessly integrated with our existing IT systems at NHS Boards across Scotland. This will prove significant for improving access and usage of key clinical systems for providing care on a National scale.”James Turnbull, managing director, infrastructure solutions at Northgate Managed Services, added, “Northgate and NHS Scotland have a strong relationship built on trust and expert insight. We are delighted to build on this relationship by delivering industry leading healthcare technology and services that will improve productivity and efficiency, and ultimately contribute to better care for more patients in Scotland.”“Imprivata is pleased to have been selected as a core technology for NHS Scotland’s ‘Better Health, Better Care’ programme,” stated Omar Hussain, president and CEO at Imprivata. “NHS Scotland is a highly regarded technology innovator that leads the way for healthcare initiatives in countries around the world. We are very proud of the role that OneSign will play in the Boards’ pursuit of clinical excellence, one of the key pillars of their action plan.” Mark Garrity, Regional Sales Director at Trustmarque Solutions, commented, “Trustmarque has a rich heritage of providing innovative solutions and value added services to the public sector in the UK, particularly within the NHS. Through the longstanding relationship and trust we enjoy with NHS Scotland we are delighted to provide the advice and support necessary to help NHS Scotland identify the information security solution for Scotland’s healthcare boards.”

Northgate competes to Make a Million

2011-07-05T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services is one of ten Northern Ireland businesses pitching their finest entrepreneurial ideas against each other to help raise funds for The Prince’s Trust. The companies have joined The Trust’s Million Makers competition in a bid to see whose innovative ideas will generatehe most return for the youth charity. Million Makers challenges teams to turn a seed fund of £1,500 into a fundraising profit of £10,000 by coming up with original and inspiring enterprises and implementing them over a period of six months. Teams from Allstate Northern Ireland, BNI Northern Ireland, Delta Packaging, Hewlett-Packard, Marks & Spencer, Northgate Managed Services, Parker Green International, RSM McClure Watters, ShredBank and Tughans are coming together with other teams across the UK to ‘make a million’. For their first task, teams will present their business plans to a Dragon’s Den style panel in order to secure their seed funding. Safe in the knowledge that they have a robust and water-tight plan, they will then deliver their own mini enterprise. Million Makers is a no-cost learning and development tool proven to build essential skills and motivate employees. Eleanor Lee, Marketing Director for Northgate Managed Services said, “Northgate are committed to improving the life chances and education for children and young people. The Million Makers challenge allows us to deliver on our CSR objectives through employee participation and volunteering. We are delighted to be involved in the Million Makers Challenge, we are only at the very beginning, but already our team is very enthusiastic about how we can turn our ideas into a winning enterprise. We have really enjoyed the team development days and we are identifying the key strengths and skills of our team members, Million Makers is an ideal opportunity to try something completely different. “The real bonus is that any funds we raise will go to help The Prince’s Trust work with young people in Northern Ireland which is a real incentive for us to come up with a winning enterprise.” Ian Jeffers, Director of The Prince’s Trust in Northern Ireland welcomed the support of the companies participating in Million Makers, “Every year more than 3,000 young people take part in our programmes throughout Northern Ireland. Initiatives like Million Makers raise funds to help us make a lasting difference to their lives.” “This competition combines skills development and networking opportunities whilst raising much needed money for our work. At The Prince’s Trust, we pride ourselves on creating mutually beneficial partnerships. For us it makes sense; we provide the learning and development opportunities for companies and they help us to raise vital funds.” “I have every confidence that Million Maker teams in Northern Ireland will lead the way in generating innovative, entrepreneurial and ultimately successful business ideas. All the money raised will go directly to local programmes run by The Prince’s Trust in Northern Ireland.”

Leicester schools commended for providing truly interactive learning experiences through technology

2011-06-29T23:00:00+01:00

A buzz of excitement filled the air at the Leicester Tigers Stadium recently as students and teachers from over thirty schools and colleges across Leicester joined educational technology experts to showcase creative use of technology. Led by the students themselves to share what they believe to be best practice for ICT in the classroom, the Engage, Evolve, Excel event was broadcast live to students all over the country thanks to English Martyrs RC School who operate Leicester’s school radio station SuperSonicFM. Demonstrating new ways to open up the curriculum to learners of all abilities, students from Ash Field Primary School demonstrated the latest 'Eye Gaze' communication device which enables users to control games on screen with their eyes. Soar Valley College, one of the organisers of the event, showcased creative use of the latest handheld technologies, such as Apple iPads and iPhones, Sony PSPs and Nintendo DS’ and Moat Community College demo’d innovative use of robot and coding technology to help engage boys in engineering. The day culminated with an awards ceremony hosted by world-renowned Professor Stephen Heppell, attributed as ‘the most influential academic of recent years in the field of technology and education’ who awarded prizes to the most innovative schools. The winners included Crownhills Community College, Ash Field Primary School, Shenton Primary School, Soar Valley College and Moat Community College. Mel Berry, Principal of Soar Valley College and one of the organisers said: “This has been an outstanding opportunity for schools in Leicester to tap into best practice use of technology across the city. We are so proud to have been involved and delighted to see our students and teachers recognised by Professor Stephen Heppell as one of most innovative learning environments in the area.” Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services - Leicester’s ICT managed service provider, said: “We were bowled over by the wealth of talent in Leicester, with so many teachers and students using ICT in creative ways in the classroom. What we witnessed at “Engage, Evolve, Excel” has been truly inspirational and we commend Leicester’s schools for their commitment to delivering such an interactive and engaging learning experience to young people.” The event was organised by Leicester’s schools and colleges in association with Leicester City Council, Leicester City Secondary EIP, The Schools Development and Support Agency (SDSA) and supported by leading providers of ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices). Key event sponsors included world-class education suppliers Promethean, CDEC, Siracom / Meru, and Sahara.

Northgate sends off Make IT Happy competition winners

2011-06-29T23:00:00+01:00

Northern Ireland's Make IT Happy competition winners Christ the Redeemer Primary School pupils are joined by Stuart Gunning, Regional Director Education, Northgate Managed Services at the George Best City Airport as they prepare to travel to London for the UK finals hosted at the Houses of Parliament.

Northgate currently provides IT services to every school in Northern Ireland through C2K, and as part of its ongoing commitment to education are supporting the School¹s trip to London. Christ the Redeemer Primary School are one of twelve winning schools from across the UK will be awarded £1,200 each, and from these entries 3 overall winners will be chosen to receive additional cash prizes. All winners have been invited to attend an awards ceremony on 28th June 2011.

The focus of this year¹s competition was how pupils were able to "Pass IT On" ¬ the pupils produced a DVD that demonstrated how they use IT in their school, how they pass IT onto younger students in their school and also how they manage and update their school website.

Selecting the School as the Northern Ireland winner the judging panel described their entry an inspiration in what was a fiercely competitive regional competition.

The "Make IT Happy" competition has been designed for primary school children in Years 4, 5 and 6 and has been running since 2007. The competition is managed by PITCOM (the Parliamentary IT Committee) and e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for Business and IT, with sponsorship from Nominet Trust and the IET.

Rushey Mead School to benefit from �2.5million Investment in bespoke and sustainable ICT Service

2011-06-26T23:00:00+01:00

Teachers and students at Rushey Mead Secondary School in Leicester, which is undergoing a £16m rebuild under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, have welcomed the news that they will also benefit from a major investment in the very latest Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The £2.5million five year contract awarded to Northgate Managed Services by Leicester City Council, will provide a bespoke ICT managed service which is robust and fully scalable to support the wide ranging educational needs of Rushey Mead. The investment will enable the school, which has been designated as ‘Outstanding’ following exceptional Ofsted reports, to further enhance its strong track record of attainment and achievement. In light of recent budget cuts across the education sector, Northgate has worked in collaboration with the school and the Local Authority to develop a sustainable service which not only meets immediate needs but is flexible enough to meet requirements in the future. This approach is in keeping with the core objectives of the ICT strategy set by both the City Council and Rushey Mead. The ICT investment will greatly enhance the school’s learning environment, helping to create independent learners as students can access learning “anytime anywhere”. The school is fully wireless enabled and each and every student has access to a personalised virtual learning area where they can work on assignments, sort work and access emails, enabling them to communicate more effectively with teachers and fellow students.

Other aspects of the service provided by Northgate, such as managed print will also benefit the school through significant efficiencies and cost savings.

Carolyn Robson, Head Teacher at Rushey Mead said: "Staff and students at the school are excited at the prospect of moving into their new BSF building in the summer of 2012. With the ever-increasing use of new ICT by young people it is critical that the school environment reflects and adapts to the many technologies available." "Through the use of wireless technology throughout the school, electronic communication with parents, interactive white-boards in each classroom and a world class virtual learning environment Rushey Mead School will be able to build on its Outstanding School status enriching the lives of its 1500 students. Working in partnership, Northgate and Rushey Mead have planned a school based on a sustainable, adaptable and affordable model that will meet students and staff needs for a great many years." Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services added: “Working alongside Rushey Mead and Leicester City Council at this crucially important stage in the school’s development is of great significance to Northgate. We relish this opportunity to play such a key role in the school’s development and to help create an ICT-based learning environment which not only maximises the potential for teachers and students today, but which also incorporates a vision for the future.“With this strong platform now in place we will work with the school to reach an even higher level by exploring other technologies and services such as cloud-based services which has proven to be driving force in ICT in Education throughout the UK.”

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES SECURES MULTI-MILLION POUND STRUTT & PARKER ICT DEAL

2011-06-20T23:00:00+01:00

New IT services across top property group's 50 offices will support future growth. Leading UK Property Consultant, Strutt and Parker has awarded a multi-million pound five-year contract to Northgate Managed Services for the provision of an ICT Managed Service.

Northgate will be responsible for designing, implementing and managing a flexible, secure and resilient IT infrastructure supporting Strutt & Parker's growing reliance on ICT systems to deliver an improved experience for their clients.

The solution will cover data centre services and end user devices. Over 800 staff will be able to access the right systems, applications and data securely across Strutt and Parker's 50 corporate and commercial locations across the UK, in or out of the office.

Northgate will build, own and manage the ICT infrastructure on behalf of Strutt and Parker, which has been designed to be flexible enough to support new mobile technologies as the company grows. This service will be delivered from Northgate's ITIL certified centre of excellence in Belfast and using Northgate's national engineering team to provide local support at Strutt and Parker offices throughout the UK.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive for Northgate Managed Services, said:

"Northgate's strength is working with customers who are undergoing change and need a trusted partner to help shape and drive the business. The main challenge for Strutt and Parker was that they needed to improve the quality of their IT systems to support their changing business needs in a geographically diverse environment to continue to improve the quality of service to their clients.
"Our service goes beyond simply resolving day-to-day IT issues by using ITIL best practice service management tools, we will ensure delivery of strategic outcomes, not only addressing technology issues but, more importantly, the company's IT performance as a whole, thereby maximising return on investment.
"We will effectively utilise the growing potential of fully managed IT, to transform, standardise and rationalise their business - enabling the delivery of standardised systems and applications further supporting their strategic outcomes and future expansion."
Strutt & Parker is one of the largest property partnerships in the UK, offering services and professional support in all aspects of property and land from its offices across the UK.

Andy Martin, Senior Partner of Strutt and Parker said:

"We had a challenge to meet and have chosen Northgate to deliver it. This partnership will provide us with simple to use, secure reliable IT user environment - allowing our staff to access our data securely from anywhere. The flexibility of the solution and the provider will allow us to continue to take advantage of changing business requirements, delivering a quick reliable service to our clients, and with the flexibility to support our future business needs and long term growth plans.

Isle of Sheppey Academy to benefit from new 21st Century ICT rich learning environments

2011-06-14T23:00:00+01:00

The Isle of Sheppey Academy in Kent is to benefit from a new state-of-the-art Information & Communications Technology (ICT) service from Northgate Managed Services worth £5.8million. The ICT service forms part of the overall £54million building and development programme, which will see the opening of two brand new 21stCentury learning environments in the east and west of the island in 2013.

With Business and Enterprise as one of the Academy's Specialisms, ICT is used as a key tool to delivering the Academy's innovative teaching and learning approaches. Each site will benefit from high levels of ICT device provision and the most up to date technology and resources to support and inspire learning in each of its 2,450 students. Not only will teachers and learners have 24/7 access to learning, resources will also be available to parents and the wider community, underpinning the Academy's role as a hub for the island.

Working in partnership with the Academy, Northgate will deliver a robust, flexible and sustainable ICT solution that is tailored and designed to meet the needs of the Academy, yet flexible enough to respond to evolving priorities and changing technologies. Engaging with teaching and support staff, Northgate will also support the Academy in preparation for the move into the new facilities.

The school-based customer support engineers will be supported by Northgate's Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certified service centre of excellence in Belfast.

In addition, the Academy will benefit from Northgate's "cloud-based" application called MY-SCHOOL, which unites a range of the academy's systems and applications under one single sign-on. Teachers and students will be able access the academy's educational resources from any device connected to the internet, at any time. Using a wide variety of widgets such as RSS news feeds, weather, maps, and search functionality, each student will also be able to customise to their individual preference.

Executive Headteachers, Alan Klee and David Rahman, said:

"The Academy aims to instil a culture of high expectation for every student. The new technology-rich environments will help every student raise their attainment and achievement levels across a range of academic and vocational subjects and equip them with the necessary skills to be successful citizens of the future. We look forward to working in partnership with Northgate Managed Services to help us achieve this"

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services

"We are delighted to be working with Kent Local Education Partnership 1 and the Academy on these inspiring new learning environments. The academy is keen to take advantage of the latest computer-based teaching and learning approaches, and Northgate's extensive experience with schools right across the country will help them to do this."

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,250 schools, colleges and academies across the UK working with a plethora of exceptional centres of learning, including Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough Havelock Academy in Grimsby, Litherland High School in Sefton and Abraham Guest High School in Wigan.

Leicester schools to share best practice for educational transformation through technology at 'Engage, Evolve, Excel' � 22 June 2011

2011-06-13T23:00:00+01:00

Event: 'Engage, Evolve, Excel' - free event for Leicester schools to showcase and share excellent and innovative practice in the use of technology for teaching and learning

Who should attend: Senior leaders, teachers, trainee teachers, bursars and ICT leads at Leicester primary and secondary schools

Date/Time: Wednesday 22nd June 2011 14:00 - 17:00

Venue: Honours & Legends Suites, Welford Road Stadium, Aylestone Road, Leicester LE2 7TR (free parking available)

You are invited to join over thirty schools, colleges and educational technology experts from across Leicester to experience a showcase of innovative practice in the use of technology at the "Engage, Evolve, Excel" event on Wednesday 22nd June at the Leicester Tigers Stadium.
From exciting classroom projects utilising the latest handheld technologies, such as Apple iPads and iPhones, Sony PSPs and Nintendo DS', to innovative use of robot and coding technology to help engage boys in engineering, "Engage, Evolve, Excel" is set to inspire best practice use of technology across the entire curriculum.

Teachers and practitioners from across all subject areas and across the phases of education, will be able to share their experiences, best practice, resources and methods of how technology can be used to support effective learning and to engage students.
The event is organised by Leicester's schools and colleges in association with Leicester City Council, The Schools Development and Support Agency (SDSA) and supported by leading providers of ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices). Key event sponsors include world-class education suppliers Promethean, CDEC and Siracom / Meru.

Keynote, Professor Stephen Heppell, attributed as 'the most influential academic of recent years in the field of technology and education'*, will share his latest experiences and findings on innovation in education to inspire attendees. Josie Fraser, Leicester City Council's ICT Strategy Lead (Transforming Learning Environments) will also talk about the authority's commitment and strategy to ensure that all young people benefit from access to technology to support learning.

The event will close with an awards ceremony led by Professor Stephen Heppell to reward the most exemplary schools.

Schools and colleges interested in attending the event should contact Northgate Managed Services on: T: 028 9085 7159 or e-mail: claire.mcbride@northgate-is.com.

To book a place at the event or discuss your requirements to cover the story, please contact Louise Peto, Account Director at Livewire Public Relations on tel: 020 339 7430 / louise.peto@livewirepr.com.

What can you see on the day?

2:30pm & 4:00pm - Keynote presentations from Professor Stephen Heppell, a recognised leader in the fields of learning, new media and technology.

- Exciting classroom projects utilising the latest handheld technologies, such as Apple iPads and iPhones, Sony PSPs and Nintendo DS.

- Innovative robot and coding technology to help engage and raise the achievement of boys in engineering.

- SuperSonic FM - English Martyrs Catholic School's radio station now broadcasting on the internet to bring Leicester schools a lively mix of music, news, views and interviews with scientists and engineers. (www.supersonicfm.co.uk)

- Use of computers and laser technology to produce key fobs from plastic and wood.

- Best practice use of online learning environments to promote independent learning and collaboration between staff and students

- The latest educational technologies from world-class education suppliers and key sponsors of the event - Promethean, CDEC and Siracom / Meru

Northgate bags Blue Badge Improvement Service

2011-06-09T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces that it has been awarded a five-year contract to deliver the national Blue Badge Improvement Service on behalf of central government and local authorities.

The new service is aimed at responding to the challenge of continued high demand for badges and preventing fraud, while improving customer service and the administration and enforcement of the Blue Badge Scheme.

The Scheme, which was established in 1971, gives 2.5 million disabled people access to priority parking spaces enabling them to park close to where they want to go. The Blue Badge Improvement Service will enable disabled people to apply for and renew badges quickly and easily, help local authorities operating the scheme to deliver more effective services and cut down on fraud and abuse, and supply a new design of the Blue Badge itself.

Northgate, in association with Payne Security who will print, supply and distribute the newly designed badge, will develop a secure web-based service available over Government Connect. The service will provide:

an online eligibility checker and application form available on Directgov, as well as help and support for general enquiries from members of the public;
a secure common datastore of key information on badges and badge holders to enable verification checks to be made quickly and easily through a desktop computer, handheld device or smartphone;
better services for disabled people including quicker, easier renewals for those whose circumstances have not changed, automatic reminders and transfer of records when people move;
a web-based management information system and managed service administration and support.

The new card will be harder to copy, alter or forge through the introduction of sophisticated anti-fraud and anti-copy technologies.

The service aims to go live on 1 January 2012.

In an innovative move, the capital costs of the service will be funded by Northgate and Payne Security. They will recoup this investment over the lifetime of the contract through a charge per badge to local authorities.

Local authorities will also be given the choice to opt for a fully managed Blue Badge Service operated by Northgate on behalf of local authorities. For an additional payment, Northgate will deal with the applicant’s claim from start to finish.

The improvement service is part of a package of reforms developed in close consultation with disabled people and local authorities announced by the Department for Transport in February this year.
The reforms are aimed at ensuring improved customer service and more consistent assessment, efficiency savings and cutting down on fraud. Badge fraud is estimated to cost the public sector £46 million a year.

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive, Northgate Public Services said today: “Blue Badge is an essential service for disabled people. We are committed to making it more effective for the millions of disabled people who rely on it.

“This innovative programme is focused on enhancing vital local services for disabled people through preventing abuse, improving delivery and planning for increased demand in the future. In difficult times, it shows that improvements for people really can be achieved through new ways of working and using resources.”

Transport Minister, Norman Baker, said: “The Blue Badge Scheme is a positive help to millions of disabled people every day. In February, I announced major reforms to the scheme and I am now pleased, as the next step, to award this contract for the Blue Badge Improvement Service which will see even more of these reforms come into fruition, helping us to modernise the Blue Badge Scheme to ensure that it provides a fair and consistent local service for disabled people.”

Mark Andrews, Head of Contact Centre Services for Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Cambridgeshire County Council has worked with The Department for Transport to advise on developments for the Blue Badge Improvement Service. The proposed new service will go a long way to address many of the concerns that are raised by both local authorities and Blue Badge holders and we believe that this self-funded service is an excellent way of delivering better for less - enabling local authorities to provide improved services to citizens while gaining from efficiencies.”

Northgate’s latest achievement is built upon a successful track record of delivering innovative services of a similar nature. These include working with the Insolvency Service’s Redundancy Payment Services, the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme and the National Joint Registry. The company currently works with 95 per cent of local authorities and its strong relationship with these was critical to its success.

The Deputy Governor of the Bank of England visits Northgate Managed Services

2011-06-06T23:00:00+01:00

The Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Charles Bean took time out of his whistle-stop visit to Belfast to meet with officials from Newtownabbey based Northgate Managed Services. Deputy Governor Bean was interested to learn more about Northgate's business and to hear from staff as he toured the facility.

Julian Phipps, Chief Financial Offer talked in detail about Northgate's business strategies and some of the key business challenges it has faced in what have been tough trading conditions. The Deputy Governor also discussed the economy and the likely prospects for its recovery.

Supermarkets Support Government Crackdown on Blue Badge Abuse

2011-05-31T23:00:00+01:00

Following major reforms to the Blue Badge scheme announced earlier this year, seven major supermarket chains have now given their support for the Government’s drive to eradicate Blue Badge abuse.

Responding to the concerns of disability groups, Local Transport Minister Norman Baker wrote to all major supermarkets urging them to do what they could to enforce the scheme on their premises. So far Aldi, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and Lidl have all responded positively in support of the Government’s drive to ensure strict enforcement of the parking bays in their car parks which are privately owned.

Norman Baker said:

"Many disabled people and disability groups have told me about the problems they have in finding a disabled bay at supermarkets because of their abuse by people who have no justification for parking in reserved spaces.

"I am delighted to have secured the support of the major supermarket groups and to know that they share my view that abuse of Blue Badge parking bays needs to be tackled, protecting customers who rely on such spaces. I hope other large retailers will now follow suit and consider what action they can take to help their Blue Badge customers."

The badges provide a vital lifeline to over 2.5 million disabled people every year by prioritising key parking spaces close to important services. However, rising levels of badge fraud have prevented those who genuinely need to use the parking spaces from doing so.

The seven supermarkets have said that drivers found abusing designated disabled bays will be issued with parking charge notices in some circumstances, alongside other measures including car park patrols, leafleting of vehicles and requests over in-store tannoys.

The major reforms to the Blue Badge scheme announced by Norman Baker earlier this year include a new badge design that is harder to forge, as well as improved enforcement powers for local authorities. However, the scheme does not cover privately owned car parks. The support of supermarkets is therefore an important step in ensuring wider enforcement of the scheme.

Following a competitive procurement exercise, Northgate Public Services and Payne Security have been awarded a contract to help make improvements to the Blue Badge scheme, which will include:

Shared administration between authorities including an online eligibility checker and an online application form available via Directgov, resulting in faster renewals, reduced abuse and operational savings;
a secure central database of all Blue Badges on issue and key information on badge holders that will enable fraud prevention and better enforcement;
secure printing, personalisation and distribution of the new Blue Badge design provided by Northgate’s partner, Payne Security.

A Lidl Spokesperson said:

"At Lidl, we are fully committed to assisting the Department for Transport's successful implementation and modernisation of the Blue Badge scheme. We will continue our ongoing, effective monitoring of our car parks and enforcement methods to prevent abuse of the disabled parking bays at our stores."

Gwyn Burr, Sainsbury's Customer Service and Colleague Director, said:

"We know the Blue Badge scheme is an issue close to our customers’ hearts. In 2009 we became the first supermarket to actively manage all of the disabled bays within our car parks and this led to a reduction in the misuse of these spaces, a fact recognised by the Baywatch survey last year. We are very pleased to support this campaign."

Mark Gunter, Group Retail Director of Morrisons, said:

"We have always been concerned about the abuse of disabled parking spaces and we will penalise those able-bodied drivers that incorrectly park in spaces allocated for blue-badge drivers. However, we also depend on the public to help us ensure that these parking bays remain available for disabled drivers."

The new service delivery improvements to the Blue Badge scheme will be operational from 1st January 2012. The capital costs involved in the development of the system will be funded by Northgate and Payne Security, who will re-coup their investment over the lifetime of the five-year contract via a charge to local authorities per badge issued.

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services said:

"The Blue Badge scheme is an essential service for disabled people. We are committed to making it more effective for the millions who rely on it. This innovative programme is focused on enhancing vital local services through preventing abuse, improving delivery and planning for increased demand in the future. In difficult times, it shows that improvements for people really can be achieved through new ways of working and using resources."

NHS reforms must take account of health inequalities

2011-05-26T23:00:00+01:00

The government’s plans for NHS reform must consider the wider issue of health inequalities if patients are to receive better services for less, says Northgate Public Services today in a response to the government’s listening exercise.

In its current form, the Health and Social Care Bill includes details on eradicating inequalities in the provision of care. Northgate says that government plans must address the root causes of poor health by considering areas such as education and housing. Without such an approach, there is concern that much of the work of the NHS will be undermined by persistent health inequalities in local communities.

Northgate’s response also highlights the need for high quality, joined up information around public health, the NHS and social care. By bringing these strands of information closer together, the organisations says the new GP commissioning consortia and local authorities will be better able to identify the needs of their communities and tackle health inequalities.

The provision of information is also key to encouraging citizens to become actively engaged in their own care. Research has shown that there are health and also financial benefits to be achieved by encouraging active citizens and Northgate suggests that this approach will be key to the overall success of the health reforms.

Iain McLachlan, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services said today: “We completely support the government in its ambition to achieve healthcare outcomes that are among the best in Europe. However, we believe that if this vision is to become a reality, the proposed reforms must take a holistic view of well-being and look at the root causes of poor health. This will involve breaking down operational silos and working with other services to ensure that health inequalities are tackled at their source.”

Northgate development success delivers benefits to local authority staff

2011-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

An ambitious, user-led programme to re-develop Northgate Public Services’ revenues and benefits system has been a resounding success, the organisation says today.

Following consultation with local authority staff, Northgate embarked upon a process of re-development to move from traditional to browser-based forms with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction. This involved migrating 1500 Oracle forms using Oracle’s Application Express (Apex) in what was, at the time, the largest project of its kind.

The project has now become a flagship for the Apex community and was the subject of a recent Northgate presentation at the Dutch Oracle User Group’s Apex Day in March.

All 170 authorities using Northgate’s revenues and benefits system have now been working on the updated version for over a year. It provides a fully transactional, HTML based front-end creating a more user-friendly interface for staff. This has lead to an increase in the speed with which enquiries are handled and an improved service for citizens.

The news comes as Northgate announces that 100 per cent of the authorities using its revenues and benefits software have completed their annual billing for Council Tax and Business Rates within the deadlines they had set.

Sue Holloway, Director of Local Government, Northgate Public Services said today: "We are constantly seeking to innovate and develop the support we offer to local authorities further. Engaging with users is a key step in this process. At a time when all organisations are attempting to do better for less, it's great news to see positive results which benefit authorities, their staff and the wider community.

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES HOSTS LIVERPOOL SCHOOL LITERARY VISIT

2011-05-05T23:00:00+01:00

Actor, director and playwright Dan Gordon hosts special “From page to stage” Masterclass for Liverpool students.

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has reinforced its position as one of the UK's leading education ICT specialists and shown a real commitment to the communities in which it works by going beyond simply providing and managing ICT. One of the many schools that Northgate works with, Litherland High School, just outside Liverpool, came on a three day literary and cultural visit to Northern Ireland. Northgate supported the trip by hosting a "From Page to Stage Masterclass" with one of Northern Ireland's most recognisable actors, directors and playwrights Dan Gordon.

Over the Easter holidays, teachers and students from the school visited Northgate Managed Services headquarters in Newtownabbey not only to learn first-hand how their ICT is being managed but to also take part in the Masterclass. The 'Give My Head Peace' actor discussed his background with the Year 10 students and talked about Belfast, its unique culture and how the city had inspired many of his creative works over the years.

Commenting on the school visit, Jim Donnelly, Headteacher of Litherland High School stated, "The students that travelled to Belfast are part of the school's Literary Society. We meet once a week and read a variety of books, short stories and poetry from authors such as Seamus Heaney and James Joyce. Coming from Northern Ireland myself, I was keen to have the students visit and to learn more about the places and culture that inspired these great writers.

"When Northgate suggested the idea of visiting its headquarters and hosting a literary masterclass we jumped at the chance. Dan Gordon was fantastic; his insights into the creative industries were excellent and his stories of his time writing and working in Belfast were both funny and engaging. The students learnt a lot and you could see that each and every one took something away from the event.

"I would like to thank Northgate for hosting the event and for taking a real interest in our school. Northgate has proved that there is much more to its education work than meets the eye. The students' feedback was nothing but positive, with many saying that they had gained a greater appreciation for Northern Ireland, its politics and its people. I have a feeling a few of them might be back here sooner rather than later."

Commenting on the Litherland student visit Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services said: "We were delighted to be able to support Litherland High School on their cultural visit to Northern Ireland. We believe that in order to help schools achieve their aspirations, it is vital to build active partnerships with the schools we work by supporting them in their educational activities in addition to providing them a highly flexible, scalable and professional service. The students certainly seemed to get a lot out of the event. Each presented their school impeccably and was a credit to Mr Donnelly and his staff."

Mayor Visits Northgate Managed Services Head Office

2011-05-04T23:00:00+01:00

Mayor of Newtownabbey, Alderman Paula Bradley took the opportunity to visit leading ICT services company Northgate Managed Services to learn more about its IT Apprenticeship Scheme.

Northgate's "earn as you learn" scheme offers school leavers and young people a direct route into a career in IT, combining educational study with on the job training. As part of the visit Alderman Bradley, had the opportunity to meet 23 year old, ex bricklayer, and current apprentice Peter Kane from Newtownabbey.

Peter discussed how Northgate have given him the opportunity to develop a new career path which has enabled him to graduate next month with specific IT qualifications and successfully undertake a permanent role within the company.

Peter's commitment and dedication to his training, as well as to Northgate, has led to him being nominated for the prestigious 2011 Department for Employment and Learning's 'Apprenticeship of the Year' award.

Alderman Bradley and members of Newtownabbey Borough Council were accompanied by Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services. Mr Ross discussed the company's plans for growth and explained the significance of the recent expansion to Mossley Mill.

Northgate Managed Services secures deal to help protect patients records from security breaches

2011-04-26T23:00:00+01:00

A data safety solution which improves the protection of the health records of NHS patients is to be rolled out Scotland-wide after a successful trial. Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has secured a contract from NHS Scotland after its FairWarning© privacy surveillance solution proved a success with NHS Lothian. The solution resulted in immediate and significant improvements in the protection of almost one million patients' data in the region and will now be rolled out to all 14 NHS Boards across the country.

It is the latest health contract win by the Scottish arm of Northgate, Northern Ireland's biggest IT company, which recently secured a £6.5M deal to deliver a clinical portal service for an NHS consortium of four NHS boards across Scotland.

James Turnbull, Managing Director in Infrastructure Solutions for Northgate Managed Services, said: "We are delighted to be working with the NHS across Scotland after our successful partnership with NHS Lothian, which further demonstrates our expertise and capabilities in the health sector.

"The issue of data security is one that is affecting more and more organisations in today's technology-based business environment and it has never been so important for organisations in possession of critical information - such as citizen or customer data, intellectual property or trade secrets - to protect it.

"NHS Scotland has moved quickly to update its security protocols and to ensure the proper handling of sensitive and confidential patient information by its staff. I am confident that the solutions provided will only help to reassure patients that any information being held is done so securely."

In response to a need to be more proactive and further enhance data security, Northgate will implement the latest FairWarning© privacy surveillance solution to all NHS Boards, helping protect the electronic record TRAKcare system from internal security breaches.
Records from multiple healthcare applications are processed by pulling audit files from each system identified by any NHS Board to be monitored. The surveillance is non-evasive and systematically identifies users who are engaging in patient record access patterns that are indicative of snooping, password sharing and other suspicious behaviours.

This proactive monitoring enables NHS Boards to review in advance anything likely to be deemed as a data protection breach and take steps to further prevent incidents occurring. It can reduce privacy incident rates considerably and enable a rapid and thorough response to patient privacy enquiries. Replacing the manual review process with an automated system also generates considerable efficiencies and return on investment.

Jackie Stephen, Head of eHealth for NHS Borders, said: "We're delighted to be working with Northgate Managed Services to implement across, all NHS Boards, a data safety solution which has proven to further secure the data and records of patients served by NHS Scotland

"We treat very seriously the management and security of data. The introduction of a privacy surveillance solution will help us as we strive to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) and provide assurance to all patients across Scotland that their data is safe and secure."

PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO 'CONVERT' PRACTICE INTO SUCCESS AT THE HOME OF ULSTER RUGBY

2011-04-20T23:00:00+01:00

With the Rugby World Cup only a matter of months away and following on from the great form shown by Ireland and Ulster this season, rugby’s profile has never been greater.

In response Newtownabbey based ICT services company, Northgate Managed Services has joined forces once again with Ulster Rugby to host this year's 'IRFU Ulster Branch Primary Schools' Mini Rugby Festival' at Ravenhill.

The IRFU place a strong emphasis on participation rather than competition and this year's event will be a fun and rewarding day out for each and every team.

The festival takes place at Ravenhill between Tuesday 17th May and Friday 20th May and will see 40 schools take to the famous rugby field to compete in a series of round robin matches. Scores will not be kept so while there won't be an outright winner, the festival will help develop team skills and a genuine love for the game.

Commenting on this year's festival, Brian O'Shaughnessey, Community Rugby Officer at the IRFU Ulster Branch said, "Mini Rugby is a great way for children to get involved and enjoy rugby, and the annual primary schools' mini rugby festival is one that goes straight into the schools sporting calendars. Its format encourages participation and is viewed as a vehicle to spark interest in the game and help to develop players, so, they might have the opportunity to emulate heroes such as Ulster stars Andrew Trimble, BJ Botha and Nigel Brady. Our relationship with Northgate continues to be a very successful one, and I look forward to working with them for another year of Mini Rugby."

Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing and Communications, Northgate Managed Services added, "We are delighted to be working with Ulster Rugby and to be supporting the Mini Rugby festival for a sixth year. It is a fantastic event and one that is enjoyed by all those that take part. Each year the talent on show surpasses that of the previous year, and I have no doubt that it won't be too long before we witness a player from this event representing Ulster and even Ireland."

Local business supports Sure Start Centre

2011-04-11T23:00:00+01:00

Parents and children visiting a Bletchley Sure Start Centre can now enjoy a new outdoor play area thanks to a group of volunteers from a local company.

Staff from Northgate Public Services have recently completed the refurbishment of the outdoor area at The Art Room Sure Start Children's Centre at Drayton Park School in Bletchley. The work involved clearing, repainting and re-covering parts of the play area and also preparing the site for a new sand pit.

The volunteers were taking advantage of Northgate's community volunteering scheme where staff are given time off to support local community projects. They were supported by local businesses; Dobbies Garden Centre and Slab & Tickle both donated materials to the project.

The Art Room Sure Start Children’s Centre provides a place for parents and children to attend play sessions and also access services from a wide range of professionals.

Mark King, Senior Family Support Worker, The Art Room, said today: "We're really grateful that Northgate staff have donated their time to the centre. The work they have done has helped to create a fun and safe outdoor area for parents and children to enjoy just in time for summer."

Nicola Crosbie, Northgate Public Services, added: "The Art Room provides a vital service to parents and children and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to use our community days to support the centre. We're always keen to help out locally and it was great to be involved in a project which can now be enjoyed by families in the area for many years to come."

Calling Leicester Schools and Colleges to showcase innovative use of technology

2011-04-10T23:00:00+01:00

Schools, Colleges and other key partners across Leicester are invited to showcase their excellent and innovative practice in the use of technology at the “Engage, Evolve, Excel” event on Wednesday 22nd June at the Leicester Tigers Stadium.

The event will enable teachers and practitioners from across all subject areas and across the phases of education, to share their experiences, best practice, resources and methods of how technology can be used to support effective learning and to engage students.

The event is organised by Leicester's Schools and Colleges in association with Leicester City Council, The Schools Development and Support Agency (SDSA) and supported by leading providers of ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices). This afternoon event, provided free of charge, will enable attendees to take away a wealth of practical ideas and strategies from the full range of exhibitors that they can then apply in their own schools and colleges.

In addition, keynote speaker Professor Stephen Heppell, a recognised leader in the fields of learning, new media and technology, will be sharing his latest experiences and findings on innovation in education to inspire attendees.

Mel Berry, Principal of Soar Valley College who is one of the organisers said "We are delighted to be able to offer this event . There is some very effective and exciting practice in the use of technology to support learning in all of our schools. This event is an excellent opportunity for schools in Leicester to tap into what is seen as best practice across the city. We are hoping that every secondary school, special school and college will be represented at the event

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services said: "From our work with schools across the UK, we know there is a wealth of innovative talent out there, with many teachers creating fantastic, innovative learning techniques by using ICT in ways which others might never consider, for example using Nintendo Wii Fit for PE classes and incorporating Apple I-touch into music lessons. Our aim is to use the insights of our teachers to create a 'best practice' platform which can be shared by all teachers. Only by hearing from those at the coal face can we really appreciate how ICT will continue to play an inclusive and fully effective role in teaching today and in the future."

Josie Fraser, Leicester City Council's ICT Strategy Lead (Transforming Learning Environments) commented "Leicester City Council is committed to ensuring that all young people benefit from access to technology to support learning. All our learners need the skills and confidence to learn and work with technology, to ensure they can take advantage of the social and economic opportunities on offer in the modern world. This event gives Leicester a chance to showcase and share some of the innovative and effective ways our teachers and learners are currently using technologies within schools."

Schools and colleges interested in showcasing have been invited to submit a short summary detailing the types of innovative work that could be showcased at the event by registering online

www.northgate-managedservices.com/exhibitor or by contacting Northgate Managed Services

claire.mcbride@northgate-is.com or telephoning 028 9085 7159.

Prizes will be awarded on the day for the best showcase.

Northgate Managed Services delivers seamless transfer to Almac's new US HQ

2011-04-05T23:00:00+01:00

More than 15,000 records updated securely each day during a major migration programme thanks to Northgate’s expertise Newtownabbey based IT specialist, Northgate Managed Services has cemented its eight year partnership with global pharmaceutical company, The Almac Group after successfully migrating its global online resources to Almac’s new US headquarters in Souderton, Pennsylvania.The new headquarters houses clinical trial supply and technology services as well as introducing Almac’s analytical services to the U.S. for the first time. Using a specialist web application, up to 15,000 records are securely created and updated each day from Almac’s clients, worldwide. Northgate’s role was to manage the transition of key web services from its old data centre locations to its new operation, whilst ensuring that clients experienced no downtime during the migration process.A specialist team from Northgate was responsible for the highly time sensitive project which demanded meticulous planning together with implementation of the latest Citrix NetScaler web security technology. Now fully integrated, the new solution also allows Almac to meet the growing demands for its services from pharmaceutical and biotech companies world-wide.Commenting on the success of the project Andrew Hillis, Group Head of Information Services for the Almac Group said, “The decision to move key operations to our new Souderton site was based on business growth and development, but the transition process had to be flawless, with absolutely no break in service. Having worked with Northgate for eight years, the company’s experience, expertise and understanding of our business proved vital. The end result was the successful transfer and centralisation of resources, with an enhanced and highly effective infrastructure which is positioned to allow for future growth.” James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services said, “Almac’s feedback on the project is a strong endorsement of Northgate’s expertise and project management skills. Our client understanding and business insight proved key and ensured Almac delivered its three core commitments of innovation, quality and customer service. We look forward to developing and strengthening our partnership in the future.”

Career Opportunities in ICT Under Spotlight for Newry Pupils

2011-04-04T23:00:00+01:00

Pupils from Sacred Heart School in Newry have achieved a 500^thpupil ‘milestone’ after the school participated in a workplace visit to leading IT services provider, Northgate Managed Service in Newtownabbey.Hosted by Northgate as part of its commitment to careers development and aiming to provide pupils with an insight into the opportunities presented through the technology sector, the visits are part of an on-going series, organised by Momentum under its Bring IT On programme. As well as recording the 500^th pupil visit, this was the 25^thschool visit to Northgate since it teamed up with Momentum in 2010. In addition to capturing the imagination of pupils by highlighting the wide ranging career opportunities now offered by the ICT sector, the visit also gave the Sacred Heart pupils the chance to see how Northgate delivers its service support to 1250 primary and secondary schools throughout NI under the Classroom 2000 contract.Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate said: “As a key provider to the education sector, we’re delighted to welcome the pupils and teacher of Sacred Heart from Newry to our headquarters and play our part in promoting ICT as a profession which is positive, creative, focused, exciting and future focused. “ICT is a driving force in our economic recovery process so it is essential we do all we can to support schools, colleges and local communities as we seek to attract our talented young people and do what we can to build a qualified, sustainable workforce for the future. We hope the visit gave them food for thought and that in the years to come we may well be welcoming some of the pupils back as full time members of the Northgate team.”To enhance the value of the tour, members of Northgate’s highly effective technical team explained how they provide valuable support to schools such as Sacred Heart to ensure seamless delivery of the learning process.Mrs McGeeney, head of IT for Sacred Heart added: “Actually seeing how Northgate delivers support to all NI schools through C2K was a revelation for our students. The diversity of services provided, using ICT, to both the public and private sectors was also a revelation as the students were able to see what they were being taught in school becoming a reality in the workplace. This was a very worthwhile experience.”

Northgate recgonised in delivering specialised solutions

2011-03-31T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions has been awarded the Oracle ISV Partner of the Year Award at the annual Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized UK Awards.

This is the second consecutive year that Oracle judges have recognised Northgate Information Solutions’ success in delivering innovative solutions and achieving strong customer success using Oracle applications.

David Callaghan, Senior Vice President, Oracle UK, Ireland and Israel said:

“These awards recognise the specialised partners that have consistently delivered high level innovation and excellence in their areas of expertise over the past year.

The judging panel believes Northgate Information Solutions has shown commitment to growing its Oracle business, has enhanced skills in its Oracle product line and has shown focus in vertical industries. We’d like to congratulate all partners on their award wins.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services said today: “We are delighted to have received this award. Our focus is always on meeting our client’s needs and helping them to deliver better services for less. The successful relationship we have developed with Oracle is key to this approach. Now, more than ever, it is essential that organisations work collaboratively to bring together their expertise and deliver positive outcomes for the community.”

Northgate Information Systems is a Gold level member of OPN and is Specialized in Oracle Solaris.

Northgate calls for focus on health inequalities

2011-03-30T23:00:00+01:00

Local government and local communities should be at the heart of a new approach to public health, says Northgate Public Services.

In a response to the Department of Health’s white paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People, Northgate warmly welcomes an extended role for local government in public health.

However, with local authorities under severe pressure, the company argues that it is essential that councils are given certainty over the level of resources to be allocated to them for public health. Without this, the response says, there is a danger that public health and reducing health inequalities will not be given the priority the government says it deserves.

GP commissioning may exacerbate inequalities rather than narrow them, according to Northgate. GP practices will have flexibility to form consortia in ways that will not necessarily be aligned with local authorities, leading to increased complexity in commissioning.

Northgate’s response also calls for:

action to address the digital divide, including in the short to medium term, developing multiple channels of information to enable active citizens to take more responsibility for their wellbeing;

a clear recognition of the importance of tier 2 authorities in developing co-ordinated public health services that reach out to the most disadvantaged;

representation for community organisations on health and wellbeing boards.

Sue Holloway, Director of Local Government for Northgate Public Services, said today: “The change the government plans is welcome. It is essential that local authorities are put at the heart of public health if we are to reach out to those most disadvantaged and address persistent inequalities.”

“Our concern is that public health should not become the Cinderella of public services. It is essential that local authorities are given the resources to do the job. This must involve and include local people not only in the design and delivery of services, but also in their assessment.”

New ways of working lead to improved outcomes

2011-02-28T00:00:00+01:00

Small-scale actions can help improve efficiency and reduce costs, says Northgate Public Services today as the company continues to work with its partners to provide innovative responses to the challenges facing the public sector.

By adopting new ways of working, Northgate suggests that resources can be freed up to focus on core tasks. The organisation points to a recent partnership with one mediumsized local authority where it has implemented NMail, a fully automated and secure postage and production solution.

NMail acts as a virtual mailbox for staff, allowing them to automatically and securely send documents to the NMail Print Centre from their desktops using already existing applications. Here, mail to the same individual is collated, before being formatted, printed and sent out, removing the need for staff to spend time manually processing mail.

Organisations can also achieve significant cost-savings through this kind of solution. One authority that has implemented the solution believes it has reduced costs by 40 per cent. By aggregating mail from a range of customers, NMail allows organisations to benefit from mass-mailing prices, even if they themselves have low volumes.

Northgate estimates that authorities, dependent on their size, can save up to £150,000 a year through this kind of action.

Iain McLachlan, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: "The scale of the challenges facing the public sector cannot be underestimated. Now, more than ever, it is essential to look at new ways of working that can deliver better for less.

Small-scale actions are the perfect place to start. NMail is just one example of how local authorities can begin to make immediate savings. There is no minimum volume for NMail so even the smallest authority can start to make big savings through this kind of action.”

Northgate Managed Services and Carefx join forces to provide clinical portal for consortium of NHS Boards across Edinburgh and southern Scotland

2011-02-25T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services has been appointed as the preferred bidder to deliver, implement and manage a clinical portal service for an NHS consortium covering NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders and NHS Dumfries and Galloway. As part of the five year deal, the portal solution will be based on technology from Carefx who will work in partnership with Northgate to deploy and support the system. The initiative is part of an NHS drive in which Scottish health boards have formed three regional consortia, each looking at the best way to use clinical portals in their areas. The NHS in Scotland has carried out detailed research into the use of clinical portals as a cost-effective and highly efficient way to reduce costs and administration while simultaneously speeding up patient services. Part of the research included a survey in 2009 of more than 3,240 clinicians – many in senior posts – to identify their requirements from a clinical portal programme, most of which will now be included within the new contract. Once deployed the clinical portal will provide healthcare professionals with streamlined access to critical patient information from a single browser view. This will replace the current, time consuming process of retrieval of information through disparate systems and paper records. The clinical portal is seen as the key to realising the vision in the Scottish Government’s strategy and action plan Better Health Better Care (2008), to “...ensure that the right information is available at the right time, in the right place, to enable staff to provide the best possible care”. Graham Gault, Head of Information Management & Technology, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, who led the consortium, said: “The clinical portal initiative is widely supported by clinicians. Northgate Managed Services and Carefx have provided a prototype for the consortium which has proved that it can integrate with the different systems used across the four health boards and provide clinicians with a single view of the patient across each of the regions and real-time patient information, with the utmost accuracy. We look forward to working with Northgate and Carefx, to introduce the new system across all four boards in the consortium over the year, which will allow them to reduce their dependence on paper records.” “The aim for all healthcare organisations today is to improve the quality of patient care, while reducing the costs to the NHS of providing its services, and this initiative strengthens our position in being able to do just this,” adds Gault. “By deploying the portal we know that our consortia of trusts will be able to deliver secure, real-time access to relevant patient data, at that precise point in the care pathway. This is about meeting the needs of healthcare staff, the organisation and most importantly the patient.” Northgate has over 40 years experience in providing and managing ICT services and solutions which improve business process and efficiencies whilst reducing costs. Currently working with over 60 health sector organisations, including every health board in Scotland, Northgate has delivered smarter, more efficient ways for them to operate. James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services, said: “We are very pleased to be selected as the preferred bidder to provide a clinical portal for the NHS across such a large area of Scotland. Working in partnership with Carefx, we are providing a technology that offers the health service an ideal opportunity to meet its present and future needs.” “Clinical portals can significantly speed up patient services and cut down on bureaucracy as the technology will pick up data from wherever it is stored and display it instantly,” Turnbull added. “But more than that, for healthcare providers it eliminates the expense of having to replace their existing IT systems. As the portal is affordable and easy to deploy, it also offers a swift return on investment, which is more important than ever at a time when budgets are very tight.” The Carefx portal technology, built on its Fusionfx platform, has been designed to improve the quality and safety of patient care. Wayne Parslow, European Vice President and General Manager, EMEA, Carefx, said: “There are clear advantages in opting for a solution which brings together the information from existing systems rather than scrapping them and undertaking huge projects to install new ones. This is all the more true when a system like ours can achieve what healthcare workers want by delivering dynamic and personalised patient data in an instant, wherever they are. Giving healthcare staff the fullest possible picture will improve continuity of care, patient safety and clinical productivity while reducing fragmentation to give the patient a better experience. Working on this project we have formed a strong partnership with Northgate Managed Services. It has also provided us with a strategic platform for future collaboration to develop further leadership and innovative thinking for the healthcare sector.” End Notes for editors · For details of the survey see: NHS Scotland eHealth Programme, Clinical portal survey, Catherine Kelly, eHealth Clinical Lead, Scottish Government, August 2009.· Key findings showed that clinicians wanted a portal to provide information on:o Past medical historyo Current problem listo Current medicationso Allergies and alertso Treatment plano Events and procedureso Social history o Clinical letters (in particular, outpatient clinic letters, hospital discharge letters and referral letters)o Diagnostic test resultso Clinical observationso Local and national clinical guidelines and access to eBNFo Some types of clinical notes. · Northgate Managed Services signed a deal with Carefx in 2010 to distribute its Fusionfx suite of products into the UK health and social care market.

Hugh Christie Technology College chosen as the training provider for Northgate Managed Services IT apprenticeship scheme in Kent

2011-02-17T00:00:00+01:00

Ten new IT apprentices from Kent will be starting their 18-month training programme with Hugh Christie Technology College, Tonbridge, as part of a new apprenticeship scheme from Northgate Managed Services.

The apprentices will be attending the college one day per week to study for their NVQ Level 3 IT systems and support. As part of the Northgate’s ‘earn as you learn’ apprenticeship, this will be combined with hands-on training, with each Apprentice working as a trainee IT engineer in some of the schools in Kent that Northgate currently provides services to.

As with every Northgate employee, each apprentice is given their own personal development plan with a mixture of online and classroom training which develops core skills and competencies such as communication, time management, customer service, problem solving and many more.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services, commented: “As a successful and growing IT services company we are committed to working with young people in the communities where we are based. By offering an IT Apprenticeship Scheme to school leavers, we are developing a qualified and talented workforce that will help us grow our business and provide Kent with an influx of new IT talent. Hugh Christie is an exemplar school at the forefront of educational technology to drive teaching and learning. We are proud to be working with such an inspirational team of people to help deliver vital on-the-job training as part of our new apprenticeship scheme.”

Jon Barker, Principal of Hugh Christie Technology College, commented: “We are delighted to be involved with the IT apprenticeship scheme. Our partnership with Northgate has been a great success and has facilitated the continuing development of technology at the school. The apprenticeship scheme is an exciting further extension of this partnership. Together with Northgate, we will provide outstanding training for the apprentices which will enable them to develop a career in an important area. I hope that some will enjoy their return to school so much that they may consider the valuable role of supporting IT within the school environment in the future.”

Sarah Hohler, Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Skills, said: “Kent has championed apprenticeships for a number of years. The Northgate Managed Services scheme offers young people a fantastic opportunity to gain practical skills and work experience while working towards a nationally-recognised qualification. These modern apprenticeships are exactly the type of initiative we need to deliver to make sure that students are equipped to meet the needs of a 21st century workforce.”

Each apprentice is allocated a mentor and ‘buddy’ to support and advise them throughout the programme. On completion of the scheme, every successful apprentice will hold a formal NVQ qualification, possess 18 months of work experience and the potential for them to move into permanent positions in Northgate.

Northgate’s Apprenticeship Scheme marks an important extension to its two-year partnership with Hugh Christie, which has seen the school maximise its ICT efficiency and offer students the best education using technology. Helping to convert young people’s enthusiasm for technology into a profession they can excel in Hugh Christie, as the chosen training provider, is helping to train the area’s next generation of IT talent as part of the 18-month programme.

Apprenticeships are still available in the Kent area. To apply, candidates must hold a GCSE in Maths and English and most importantly have an interest and passion for ICT. For further information or to apply, please visit the web site at www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or alternatively email info@northgate-is.com

Ends

Notes to editor:

The Kent-based apprenticeships will be based in the following schools:
• Thamesview School, Gravesend; Northfleet Technology College, Gravesend; St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School, Gravesend; Ifield School, Gravesend; Northfleet School for Girls, Gravesend; The Community College Whitstable; Dane Court Grammar School, Broadstairs; St Georges Church of England Foundation School, Broadstairs

About Northgate Managed Services:
Northgate Managed Services provides a wide range of IT services to private sector, public sector and third sector organisations across the UK. The company supports over 2,000 customers with 420,000 end-users responding to over 100,000 service desk calls annually.

Northgate calls for focus on prevention

2011-02-09T00:00:00+01:00

A radical shift in resources and priorities is needed if the adult social care system is to meet the fiscal and demographic pressures it faces, says Northgate Public Services in a submission to the government today.

Responding to the Department of Health’s Transparency in outcomes consultation, Northgate argues that adult social care needs to adopt a firm focus on prevention and early support. This, it says, will be key to helping individuals stay healthier for longer, assisting them to live independently in their own communities and achieving better outcomes overall.

The organisation suggests that this change in focus should also be supported by a wider decentralisation of information. This would involve collating data from disparate systems and sources and transforming this into information which can be used to target the delivery of early support and personalised services.

As part of its response, Northgate makes a number of recommendations to government to support the vision of adult social care, these include:

local social care accounts which can be challenged by the local community to support transparency and accountability

closer alignment of information across adult social care, the NHS and public health to ensure a focus on low level care and prevention

a greater focus on service-user generated information to measure satisfaction .

Iain McLachlan, Managing Director Northgate Public Services said today: "Adult social care currently faces a range of difficult challenges. It is essential that the quality of social care is improved to ensure better outcomes for individuals. If we are to enable individuals to have care built around their needs, it is essential that we break down information silos to ensure we can get a holistic view of well-being.”

NHS reforms must encourage active citizens

2011-01-17T00:00:00+01:00

The government must go further if it is to create an information revolution which empowers individuals, achieves better outcomes and reduces health inequalities in our society, says Northgate Public Services today.

In a response to the government’s consultation Liberating the NHS: an information revolution, Northgate welcomes the overall direction of the consultation, but argues that the government should put active citizens at the heart of its strategy. The active citizen approach, where individuals are fully informed and engaged in their own healthcare, was shown in the Wanless Report to be key in achieving better outcomes and longterm cost savings for the health system.

To support active citizens, Northgate says that the government must take steps to ensure that data standards are improved and maintained. This will be key if citizens are to trust the system. The organisation says that the NHS brand could be licensed to high quality information providers and that an NHS Health Information Kite Mark could be used to develop a responsible information market.

Northgate also express concern at the presumption of online access contained within the document. The company calls on the government to provide a multi-channel approach and suggests that a levy is placed on the NHS license which goes towards funding digital inclusion programmes.

Iain McLachlan, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: "Information is key to achieving better outcomes in the health service. Whilst we support the government's overall approach, we are concerned that it does not go far enough to achieve better services for less. It is imperative that citizens are empowered to take responsibility for their own healthcare through open access to high quality information."

Innovation number one priority for Northgate

2011-01-12T00:00:00+01:00

Innovation is the number one priority for Northgate Public Services, says the company as it makes the first of a series of new year statements about its response to the fiscal deficit following a strategic review that ended last year.

The company announces today that it has streamlined its organisation and enhanced its top management team as part of its commitment to further strengthen its growing reputation as a partner in problem solving for public services.

Four Managing Directors have been appointed to spearhead the drive to improve public services at a time when they are under considerable social and financial pressure to reform.

The company is committed to delivering outcomes-based services for the public which promote citizen satisfaction and well-being. It believes that citizens must be involved and engaged in designing, shaping and delivering services and taking an active role in promoting their own well-being to deliver public value in the long term.

Ian Blackhurst is appointed Managing Director for Sales. He is responsible for developing new and innovative forms of partnership with clients. The company has pioneered an innovative risk-reward scheme where fees are only paid if service improvements and cashable savings are delivered to clients. The company is committed to ensuring that far more organisations will benefit from this and other joint ventures over future years. Ian was formerly Managing Director of Public Safety.

Iain McLachlan is appointed Managing Director for Portfolio Management. He is directing a new team of more than a hundred people who will be responsible for horizon scanning, creating new ideas and working in partnership with clients to deliver forward-looking services which work with the public and not-for-profit organisations to build services that put individuals at the heart of their design. Prior to his appointment, Iain was Chief Operating Officer for Public Safety.

Joe Bradley is appointed Managing Director for Services Delivery. He is responsible for ensuring excellence in service delivery as the company increasingly takes on larger public services programmes. The company is establishing a national network of centres of excellence providing transformation services for public and not-for-profit organisations as part of its strategy to promote collaborative working between the public, private and not for profit sector. Joe was formerly Managing Director of Citizens Services.

Russell Osborne, formerly Managing Director for Citizen Solutions. has been appointed Managing Director for Product Delivery. He is responsible for delivering state of the art technology which promotes effective and efficient communications between service users, service commissioners and service providers. The company is poised to make further announcements this month about a new suite of solutions.

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services, said today: “All of us who believe that stronger services are not only necessary but desirable have to make change work. Innovation is at the heart of our response. We have created a stronger, unified organisation that will work as one team - one Northgate Public Services - with our clients and the wider public to deliver new ideas, new ways of working and new products that will respond to the challenges of the time.”

Northgate Managed Services Launches New Customer Engagement Facility

2011-01-11T00:00:00+01:00

Investment brings company-wide capabilities to Glasgow to strengthen Scottish offering

A new Customer Engagement Facility has been unveiled in Glasgow by Northgate Managed Services following a five-figure investment in its Scottish base.

Unveiled today, Northgate’s Insight Suite means the ICT services and solutions provider can strengthen relationships with key customers by bringing all its company-wide expertise to a Glasgow audience – at the touch of a button.

Set in a relaxed and informal environment, the new Insight Suite provides Northgate with the opportunity to work in close partnership with clients to deliver tailored IT services and solutions based around individual needs. Customers can experience how new IT services and solutions will contribute to achieving key business goals through real-time and real-life demonstrations.

James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services added: “We are delighted to officially launch and open for business our new Insight Suite which offers another facility to engage with private and public sector organisations in Scotland .

“The investment is another demonstration of our commitment to growing Northgate Managed Services in Glasgow and across the country, and will help us share company-wide knowledge and expertise, whilst building on existing customer relationships.

“It’s an asset we already have and are benefitting from in our head office in Belfast and it made sense to replicate that facility here. The goal is to ensure customers receive the correct tailored solution, at the right time, which will meet their immediate and long-term business objectives.”

Once a clear strategy has been outlined, Northgate’s specialist client teams will be able to demonstrate services, including dedicated helpdesks, remote support, system hosting and the facilitation of home-working, and technologies from key partners such as, Microsoft, Citrix, HP, VMWare and Symantec.

As the first customer to try out the new customer engagement facility, Gavin Cox, Head of IT Infrastructure for NHS Lanarkshire, said: “I was delighted to be the first of Northgate’s customers to access its new “Insight Suite” and test out its state-of-the-art real-time and real-life demonstrations.

“We have an excellent relationship with Northgate Managed Services in Scotland and while we have already benefitted from access to its company-wide expertise this latest investment only creates even more potential to do that.

“NHS Lanarkshire is committed to investing in new technology to help deliver efficiencies and savings and we look forward to utilising Northgate’s “Insight Suite” in the future, working with them for the benefit of our staff, patients and the general public.”

Leicester Teacher recognised for his innovative use of technology

2011-01-05T00:00:00+01:00

An inspiring Leicester teacher has been recognised for his innovative use of technology with a speaking opportunity at the Learning Without Frontiers Conference in London next week (9-11 January 2011). Supported by leading ICT services and solutions provider, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) Mark Sutton, Assistant Curriculum Leader for Design & Technology from Soar Valley College, has beaten stiff competition to speak alongside some of the country’s most inspirational teachers.

Soar Valley College opened its brand new doors in June 2009 as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme’, providing technology to engage and educate students. The school works closely with Northgate to ensure its learners have access to the latest technology solutions and services. As part of the partnership, Northgate has invested in teachers’ development by supporting their attendance at some of the UK’s leading events which promote industry best practice.

Mark Sutton joined Soar Valley College five years ago and has spent his teaching career at the school researching and integrating some of the latest technologies into the classroom. Passionate about transforming learning into a truly interactive experience, Mark will present to up to 100 delegates at the international festival of learning and technology about his use of handheld technology such as Sony PSPs (PlayStation Portable) and iPhones, as a way of engaging students in their learning.
A delegate at the 2010 conference, Mark was inspired to push the boundaries of traditional teaching and is now using augmented reality gaming technology called ‘Second Sight’ through the Sony PSPs to literally bring subjects to life. As students walk around a virtual environment, the PSPs ‘read’ special printed codes, called 2D bar codes or markers, on the walls, and automatically display information to students that includes text, audio, video and 3D images. The process involves adding a layer of virtual information over the physical world. In English lessons for example, students explore the layout of rooms that Sherlock Holmes investigates in the novel, viewing virtual 3D models such as a fireplace or armchair as they run their Sony PSP over a code on the wall or floor. In science, Mark is also using this ‘Second Sight’ technology to teach students about the solar system, enabling them to study large 3D models of the planets. To enable students to use the Sony PSPs anytime, anywhere on site, Mark connects to the school’s wireless internet solution supplied and managed by Northgate.

Use of handheld technology is helping to excite students in their learning, however, Mark is keen to emphasise that the Sony PSPs are used as part of an overall teaching strategy. He believes technology plays a vital role in helping students understand complex subjects and should be used alongside textbooks to help them engage with different topics.

Next term, Mark is hoping to use the Second Sight augmented reality technology to create a virtual walk through of the evolutionary timeline – enabling students to walk up the tree of life and along the different branches to view 3D models of the different creatures through time. He is also due to receive a set of iPhones from Leicester City Learning Centre which he plans to integrate into the classroom.

Mark Sutton, Assistant Curriculum Leader for Design & Technology, comments: “I am honoured to be speaking at the Learning Without Frontiers Conference. Without the support of Northgate Managed Services, I wouldn’t have been able to make this a reality. I am passionate about delivering information to students in a format that excites them. Augmented reality technology through the Sony PSPs certainly has the ‘wow factor’ for students and if that is what it takes to engage them in their learning and achieve their potential, then I believe every school should try it out. Students use mobile phones and handheld consoles for enjoyment every day, so as teachers, it is vital that we move with the times and teach students in the way they like to learn.”

Committed to supporting the schools on a day-to-day basis through its managed service, Northgate’s team of ICT experts are on hand to fix any ICT-related problems quickly and efficiently and work remotely to ensure the schools receives an optimum service at all times.

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We have supported the school helping them to make the concept of anytime, anywhere learning a reality whilst motivating learners of all abilities. Mark is a truly inspirational teacher and has a remarkable vision for learning through technology. We are delighted that he has been recognised for his work at the forthcoming Learning Without Frontiers Conference and believe his speech will both inspire and instil confidence in many educationalists to implement handheld technologies in the classroom.”

For further information, please visit: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices, contact tel: +44 (0) 28 90859085 or e-mail info@northgate-is.com.

Senior Audit Commission Manager joins Northgate

2010-12-22T00:00:00+01:00

Kieran Colgan, the Audit Commission’s Lead Housing Inspector for the South West since 2006, has joined Northgate Public Services as Principal Services Director the company announces today.

Kieran will be responsible for leading and developing Northgate’s housing transformation partnership work with local authorities and housing associations as part of the company’s response to the fiscal challenge.

The company has developed an innovative risk-reward approach, hugely popular with public services, focused on performance enhancement and delivering efficiencies. All fees come out of guaranteed cashable savings. The model is increasingly being used by public services as a means of delivering better services for less.

The appointment of a senior Audit Commission manager follows the recent move of Gary Headland, former Director of Performance and Modernisation from Norfolk Constabulary, to head up the Northgate’s police transformation work.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “I am delighted that Kieran has decided to come on board. He is a confident, creative and highly motivated leader with a passion that matches ours for public service excellence. He has a long track record of working with local government and housing organisations to deliver positive outcomes in a challenging environment.”

“Over the next few years, the pressures on housing services will be intensified. We are confident that our problem-solving, proactive approach to working in partnership with our clients can bring rapid service enhancement and deliver efficiencies at a time when the pressures on social housing have never been greater.”

Northgate makes new appointment in Social Care

2010-12-21T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Charles Clark as Sales Director for Social Care as the company gears up its response to the growing need for personalised and integrated health and social care services in a challenging economic environment.

Charles, a highly seasoned professional in social care and local government, with 25 years of experience in the public services market, joins Northgate from SAP. Prior to this he was one of three founding Directors who set up Sheridan Systems, a leading provider of social care solutions that was eventually acquired by Anite in 2000. Anite Public Sector was subsequently bought by Northgate in 2008 as part of its strategy to support public service innovation through entering the social care market.

Charles will use his knowledge and experience to support the growth of Northgate’s combined health and social care business as new patterns of care emerge over future years. The company is committed to ensuring that patients and users voices are heard and acted upon within health and social care, and that they are involved in the design and delivery of services, including preventative services.

The appointment builds on the success of Northgate’s work running national programmes such as the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) service, Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs) and world class child and adult screening programmes such as the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP), while working at a local level with local authorities through its adult and children’s social care services.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “We wholeheartedly support radical measures to transform the way that health and social care is delivered. It must be wrapped around the needs of users and wherever possible designed and delivered in the community. With local authorities taking on new responsibilities for public health, it is essential that these are integrated with health and social care to create positive outcomes that put the citizen at their heart.”

“We are delighted that Charles has joined us. We are ambitious for our health and social care business. This senior appointment will help us develop innovative responses to health and social care needs – working in new ways with our clients and their partners and reaching out to those who are most disadvantaged in our communities.”

Better use of technology could save billions

2010-12-20T00:00:00+01:00

The Government could save billions of pounds by making the most of its employees and getting the best out of existing technology, asserts a leading public services company today.

Northgate Public Services, which is the first organisation to be accredited by the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) as a training provider, recently launched an innovative training programme for users of its Revenues and Benefits software. The programme is geared towards ensuring council employees are gaining the maximum benefit from the technology and achieving best practice.

The first employees are already enrolled on the course and Northgate anticipate that 100 people will be signed up by the end of the year. The training focuses on people, process and costs and aims to drive up standards, improve service delivery, and get better for less at a time of unprecedented demand.

The course, which is based online, allows students to practice and test themselves and to gain a certificate from Northgate following a moderated examination. It has been designed and developed in conjunction with West Oxfordshire District Council, the winner of the Excellence in Education, Training & Development title at the 2009 IRRV Performance Awards.

In an investigation, as part of its response to the fiscal challenge, Northgate found that there was widely differing performance in the use of software between the best performers and the worst. It argues that this experience is not isolated within public services and calculates that billions could be saved by better collaboration between government, their employees and software providers.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “At a time of economic constraint, it is essential that no stone is left unturned in examining the way we can deliver better services for less. Our investigations show that not all of our customers are making the best use of our technology. Our training course has been set up to overcome this. We also want to involve end users more closely in the design and development of future software. By working together collaboratively we will not only deliver better systems but more effective services that reach out to all those who need them, especially the most disadvantaged in our communities.”

Unitary Councils opt for Northgate

2010-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

More than half of the recently formed unitary authorities in England have chosen Northgate Public Services as their partner to supply revenues and benefits software and help deliver better services for less to their citizens.

In April 2009, nine unitary authorities were created in Bedfordshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, County Durham, Wiltshire, Northumberland, and Shropshire. One of the challenges these new authorities faced was how best to consolidate the 37 different revenues and benefits applications used under the previous structures to the nine required as unitaries.

Five of the unitary councils have now chosen Northgate as their supplier, including the three authorities that went out for fully open procurement. Most recently Wiltshire Council and Northgate have joined forces to improve customer service by offering greater access and availability to citizens and streamlining service processes to drive efficiencies that will deliver cost savings to the council.

The news further consolidates Northgate’s position as the market leader for revenues and benefits software and the first choice for unitary councils. Northgate is committed to working in partnership with local authorities to make change work and deliver better for less.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted that so many authorities recognise Northgate as a safe pair of hands and have chosen us as their partner. We are committed to making change work and have a strong track record of working with unitaries and other larger authorities. Our expertise in this area will help to deliver much needed service improvements and cost savings to the council and their citizens.”

Northgate Managed Services wins �15m contract providing ICT services to Oldham schools

2010-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) has been appointed by Balfour Beatty to deliver ICT services and solutions to schools in Oldham borough. Schools will benefit from £15 million invested in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) over the next seven and a half years.

Northgate will provide flexible, attractive and media-rich learning environments that will support learning to the new-build Oldham Roman Catholic School, the partial rebuild and remodelling of North Chadderton School, the new Waterhead Academy and Oldham North Academy sponsored by E-ACT.

Northgate will provide and manage a range of technologies tailored to the needs of each establishment. The overall service is built from a number of key components including; infrastructure design and installation to device and software procurement. Committed to supporting the schools on a day-to-day basis through its managed service, the schools and academies network and infrastructure is supported and continuously monitored by Northgate’s dedicated Service Desk.

Each school and academy will utilise ‘thin client’ technologies* which helps them save energy, utilise computer equipment more efficiently and ultimately enable students to access learning materials from a wide range of devices such as desktop PCs, laptops and a wide-range of personal user devices. Every student will also have access to an online learning platform, providing true anytime, anywhere learning for the entire school community. Accessible through the internet from any location, Northgate’s Learning Platform allows learners, teachers and administrative staff to create their own personliased portal providing single sign on to school applications and resources via the internet. Students will have access to their own personalised learning area where they can work on assignments, store their work and access emails, enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students.

In addition, Northgate will be providing an interim managed service from 1st April 2011 where school technicians will transfer to work directly for the ICT specialist in the lead up to the full ICT Managed service. This interim service will aid the improvement of standards, ensure a smooth transition for ICT and ultimately transfer risk, helping to establish confidence across the school community. From September 2011, schools will have access to core services including the online learning platform. This will help the 4 sites to benefit from BSF investment and allow early access to BSF ICT services.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We are delighted to be working alongside the schools and academies, Oldham Council and Balfour Beatty to deliver their vision for secondary school ICT. By working in partnership with the schools, we will be offering integrated information and communication technology to help deliver personalised learning tailored to the needs, interests and aptitudes of their learners.”

Carefx and Northgate Managed Services collaborate to offer patient focused health services

2010-12-16T00:00:00+01:00

Carefx, a leading provider of interoperable workflow solutions, today announced Northgate Managed Services as a key distribution partner for its range of products and solutions for delivery into the Health and social care marketplace in the UK.

Carefx is committed to helping healthcare organisations advance the quality and safety of patient care delivery through Fusionfx – the Carefx solution suite. Fusionfx streamlines and simplifies clinical and business workflow, and connects care providers to the information they need – where and when they need it.

Northgate Managed Services, known for its work with leading technology organisations, has developed strategic partnerships with e-docs UK, G2 Speech, Fairwarning and Lumension and now Carefx to support their vision of patient focused health services.

Northgate Managed Services has 1,300 staff across the UK and is a leading provider of ICT services and solutions to the Health sector. Working in partnership with a range of organisations from hospitals to National Agencies across the UK to develop and deliver smarter, more efficient ways of working, the company currently provides services to over 60 health sector organisations across the UK and 11 NHS boards in Scotland.

“We are delighted to be working with Carefx, to bring added versatility to our product and service portfolio so that we can continue to offer the Health market solutions which improve business processes and efficiencies.” says James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services.

“There is an increasing realisation across Health and Social Care organisations that the way forward for innovative thinking in IT will be through bringing together information from existing systems without having to create new ones. Delivering dynamic and personalised patient data to care workers when, where and how they need to see it is proven to both improve patient safety and lower operational cost. Our collaboration with Northgate introduces further leadership and innovative thinking into the Care Sector and we are therefore delighted to announce this partnership with them,” commented Wayne Parslow, EVP and General Manager, EMEA for Carefx.

The Richard Rose Federation Launches a �3.19 million ICT Contract with partner Northgate Managed Services

2010-12-09T00:00:00+01:00

Carlisle’s two new academies are set to launch a groundbreaking approach to learning with a £3.19 million, anytime, anywhere ICT system that allows students to tap into the Federation’s Virtual Learning Environment whenever they choose thereby capitalising on each individual student’s capacity for retention and their optimum learning environment.

The system is a collaborative system, shared across the two academy sites enabling staff, students, parents and members of the community to tap into it at anytime. The Federation has appointed leading ICT services and solutions provider Northgate Managed Services to embed and support ICT throughout both academies. The contract will see Northgate design, supply, install and manage a robust, flexible ICT solution.

The Federation have chosen the very latest high speed virtualised wireless solution from Meru Networks. The system is designed to support very high numbers of staff and students using phones, laptops, netbooks and in fact any wireless enabled device. The Academies wireless networks allows staff and students to quickly and securely access any files, software and the internet in the comfort of their new buildings.

Commenting on the ICT solution, Katie Robinson, Headteacher of Richard Rose Morton Academy, said:

“Both of our academies are about to move into state of the art buildings and it is appropriate that we have a 21st century ICT solution for our students to match their fantastic new surroundings. This will open up a brand new approach to learning enabling students to take in information when and where it is most enjoyable for them. Their parents will also have access so that they can check on their child’s progress, tap into community information or develop their own skills and qualifications by taking part in adult education classes that will be available on the Academy’s Virtual Learning Environment”.

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education at Northgate Managed Services, comments:

“We are extremely proud of our partnership with the Richard Rose Federation. Northgate’s extensive experience of operating shared services across multiple sites allows us to meet this vision efficiently. It is truly admirable that this provision has been extended to the wider community and we look forward to support teaching and learning using ICT”.

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,200 school, college and academy networks across the UK working with a plethora of exceptional centres of learning, including Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough, Bristol Cathedral Choir School in Bristol, Havelock Academy in Grimsby, Litherland High School in Sefton and Abraham Guest High School in Wigan.

Northgate Managed Services confirmed as ICT provider to every secondary school in Blackpool

2010-12-09T00:00:00+01:00

Blackpool Council has appointed Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) to deliver ICT services and solutions to every secondary school in the borough as part of a Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme continuing under the new coalition Government. The £3.5million five year contract will see Northgate embed core technology and ICT infrastructure, including connectivity, storage and communication tools, tailored to the individual needs of the area’s secondary schools.

Blackpool Council’s BSF funding was reduced to cover three sample schools in the changes to BSF funding announced earlier in the year. The Council chose to reallocate the funding across all schools to help meet the individual needs of all schools and raise the standard of ICT provision across Blackpool.

Committed to providing robust, cost-effective ICT, Northgate Managed Services will work closely with the schools and the Local Education Partnership (LEP) consisting of Blackpool Council and Eric Wright Group to deliver its vision to provide all its 9,000 secondary students with access to ICT. Highly regarded for its flexible approach the leading provider of ICT services and solutions will begin work in January 2011 to tailor and deliver technology which suits each school’s requirements. As part of this process, Northgate will conduct a thorough evaluation of existing ICT resources in use by each school and work with schools to identify the areas of greatest need.

The schools set to benefit include a new build at Highfield Humanities College, a significant remodelled school at St Mary’s Catholic College and a refurbished pupil referral unit at the Mountford Centre; as well asUnity College, Bispham High School, Palatine Community Sports College, Collegiate High School, , Montgomery High School and St George’s C of E High School.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services comments: “We are proud to be working alongside the schools, Blackpool Council and Eric Wright Group to deliver their vision for secondary school ICT through BSF funding that has been granted under the new coalition Government. We believe this significant partnership is testament to our personalised approach which enables our organisation to provide tailored solutions to meet the exact needs and budget of every school.”

Northgate is an accredited supplier on the Government’s new ICT Services Framework and already works with a wide range of educational institutions from Local Authorities to individual schools and academies. These include Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough, Colston Girls School in Bristol, Richard Rose Morton Academy and Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle, Havelock Academy in Grimsby and Litherland High School and Abraham Guest High School, one school BSF Pathfinder projects school in Sefton and Wigan.

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the website at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices.

BETT Preview - Schools are looking to the clouds to reduce ICT costs

2010-12-09T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services launches new modular managed cloud services to reduce ICT costs

New Schoolzone research* commissioned by Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) reveals that whilst the majority of schools are open to cloud services as a way of cutting ICT costs, many are still unaware of the flexibility and scalability offered by this new technology. Keen to help schools reduce the cost of running their ICT, Northgate’s team will be on hand at BETT 2011 (stand D70) to talk about ways cloud services can complement existing ICT infrastructure and form part of school’s ICT strategy. Tried and tested in the business world, the cloud helps remove the reliance on capital expenditure as organisations simply pay their provider for what they use.

As the Government hands purchasing power back to schools and more than ever school budgets are being squeezed, Northgate is offering Cloud based services that allow schools to select specific elements of their ICT to move to the cloud. Infinitely scalable with transparent costs, schools can choose from a range of services tailored to their individual needs and budget. This enables schools to step into the cloud at their own pace whilst being able to reap the associated long term cost savings.

An accredited supplier on the Government’s new ICT Services Framework in recognition of its high quality cost effectives services to education, Northgate is launching cloud services covering infrastructure, email, collaboration, security, archiving, backup, storage, cloud systems management and consulting services.

During the research, schools welcomed the potential cost-savings offered by cloud technology but questioned the security of data and the reliance on dependable internet connectivity – concerns that have already been resolved through extensive testing and usage in the business world. Since its adoption in the commercial sector, huge advances in cloud technology have been made, driven by the expansion of broadband bandwidths, improved network quality and stability and the availability of cost-effective and robust e-security solutions.

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “Education’s move to the cloud marks an important step towards the delivery of agile, high-quality ICT services at an affordable cost and will play a vital role in the future of educational ICT in schools. We recognise that it is early days for the cloud in education, so Northgate’s modular approach enables schools to migrate services gradually, helping to maximise existing ICT infrastructure and ensure schools are confident about their move to the cloud.”

In addition, teachers from around the UK will be joining experts on Northgate’s stand D70 at BETT to share best practice for ICT to enhance learning. Each day teachers will be promoting how they use ICT to engage students and enhance the learning experience. For example, using Apple iPads with Special Education Needs students and developing immersive learning environments to create interesting and engaging lessons. For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit stand D70 at BETT 2011, visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or contact its Schools and Academies team via email: info@northgate-is.com.

South Derbyshire shows the way

2010-12-06T00:00:00+01:00

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.

Wokingham Transformation

2010-12-01T00:00:00+01:00

Wokingham Borough Council has entered into an innovative partnership designed to transform services for residents and respond to the fiscal challenge by delivering much needed efficiencies.

The Council has joined forces with Northgate Public Services which will strategically manage their ICT in a five year partnership worth £8.5 million. Under the agreement there will be an option to extend the arrangement for a further two years.

The partnership moves beyond the traditional ICT outsourced approach to focus on using ICT as a strategic asset for the Council. It will focus on improving customer access and service, reducing cost, making processes more efficient and effective, and improving ICT governance.

Shifting the focus of ICT will support the Council in its drive for change. Northgate solutions are already used by the Council, and Northgate will combine its strategic knowledge with its practical experience in local government to bring about rapid improvement while managing risk through a phased approach to transformation.

Graham Ebers, General Manager of Business Services said today: “Transformation is integral to delivering the efficiencies that the Council has pledged to make. We believe that our partnership with Northgate will not only provide us with a stable and secure platform on which to operate, but will also be pivotal in enabling our residents to get wider access to improved service delivery by maximising our use of new technologies. Northgate has worked with us for many years. I am confident we can make this a successful partnership for the benefit of our community’
Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director at Northgate Public Services said today: “These are challenging times for local authorities and public services in general. Now more than ever, we need to focus on delivering better services for less. How organisations manage their people, processes and cost to provide this is an essential part of any forward looking strategy. We are delighted that our relationship with Wokingham Council has now entered this exciting new phase and we look forward to working with it in serving the residents of Wokingham with efficient and effective services.”

Northgate Managed Services Appointed to the Governments ICT Services Framework for Education

2010-11-25T00:00:00+01:00

Leading educational ICT service and solution provider Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) wins a place on the new Becta ICT Services Framework. The framework, which runs until November 2014, allows all types of schools from academies and free schools to local authorities, schools and colleges to procure cost effective, industry leading ICT services and solutions.

To qualify for the framework, Northgate demonstrated its ability to meet strict technical and service requirements and its deep understanding of the needs of the education sector. A named supplier for both Lot 1 (ICT Infrastructure and Mobile/Bundled Connectivity Services) and Lot 2 (ICT Service Integrators), Northgate is offering its complete range of services and solutions under the framework.
Recently named a finalist for the

forthcoming BETT Awards 2011, Northgate already works with a wide range of educational institutions from Local Authorities to individual schools and academies including; Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough, Colston Girls School in Bristol, Richard Rose Morton Academy and Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle, Havelock Academy in Grimsby and Litherland High School and Abraham Guest High School, one school BSF Pathfinder projects school in Sefton and Wigan.

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We are delighted to be appointed to the Government’s ICT Services Framework and believe it is testament to the flexible and personalised service we deliver to our customers. This important framework will help to drive the very highest standards in the industry to ensure that schools and academies benefit from the best ICT services at an affordable price.”

Running until November 2014, the Becta ICT Services Framework will provide education customers with a quick and easier route to procure from approved, high quality, trusted suppliers in a fully EU-compliant manner.

E.ON and Northgate campaign to increase energy efficiency

2010-11-16T00:00:00+01:00

E.ON, one of the UK’s leading electricity and gas companies, and Northgate Public Services have joined forces as part of E.ON’s major Energy Fit campaign focused on improving energy efficiency and combating climate change.

The E.ON Energy Fit website uses Northgate’s energy calculator which allows users to access vital information about how they use energy in their homes and receive a tailored report with suggestions on how to reduce that energy waste.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) are currently mandatory for people who are thinking of selling or renting a home. They rate a property on a scale of A to G, with A being the most energy efficient property. The energy survey will provide information which is complimentary to an EPC.

E.ON believes that in helping households identify where they are wasting energy, consumers will be able to reduce their energy demand and save themselves money.

Over 25 per cent of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions are calculated to come from domestic homes.

Kevin Bryant, E.ON’s Energy Fit instructor, said: “We’re determined to help our customers get energy fit, saving both carbon and money on their energy bills. By answering some simple questions on our energy fit website we can give customers a personal energy saving plan and even an idea of how much they can expect to save.”
Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, added: “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. It requires us all to take action on an individual basis, at a company level and within our communities. Our work with E.ON is all about making the difference that counts. We want people to act on the recommendations wherever they can.”

Visit www.eonenergyfit.com to get your home energy survey.

Housing New Zealand

2010-11-10T00:00:00+01:00

Housing New Zealand Corporation (“Housing New Zealand”) and Northgate Public Services (“Northgate”) announce today that they have formed an innovative transformation partnership designed to put tenants at the heart of service improvement.

Under a seven year partnership, Housing New Zealand will use Northgate’s innovative housing products and associated services to help improve the services it provides to tenants and manage its entire housing stock.

Housing New Zealand currently supports over 200,000 people and oversees housing assets worth over $15 billion (NZD) equivalent to over £7.1 billion (GBP). The Corporation is embarking on a radical transformation programme designed to eradicate waste and unnecessary process, improve services and deliver efficiencies.

The partnership will bring many benefits over time to social housing in New Zealand including:

improved tenant relationships – a single source of accurate information on tenants will ensure that they have their queries and issues dealt with in the right way at the right time

enhanced access to services, including self-service – through a wide variety of channels, including text messaging, online services, email, voice and face to face interactions

better ways of working – employees will benefit from more flexible and mobile working, and the eradication of unnecessary processes and repetitive tasks

strategic and proactive management of housing assets – enabling the corporation to manage risk effectively, use resources efficiently, and maximise its asset base.

Stephen McArthur, Housing New Zealand’s Chief Operating Officer said today: “Our current systems are preventing us from making improvements to our business that will drive value for money. The need for those improvements is becoming increasingly urgent. The pressures on social housing are severe and set to increase.

We need to work more proactively with tenants, and we need to redistribute, reconfigure or upgrade about 27,000 houses to meet demand. To achieve it, we need our staff to be more mobile, to spend more time in communities and at the front door of our houses. We need to automate, eliminate or centralise cumbersome manual processes. We need better information to base our investment decisions on, and we need to develop a more efficient and flexible way of delivering our services.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted to have joined forces with Housing New Zealand. This agreement represents a significant expansion of the Northgate social housing community in the Asia-Pacific region. We are committed to helping our partners deliver a wide range of quality services to their tenants and to reach out to those most vulnerable in our communities. Our partnership will ensure that Housing New Zealand delivers high quality services and sustainable housing fit for the future through the effective and efficient use of resources.”

Staffordshire and Derbyshire Public Services Collaboration

2010-11-05T00:00:00+01:00

Public services organisations in Staffordshire and Derbyshire have entered into an innovative transformation partnership designed to deliver better services for less and respond to the economic challenges of the day.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, High Peak Borough Council, High Peak Community Housing (HPCH) and Lichfield District Council joined forces this month with Northgate Public Services who will manage their ICT.

These organisations have enabled significant efficiencies through their joint procurement for a seven-year partnership worth £5.945 million. Northgate will manage the organisations’ ICT, providing each with a sustainable platform for innovation and delivering much-needed economies of scale to them all.

With Northgate, the organisations will work collaboratively together to develop a unified ICT service that accounts for local variation and helps to transform service delivery for the benefit of residents.

Chris Elliot, Head of Transformation for High Peak Borough Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council said today: “We have looked at how we can respond to the economic challenges that we face. Unifying our ICT services is integral to changing the way we deliver transformed services to our residents. We are delighted to be working with Northgate which shares our vision and has the track record to deliver.”
Rita Wilson, Strategic Director of Organisational Development at Lichfield District Council, said today: “IT systems underpin everything we do – from helping people on lower incomes get the benefits they need, through to booking squash courts at our leisure centres, and making sure people with disabilities get the help they need to put their bins out. Joining forces with three other organisations will allow us to make significant savings, and we’re looking forward to developing a strong partnership with Northgate that will help us to continue to deliver top quality, good value services to our residents and partners, as well as drive down the cost of delivering services in the future.”
Mark Ford, Chief Executive at High Peak Community Housing said today: "HPCH are pleased to be a partner in the shared services arrangement between High Peak, Staffordshire Moorlands, Lichfield and ourselves as this demonstrates value for money and will allow us to continue to deliver the professional services that we provide for our customers."
Joe Bradley, Managing Director at Northgate Public Services said today: “Now more than ever, public services have to develop innovative models of work such as this programme. Our Staffordshire and Derbyshire partners will benefit from performance improvement and economies of scale. These will help them to continue to reach out to the most disadvantaged of our communities in these most difficult of times.”

Northgate Managed Service named Specialist Reseller of the Year

2010-10-28T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services has picked up the award for “Specialist Reseller of the Year” at the Ingram Micro Showcase Event held in London, October, 2010.

Ingram Micro is the world's largest global business-to-business wholesale provider of technology products and supply chain management services. Ingram Micro works with multiple manufacturers and software company's and only sells to and through professional resellers. This award was voted for by the Manufacturing partners of Ingram, the Ingram senior management board and online category voting. This award recognises Northgate's technical abilities to incorporate the manufacturers offerings in innovative solutions for their customers, and is a further acknowledgement of it's position as a market leader, providing IT services.

Northgate CSR Campaign is 'Good as Gold'

2010-10-28T23:00:00+01:00

Business of the Year Northgate Managed Services continued its 2010 run of success after being awarded gold for its Corporate Social Responsibility campaign ‘Act Now’, in partnership with PR company Morrow Communications at the annual CIPR awards.

‘Act Now’ is a programme that encourages each employee to believe they can do something now, however small, to help deliver value and build sustainable and healthy communities and focuses on two core areas; community and people.

Over the year, Northgate employees have embarked on a range of activities involving local partners such as schools or organisations on a cross community basis. This has included naming St Mary’s Star of the Sea as its ‘adopted’ school and volunteering at NI’s Children’s Hospice, all of which have formed the basis of a targeted media relations campaign led by Morrow Communications.

Speaking after the awards, Eleanor Lee, head of marketing, Northgate Managed Services said:
“We are absolutely delighted that the ‘Act Now’ campaign has been recognised by industry experts and awarded gold at tonight’s event. At Northgate, we pride ourselves on our commitment to CSR and encourage our employees to give something back to the local communities in which we work.

“Much of the success of this campaign is down to our employees, who have given their time and effort to various activities throughout the year, and so, it is with pleasure that I accept the award on their behalf. Thanks must also go to the team at Morrow Communications, who consistently strive to promote our successes and ensure widespread recognition of our CSR strategy. This is a fantastic accolade for our company, our policies and our people.”

Glasgow City Ladies recieve sponsorship boost on eve of league decider

2010-10-24T23:00:00+01:00

- UK ICT firm Northgate Managed Services sponsor SWF Premier League champions

Glasgow City Ladies FC have received a major boost ahead of their championship decider with Celtic Ladies on Sunday (October 31) after ICT firm Northgate Managed Services agreed to sponsor the SWF Premier League champions.

Tied at the top of this season’s league table, Glasgow City and rivals Celtic have each won all but one of their league games so far this season – the only exception being a draw between the two sides back in May. Glasgow City lead the table by three points (with superior goal difference) having played a game more and if they win the league it will be their fourth consecutive title, setting a new Scottish record.

Therefore the destination of the 2010 SWF Premier League trophy hinges on Sunday’s decider and Glasgow City will take to the field with new sponsors Northgate proudly emblazoned on the sleeves of the team’s home shirts.

ICT firm Northgate has a Scottish base in Glasgow and is headquartered in Belfast, with more than 1,000 staff providing infrastructure services and ICT specialist managed services to public, private and third sector organisations across the UK.

James Turnbull, managing director of Northgate Managed Services, said: “We are absolutely delighted to become a sponsor for Glasgow City LFC. Glasgow City has grown over the years to become a hugely professionally-run club with ambitions to compete at the very top of the game at home and in Europe.

“Similarly, Northgate has ambitions to grow its presence both in Scotland and across the UK through making IT work harder for our customers, delivering efficiencies and unlocking the potential of IT to transform organisations. This sponsorship complements our company strategy.

“We wish everyone at Glasgow City LFC all the very best for Sunday’s game and look forward to a successful partnership with the club.”

Northgate’s sponsorship complements Glasgow City’s current agreements with main club sponsor Greaves Sports and a host of associate sponsors including McCrea Financial Services.

City captain Laura Montgomery said: “We’re delighted to welcome Northgate Managed Services as our latest sponsor.

“Northgate is a massive, reputable and national company and it is great to be associated with an organisation which is elite in its discipline – we also feel we are elite in our discipline so the partnership marries well.

“It goes without saying that we are all looking forward to Sunday’s game when we know we will have to be at our very best against a strong Celtic team if we wish to retain the league title.”

Industry and Educational Institutes Collaborate at e-skills UK Qualification Conference

2010-10-19T23:00:00+01:00

Northern Ireland’s IT employers and educators descended on Belfast Metropolitan College this week to attend an e-skills UK Qualification Awareness event aimed at providing educators with an insight into new qualification arrangements within ICT in Northern Ireland.

Designed to support actions described in e-skills UK’s SQS Action Plan for Northern Ireland, the event aims to increase awareness of the NI Vocation Qualification Reform Programme and the role of e-skills UK as driving the development of Vocational Qualifications that meet employers’ needs, through the process of creating and implementing Sector Skills Strategies.

The event places employers at the heart of the development of vocational qualifications to meet the needs of Northern Ireland’s burgeoning IT sector. Speaking from an employer perspective, Andy Ross, chief executive at Northgate Managed Services presented to the delegates focusing on the need for demand driven skill:

“It’s a pleasure to welcome key stakeholders to the event and have the opportunity to discuss the exciting new developments in vocational qualifications. Northern Ireland’s IT sector is one to be proud of and it’s vital we continue to increase awareness - both amongst industry and educational institutes in order to maintain its excellence and generate a sustained footfall of skilled workers.

“The roles offered in the IT sector can be extremely diverse and it’s important we have that same diversity in our employees. At Northgate we aim to look beyond qualifications and place as much importance on application and personality. We are confident that we place our employees in the right roles – resulting in better service for our customers.”

Karen Price, Chief Executive of e-skills UK, commented:

“There is no question that employers should be at the heart of developing vocational qualifications. They are best placed to know which skills are needed to meet the demands of the sector and how best to apply these. This event is a fantastic opportunity to further encourage collaboration between educational institutes and industry, which we see as essential to ensuring Northern Ireland’s IT sector continues to flourish.”

Northgate calls for focus on health inequalities

2010-10-05T23:00:00+01:00

Tackling health inequalities should be made a key focus of the coalition government’s plans for NHS reform if better services are to be delivered for less, says Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the NHS white paper Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, Northgate welcomes the government’s overall approach, but argues that not enough is being done to tackle inequalities in health. The organisation says that without addressing these issues, many of the government’s wider health objectives could be blunted in implementation.

Sir Michael Marmot found in his recent review that health inequalities place an additional cost on the NHS of around £5.5 billion a year. He also estimated a further cost to the wider economy of over £60 billion through loss of productivity, reduced tax receipts, and higher welfare payments.

Northgate is urging the government to improve public health and achieve significant cost savings by ensuring a strategy for tackling health inequalities is fully embedded in the plans for NHS reform.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety for Northgate Public Services, added: “While we welcome many of the government’s plans for reform, if we are to make change work we have to tackle persistent health inequalities which are prevalent in our communities. The NHS has to be about fairness to everyone. Government must work with its partners to take preventative action and tackle the root causes of poor health.“

Northgate calls for Big Debate on policing

2010-09-16T23:00:00+01:00

A radical service revolution is required if UK policing is to meet the economic, political and social challenges of today, according to a wide-ranging response to the Home Office’s policing consultation Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting police and the people.

In its submission, Northgate Public Services argues that while the consultation has gone some way, government needs to do more to build public trust.

In spite of the excellent developments in neighbourhood policing, too many targets and too much bureaucracy have left police forces hampered by processes and red tape. If public trust - so essential for preventing crime – is to be rebuilt, those involved in supporting its delivery have to work together to innovate, to improve performance and to deliver public value, the response says.

The response argues that the fiscal pressures on policing require a revolution which not only delivers better, but better for less. There is an opportunity for a radical overhaul of the processes which have tied up the police service for too long. Strong national direction is needed to ensure that collaboration between forces increases at the right speed to get the right results at the right time

Northgate suggests that in rebalancing the relationship governing policing, there must be clear roles and that the ‘golden thread’ of British policing – from the national and international to the very local – must be renewed and strengthened. As a first step, it calls for a Big Debate on the role of policing to involve, educate and engage the public.

The response argues that if the proposed Police and Crime Commissioners are to be successful, such a debate is necessary in the context of reduced resources. It also recommends that the Commissioners’ remit be widened to:

• promote understanding of crime and policing in local communities

• support improvement and innovation in delivering police services to the public and to identify and support best practice

• promote collaboration between forces

Northgate also calls on the government to consider the use of justice reinvestment - where budgets are devolved locally - to shift resources away from the costs of penal custody to a greater focus on community safety and crime prevention, more aligned to local needs.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety for Northgate Public Services, added: “The service delivery revolution in policing will require a systematic analysis of the processes, people and cost involved in delivering policing and criminal justice. We have to recognise, and get the public to realise that it is not just the criminal justice system that must work to combat crime. Preventing and reducing crime requires a collaborative and multi-agency approach that includes the public, private and not-forprofit sectors, the community and individuals themselves. Only by working together will we ensure that better services are delivered for less.”

-Ends

For more 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

Hannah Smith +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. 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.

Northgate Managed Services uses Aeromark Technology to Deliver better Customer Service

2010-09-09T23:00:00+01:00

New mobile workforce management system results in a 12:1 return on investment through faster customer fixes and greater efficiencies

As part of a companywide transformation project which sought to deliver better value to customers, both in terms of innovative high quality IT services and lower costs, leading ICT services company, Northgate Managed Services (Northgate MS) has successfully deployed the next generation of mobile workforce management systems from Aeromark; to manage it’s 180 IT field engineers, throughout the UK.

Aeromark’s Service Link is a unified paperless planning, job-despatch, PDA workflow, vehicle tracking and turn-by-turn navigation system, and was selected by Northgate MS after a period of extensive research to optimise business processes. The system allows complete visibility of the workforce (where they are, what jobs they are working on and their job status) as well as a complete overview of the client jobs logged. A team of resource planners monitor jobs that have been captured by the main IT service desk and then, using accurate live work data, allocate the job to the most appropriate engineer, based on location and expertise. The job will then be accepted by the engineer via their PDA, and using the integrated navigation technology, the engineer will attend the job.

The system has been introduced in phases, with the first phase implemented in January and since being introduced the team has responded to an increased number of jobs. From a company stand point the new technology has helped to enhance Northgate’s overall efficiencies, which ultimately benefit the customer.

Commenting on the success of the mobile workforce project James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services said “The mobile workforce project has enabled us to drive change in our business, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our field engineering team. We have improved the management of our engineers through better planning based on increased visibility and better communication. Already the functionality of the system has enabled us to increase our average jobs per week per engineer.”

He continued, “We are extremely pleased with the results which have exceeded our expectations. Our Engineers have embraced the technology and our customers are noticing the benefits. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Aeromark and further developing the system to meet the ever changing demands of our customers and the industry.”

Roger Marks, Aeromark’s Managing Director remarked “The improvements Northgate Managed Services have achieved have been a record result in terms of instant ROI for Service Link, especially as they were already an experienced user of PDAs. This demonstrates the effectiveness of our technology combined with a highly focused and well managed team at Northgate.”
Service Link combines all the technologies available from Aeromark, including Optimatics, Vehicle Tracking and Workflow DynMX, Aeromark’s bespoke PDA application on one single platform. New jobs are passed to Service Link which enables Geographic Optimisation based on Engineer workload and skill set; Northgate Managed Services get instant feedback, independently from both the Engineers vehicle and the PDA. The System also manages Parts Logistics, Collections and Van Stock.

Northgate Managed Services named finalist in two categories in the 2010 UK IT Industry Awards

2010-09-09T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), a leading IT services provider and previous IT Services Supplier winner has been announced as a finalist in two categories in the 2010 UK IT Industry Awards which will take place on Thursday 11th November at Battersea Park Events Arena in London.

Northgate has been shortlisted for IT Employer of the Year and Best IT Supplier of the Year and will compete alongside nine other finalists in each category to claim the overall titles.

The UK IT Industry Awards are a platform for the entire profession to celebrate best practice, innovation and excellence.

Northgate, employs over 1,300 people and continues to achieve significant business success and growth. The company carefully balances measures to manage costs alongside investments in; training and development of staff, development of internal processes and implementation of new tools and technologies to improve service offerings to its 2,000 customers across the UK.

David Clarke, Chief Executive Officer, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, says:

“Congratulations to all the finalists. They can be proud of their achievements. Their projects and work showcase the professionalism that exists among IT professionals and also highlights the value of IT today and the way it touches so many areas of society.”

Robin Booth, Publishing Director of Computing comments:

“I would like to add my congratulations to the finalists. The UK IT Industry Awards are rigorously judged and to be announced as a finalist is a great achievement. I don’t envy the judges who now have to decide the winners; it’s going to be very tough.”

South Derbyshire partnership shows the way

2010-08-01T23:00:00+01:00

An innovative partnership which guarantees to further improve public services, deliver extra value for money for residents and create economic opportunities for the region has started today in South Derbyshire.

Aimed at delivering better for less while maintaining investment in services, the partnership between South Derbyshire District Council and Northgate Public Services is a pioneering response to the age of austerity.

The contract, worth £22 million, is guaranteed to make savings to the Council of £2.1 million over seven-years. This includes an innovative risk-reward scheme where the cost of introducing new initiatives to transform council services will only be paid out of cashable savings. Northgate will also invest £1.9 million in upgrading IT systems and services.

Northgate has taken on responsibility for managing the District Council’s Corporate Services. This includes Finance, Organisational Development, Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services along with IT and Business Improvement as part of its regional centre of excellence.

Using the Civic Centre, in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, as a base, Northgate’s regional centre of excellence provides business transformation services for both public and private organisations throughout the East Midlands and nationally.

Cllr Bob Wheeler, the Leader of South Derbyshire District Council, said: “This partnership is all about ensuring that the Council and its residents emerge even stronger through these challenging economic times. Our innovative approach will provide even better value for money to our communities, continue to improve services and create more jobs.

“South Derbyshire is leading the way. We are showing how the public sector must respond. This pioneering partnership will be used as an example of good practice and forward thinking across the country.”

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive, Northgate Public Services said: “We are committed to developing new ways of working to beat the age of austerity. We are delighted that South Derbyshire shares this ethos. “Our partnership is focused on creating better public services for the people of South Derbyshire now and in the future, while making savings, and providing economic opportunities for the region as a whole through our centre of excellence. We believe it is the right response at the right time.” Responsibility for service delivery will stay with the Council. Elected Members will continue to set priorities and scrutinise the partnership.

Under the deal, 84 Council staff members, who have been kept fully informed throughout the process, have been transferred over to Northgate.

As well as protecting jobs at the Council, Northgate will bring in 100 jobs into the

District as part of the contract over the next 18 months.

For further information
Fellows’ Associates

Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401

Hannah Smith +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Danny Calogero +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

South Derbyshire District Council

Keith Bull +44(0)1283 228761;

Carole Warburton +44(0)1283 595741;

Northgate partners are top for benefits processing

2010-07-29T23:00:00+01:00

The top five performing local authorities for benefit processing are all partners of Northgate Public Services, according to research based on statistics published by the Department of Work and Pensions.

West Oxfordshire District Council, North Hertfordshire District Council, Mid Devon District Council, Rushmoor Borough Council and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council have all achieved an average processing time of four days. This compares with the national average of 11 days. All five authorities use the Northgate Benefits application.

The research also shows that 10 of the 14 authorities which managed to process claims in an average of five days and 11 of the 20 authorities who processed claims in six days were also Northgate partners. The research is based on Right Time Indicator (RTI) statistics for the third quarter of 2009/10 published earlier this month by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Northgate is committed to delivering innovation and improvement in processing benefit claims. Last year its user-focused revenue and benefits training programme became the first of its kind to be accredited by the IRRV. The programme focuses on achieving best practice by working with and assessing staff on the systems that they use in their workplaces. Northgate is now calling on all local authorities to raise standards in benefit processing by focussing on staff development and training which in turn will deliver increased customer satisfaction and efficiencies.

Howard Crompton, Head of Revenues and Benefits at North Hertfordshire District Council said: “We are delighted that the investment in Northgate’s eBenefits New Claims, Change in Circumstances, eMobile and Self-Serve has allowed us to improve performance and make efficiencies. We are also working with our Registered Social Landlords to enable them to capture data on our behalf, thereby providing more efficiencies and giving customers a more joined up service”.
Jon Dearing, Head of Revenues and Benefits for West Oxfordshire and Cotswold District Councils said: “West Oxfordshire District Council has seen continuous improvement against all of its Revenues and Benefits performance indicators over the last 3 years. While this is the result of several factors, not least the hard work and dedication of the team members, we are confident that our closer working relationship with Northgate has made a significant contribution to our success. We have used Northgate’s processing, document imaging and workflow systems for several years and have more recently worked closely with Northgate on the development of their User Accreditation Scheme. This recent collaboration has enabled our teams to use the Northgate systems in much more effective and efficient ways - to the benefit of the customer”.
Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted that our partners have achieved such great results. However, we recognise that there are still further improvements which need to be made. With the level of claimants expected to rise over coming years, it is essential that councils are dealing with claims in the most efficient way possible. We are committed to working with local authorities to deliver better for less and to continue improving standards and delivering improvements for both the council and the claimant.”

Acquisition of CARM Police Duty Management System

2010-07-22T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the acquisition of CARM Police Duty Management System from Concorde Informatics in a move designed to further boost Northgate’s demand management services for hard-pressed police forces across the country.

CARM is the market leading resource management system used by more forces than any other in the country, including the Metropolitan Police and West Yorkshire Police.

CARM enables forces to manage their complex shift patterns, allowing them to ensure the right staff coverage to deliver responsive policing to the public at the right time. It allows forces to search for available officers with a specific set of skills at any time. It equips them to better plan their human resources through daily, weekly, monthly and annual rosters. They can also analyse the use of overtime budgets and quickly record and monitor absence.

The acquisition of CARM significantly strengthens Northgate’s ability to assist forces in providing more effective policing at a time when the service is under unprecedented pressure to make efficiency savings. Northgate currently is the exclusive supplier and integrator of Leicestershire Constabulary’s award-winning iR3 initiative aimed at building public confidence, improving performance and creating efficiencies.

In his Independent Review of Policing 2008, Sir Ronnie Flanagan noted that the initiative has resulted in: “A dramatic reduction in self-deployment, substantially reducing multiple deployments and improving response times through automatic identification and deployment of the nearest available unit. Officer time spent in priority areas has significantly increased.”

Commenting on the acquisition, Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety, Northgate Public Services said today: “This is yet another exciting acquisition for Northgate Public Services. We are significantly growing our public safety business through selective acquisitions which allow us to work effectively with police services at a time of unprecedented challenge. We are committed to working with the public sector in new ways that involve sharing risk and reward so that we can create cashable savings while improving performance. We firmly believe that the addition of CARM will strengthen our ability to deliver this to every police force in the country.”

For more information

Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401

Hannah Smith +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Danny Calogero +44 (0)20 7324 6223; +44 (0)7534 189235

Wigan High School, in Partnership with Northgate Managed Services, transforms into centre of excellence for eLearning

2010-07-18T23:00:00+01:00

Engaging today’s students with technology - Abraham Guest High School delivers its vision for personalised interactive learning

Opening brand new doors to over 900 students, Abraham Guest High School in Wigan is delivering its inspiring vision for personalised, anytime, anywhere learning as part of the One School Pathfinder programme.

Keen to engage students through a truly interactive learning experience, staff at the new multi-million pound school are working in partnership with ICT specialist Northgate Managed Services to embed the latest technologies into teaching practice. From an interactive pod utilising the latest Immersive technology in the science lab and a biometric locker system for laptops, to Nintendo Wiis sunk into the gym walls, staff and students are immersed in a technology-rich environment the moment they step foot inside the school.
Appreciating the individuality of every school and the concept that one size does not fit all, Northgate has worked closely with Abraham Guest’s leadership team from the outset to foster a flexible, dynamic partnership to support their vision and ultimately help to transform learning.

Entering the school’s bright and airy atrium, a high-powered projector and large LCD screens adorn the walls, showcasing students’ work and important announcements of the day. A large LED display is also to be installed to display the school’s innovative 60-year clock which will broadcast key changes at the school, from student opinion on a range of topics and issues, to the dinner menu and uniform. Students are currently designing the clock’s interface to be selected by a panel of judges and implemented by Northgate in the next academic year. Promoting student voice, implementation of biometric technology is also planned to capture students’ opinions on a range of topics as they enter and leave the building.

Providing a learning environment which caters for every learning style and enables students to collaborate is imperative at Abraham Guest. One exceptional example of this is a new interactive pod situated in the large 1600sqm open-plan science area. Inspired by installations at Salford University’s Innovation Unit, the pod has been developed and produced by Northgate. High-resolution projectors display content on to the specially commissioned screen which doubles as the pods external wall, this has been designed to capture students’ attention and engage them in science topics. Designed to submerse students in multi-sensory learning, the interior combines the latest flight simulation technology and surround sound , enabling students to gain an immersive experience with the subject matter without outside distractions. For example, when studying the solar system students can immerse themselves in a journey through the planets .In chemistry they can watch molecules in 3D as they rotate to show their structure.Up to six students can enter the pod at one time, facilitating group work. The software for the pod will be continually developed by Northgate and the school’s e-learning content developer to help facilitate different learning outcomes and experiences.

Helping students to understand how science can have major influence on their daily lives, the school is working with Project Faraday to incorporate science into the building and grounds. Currently, Northgate is integrating technology to take readings from the school’s 60-year clock and Knowledge Garden which sees waste products from the science blocks filtered into a tank and pumped through reed beds to create recyclable water. All of this data will be available on the school’s intranet for staff and students to interpret in class.

Helping students to become independent learners, the school is now fully wireless-enabled allowing students to access their work via a range of fixed, mobile and handheld devices wherever they are in the building. To complement this, Northgate has implemented its Virtual Desktop solution which allows students to log-on to any computer, anywhere and anytime to access the school’s full range of applications. A biometric locker system for laptops has also been installed to provide access to laptops whenever a student requires one. This innovative solution releases to the student whichever laptop has the most charge and records who, when and for how long a student signs a laptop out for. In addition to enhancing the security of school equipment, the system helps teachers analyse the time students spend working independently.
Understanding that students are surrounded daily by the latest consumer technologies, staff at Abraham Guest now provide the interactive learning experience they have come to expect, in the classroom. For example, Nintendo Wiis have been installed in the gym and changing rooms to provide flexibility in how students exercise. This is proving particularly popular with female students who may not engage with traditional sports. Dartfish, video technology is used to record and analyse movement in a variety of sporting situations as students strive for success.

Roy Caslake, Headteacher, Abraham Guest High School, comments: “Our school’s entire school improvement plan has been centred on the learning needs of our students. They use technology every day so have come to expect this as part of their learning. From the outset, Northgate Managed Services has been incredibly flexible and adaptable in its approach and as a result, the company has helped shape our school’s vision. Technology moves fast so it has been crucial to work with a partner that can be flexible when interpreting our needs and is always ahead of the game.”

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We are delighted to be working with such a forward-thinking school that is putting the learning needs of today’s students at the heart of its vision. We are employed to challenge as well as support the school’s ICT provision so it has been vital to have constant two-way dialogue. Both parties have been continuously engaged and have challenged each other every step of the way to improve ICT provision, resulting in an exceptional learning environment which will stand the test of time.”

School to Benefit from Northgate Managed Services Business Expertise

2010-06-27T23:00:00+01:00

North Belfast primary school, St Mary’s Star of the Sea, is set to benefit from invaluable business expertise in 2010/2011 after being ‘adopted’ by Northgate Managed Services.

Created by Business in the Community, the ‘Adopt a School’ program, seeks to build stronger links between businesses and local schools, utilising the expertise of the business community to help enrich the education sector.

Since becoming one of the first businesses to sign up to the pilot scheme, Northgate has been on hand to advise the school on all aspects of business; from ensuring the school is able to make the most of ICT through to marketing the school to its local community. Northgate has donated IT equipment and software which will be used by both teachers and pupils to make the classroom more interactive, and has also been involved in a fundraising drive to stock the school’s library in preparation for the new school year. Northgate staff will continue to take part in several activities from September onwards - from supporting students with reading and computing to providing additional training for teachers on how to get more out of ICT in the classroom.

Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing, Northgate Managed Services commented:
“Northgate has enjoyed a good relationship with St Mary’s Star of the Sea for over ten years. We are delighted to strengthen this partnership further by signing up to Business in the Community’s ‘Adopt a School’ scheme. The benefits of the scheme are two-fold – we are able to give something back to a school in our local community while St Mary’s can avail of pro bono support on a range of issues and activities. Our employees are really enthusiastic about the initiative and look forward to progressing their adoptive role over the next year.”

Kieran McGarry, Principal, St Mary’s Star of the Sea Primary School said:
“Since we have been adopted by Northgate, the employees have given 100% to every initiative they have been involved in. Their commitment and enthusiasm is commendable and I’d like to thank them for all the great work they have done to date and look forward to progressing this further still from September onwards.”

Jill Crawford, Community Director, Business in the Community said:
“Northgate is to be commended for demonstrating responsible leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility. The Adopt a School initiative enables the strengthening of links between business and education, providing vital connections for the future. Business in the Community is delighted to have one of our member companies leading on this in the Newtownabbey area.”

Kent Innovation Showcase 2010

2010-06-09T23:00:00+01:00

Kent schools to share best practice for educational transformation through technology

Event: Kent Innovation Showcase 2010 – Sharing Innovation & Success – free two-day event organised by Kent schools

Who should attend: Senior leaders, teachers, trainee teachers, bursars and ICT leads at Kent primary and secondary schools

Date/Time: Tuesday 22nd June 2010 - School Tours – 10:00 – 13:00
Wednesday 23rd June 2010 - Kent Innovation Conference – 08:30 – 16:00

Venue: Ashford International Hotel, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8UX

Catering: Refreshments and lunch will be provided at the conference

Kent primary and secondary school leaders and teaching staff are joining together this June at the Kent Innovation Showcase 2010 to share their experiences, challenges and success stories in driving innovation in ICT, personalised learning and change management.

Organised by Kent schools, in association with Kent County Council and supported by leading provider of ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices), this free two-day event kicks off with a guided tour around three exemplary institutions: Dane Court Grammar School in Broadstairs, Ifield School in Gravesend and the host school, Hugh Christie Technology College in Tonbridge. Attendees will select their preferred institution to be taken on a half-day tour and showcase of the school’s technology and learning initiatives. For example, visitors to Hugh Christie will learn about the school’s ‘Real Learning Programme’ and how the school uses Northgate’s expertise to maximise its ICT efficiency and offer students the best education using technology. At District Special School, Ifield, visitors will see how the latest technologies are helping to transform teaching and learning for students with physical, sensory and learning needs.

On day two, a full-day conference and exhibition will be opened by Professor Stephen Heppell of Bournemouth University, attributed as ‘the most influential academic of recent years in the field of technology and education.’* Covering the themes of innovation with ICT, personalised learning and change management, the conference will encompass an exciting range of school presentations from primary, secondary and academy leaders, providing deep insight into the strategies Kent schools are using to achieve educational excellence. Attendees will also get hands-on ICT experience in the exhibition area where they will have the opportunity to meet a selection of technology partners.

For further information or to book a place at the conference, please register at www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or contact Northgate Managed Services on tel: 02890 857159 / e-mail: lynsey.irwin@northgate-is.com.

Northgate Managed Services team does a bloomin' marvelous job at NI Childrens Hospice

2010-06-09T23:00:00+01:00

A team from Newtownabbey-based Northgate Managed Services traded the office for the great outdoors this week to tend to the garden at the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice.

The 18 staff members visited the Hospice as part of Business in the Community’s Cares Challenge; a campaign set up to encourage employee volunteering in the local community.

Donning gardening gloves, the ‘green-fingered’ team tackled some heavy-duty weeding as well as freshening up the paintwork on the many benches placed around the garden – used and enjoyed by the children, family members and staff all year round.

Commenting on the challenge, Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing, Northgate Managed Services said:
“Northgate is delighted to take on the Cares Challenge for the 2nd year as part of our ongoing CSR activities. The Children’s’ Hospice is a neighbour of ours in Newtownabbey and at Northgate we place a huge importance on giving something back to the local community; especially to those organisations who themselves give so much. The staff at the Hospice work extremely hard and it’s fantastic to be able to help out where we can.”

Caroline Greer, head of fundraising, NI Children’s Hospice said:
“On behalf of everyone, I’d like to extend our thanks to the team from Northgate Managed Services. They give it 100% on every visit and definitely aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands (and clothes!) dirty. The garden is an integral part of the Hospice and allows us to give the children and their families a ‘Home from Home’ experience in a comfortable and safe environment. Well done to the Northgate team.”

Northgate Managed Services becomes Hartlepool Tall Ships Sponsor

2010-06-03T23:00:00+01:00

THE Tall Ships Races 2010 organisers in Hartlepool have announced Northgate Managed Services as the latest organisation to sign up as a sponsor.

The company, Hartlepool Borough Council’s strategic Information and Communications Technology (ICT) provider, is backing the town’s plans to host the finale of the international event from August 7-10 when up to one million visitors are expected.

Vessels will arrive in Hartlepool – the only UK host port - after sailing from Kristiansand in Norway and they will depart after taking part in an impressive Parade of Sail.

Hartlepool Borough Council has teamed up with PD Ports and Hartlepool Marina to stage the event and, so far, 67 ships have registered, 21 of them the largest square-rigged Class A vessels.

Michelle Daurat, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Tall Ships Project Manager, said: “We’re delighted to have Northgate Managed Services on board as a diamond sponsor.

“Northgate will be involved in installing technology and communication links for the Tall Ships events, and we’re pleased to be forging even closer links with the company through this sponsorship.”

Northgate Managed Services has over 30 years of experience within the ICT industry and employs over 1,300 people across the UK.

As part of the sponsorship deal, Northgate will be supporting six young people from Owton/Rossmere-based ORCEL Sea Training who will be sailing in The Tall Ships Races aboard Black Diamond.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services, said: “Over the past ten years, we have developed a strong and successful working relationship delivering ICT services in partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council.

“We are delighted to be able to support the Council by sponsoring the Hartlepool Tall ships event. Northgate Managed Services is committed to making a positive impact in the local communities in which we operate and we are excited to be able to give young people from ORCEL Sea Training the opportunity to compete in The Tall Ships Races. We wish them luck and hope they enjoy the experience, gaining key life skills on the way.”

For further information about the event log onto www.hartlepooltallships2010.com, telephone 01429 523636 or email tallships@hartlepool.gov.uk

Northgate Managed Services gets involved in an Inspirational Big Conversation

2010-05-25T23:00:00+01:00

Tuesday 25 May 2010 sees the national Work Inspiration campaign launched in Northern Ireland. It is delivered by Business in the Community in conjunction with the CBI and supported by Northern Bank and UTV Media plc.

Since Spring 2008, Business in the Community has been surveying senior business leaders for ideas on how to tackle the skills deficit in the UK and one of the key issues identified was the gap between the idea a young person has of the world of work and what business expects from new recruits.

In Northern Ireland, 22,000 young people are eligible for work experience each year. To be effective, it must be meaningful, relevant and above all inspiring.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive at Northgate Managed Services attended a Big Conversation, an event hosted by UTV. He joined over 50 Chief Executives and business leaders, meeting with 15 and 16 year old students to raise awareness among the corporate sector of how businesses can be used as a catalyst for positive change in the way work experience is provided for young people.

Liz Lemon, Programme Manager for Work Inspiration explains: “Businesses of all sizes and types, public and private, need to commit to making changes and to reviewing and improving the work experience they offer. We need to show young people that there are many routes to success.”

“Work Inspiration will bring three-fold benefits: we have tools to help employers provide inspirational placements, guidance for schools to help prepare students before embarking on their placement and the results should be inspirational, informative and fun placements for students.”

Northgate Managed Services Appointed to Provide ICT Services to Hartlepool BSF Programme

2010-05-24T23:00:00+01:00

Hartlepool secondary schools are set to achieve their vision for personalised learning through technology as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme. Contracted to deliver the £12.98million ICT initiative, Northgate Managed Services - a leading provider of ICT services and solutions - will provide every student and teacher with access to a personal learning device* as just one of a number of strategies to enhance learning.
Northgate Managed Services will deliver its first ICT-only BSF contract to seven schools in Hartlepool. These include: Dyke House Sports and Technology College, Manor College of Technology, St. Hilds C of E School, English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College, Catcote Business and Enterprise College, High Tunstall College of Science and the Council’s Pupil Referral Unit. The investment allows for the provision and management of the very latest learning and teaching tools creating technology-rich learning spaces which are responsive, inclusive and supportive of attainment by all.

Committed to providing quality, cost-effective ICT, Northgate Managed Services has worked closely with the local authority and schools to factor existing technology and funding streams into BSF. For example, to give every student and teacher access to a personal learning device without impacting heavily on the Local Choice Fund, Northgate has analysed the percentage of children eligible for a device through the Home Access initiative as well as those who already owned a device at home. This strategy also supports the authority’s personalisation approach, as it not only enables students to work anytime, anywhere, but also allows them to work on a device they prefer to use.
Further supporting the individuality of every school and the concept that one size doesn’t fit all, Hartlepool will benefit from Northgate’s latest development N-able School, an easy-to-use, flexible web portal. This will provide students with their own personalised learning area where they can work on assignments, store their work and access emails, enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students.
The portal will provide Hartlepool’s schools with access to core applications and the ability to add customise with additional applications, allowing each school to tailor their web-portal to their individual needs. Schools can integrate key educational and administrative systems they currently use and access them securely through single sign-on from school, home or anywhere else with an internet connection. Northgate will also provide an extended offering to support anytime, anywhere learning for students, with the latest 'Thin Client' solutions which will enable them to access all their school software on the move.
Northgate Managed Services will also be supporting Hartlepool’s ‘Space to Learn’ project - a nationally recognised project which will provide a testbed environment to develop and enhance the best teaching and learning practices in the 21st century. It will consist of flexible learning spaces and innovative technologies which will be used by all schools within Hartlepool supported by Hartlepool’s City Learning Centre and in partnership with Northgate Managed Services. This project also represents the potential for greater collaboration between primary and secondary schools to help prepare younger students for their transition to secondary school.

Councillor Cath Hill, Hartlepool Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Technology has made massive strides in recent years and in our hi-tech generation young people are used to accessing information instantly – learning anywhere and any time. This contract with Northgate will enable Hartlepool’s secondary schools to meet that challenge and create a new and uniquely flexible teaching and learning environment. It will complement traditional face-to-face teaching and will create a learning revolution which will set the standard for many years to come.”

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services, comments: “As our first ICT-only BSF contract, we are proud to be in partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council. We now look forward to working closely with the schools and council to achieve their vision for anytime, anywhere learning. By working in partnership with the council and the individual schools, we will be offering innovative, high quality facilities and integrated information and communication technology to help deliver personalised learning tailored to the needs, interests and aptitudes of their learners. Northgate has factored existing technology and funding streams into BSF to create a sizeable Local Choice Fund, giving considerable spending power back to the schools, demonstrating Northgate’s commitment to flexible solutions.”
Northgate already supplies managed services to over 1,200 school and college networks across the UK and is responsible for 20 schools currently benefitting from BSF investment as well as providing interim managed services to an additional 27 BSF schools. This is Northgate’s fifth BSF contract win, in addition to recent success in the single schools and academies market.
For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the website at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices
*Personalised learning devices include: Desktop PCs, Apple Macs, laptops and netbooks.

Extend the use of EPC data to combat climate change

2010-05-24T23:00:00+01:00

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have a key role to play in raising the awareness of our building’s carbon footprints and promoting energy efficiency measures, says Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the Department of Communities and Local Government consultation Making better use of Energy Performance Certificates, Northgate say that the recent abolition of Home Information Packs (HIPs) will make EPCs more visible and give them a greater role in tackling climate change.

The organisation says that information from EPCs must be used to promote energy efficiency measures and not simply be an academic resource. Therefore, they suggest, EPC information should be more accessible to promote energy efficiency measures. In particular they cite the way in which Local Authorities could use this information to target energy efficiency measures at those areas most in need.

Northgate also say that the 10 year validity period for EPCs is too long and should be reduced to a period of three to five years. This would ensure that information is kept up to date and would reflect any energy efficiency measures taken during this period.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today: “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues we currently face. Given that buildings account for almost half of the UK’s carbon emissions, EPCs are central to the vision of creating a zero carbon nation. On an individual level the information can be used to improve the state of a property. However, opening up access to the data would allow it to be used on a larger scale by Local Authorities to target measures and combat fuel poverty.

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For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton
020 7324 6221; 07966 890401
Hannah Smith
020 7324 6222; 07949 421356

South Derbyshire partnership to create stronger public services and growing economy

2010-05-18T23:00:00+01:00

It is announced today that South Derbyshire District Council has selected Northgate Public Services as its preferred bidder in a ground-breaking partnership programme designed to create stability and improvement in local services and boost jobs in the area.

The innovative risk-reward agreement, the first of its kind in the country, brings together a guaranteed package of service improvement, skills enhancement and jobs creation while delivering cashable savings to the Council through improved business processes. In total, it is anticipated that over 100 jobs will be brought into the district, with additional jobs created over future years.

Under a seven year contract worth £22 million, set to start on August 1st 2010, Northgate will take on direct responsibility for managing and improving the Council’s Corporate Services - Finance, Organisational Development, IT and Business Improvement, Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services. It will also develop a regional centre of excellence - a market-facing business – to support regional growth and develop employment opportunities across South Derbyshire.

Under Northgate’s leadership, citizen services will be transformed with better access and greater personalisation. Employees will have their jobs protected. They will benefit from improved investment and support as their skills and capabilities are developed to meet changing demand.

The regional Business Centre - to be set up in Swadlincote - will provide much-needed business services for the private and public sector across the East Midlands. It forms an integral part of a national network of regional centres currently being set up by Northgate.

The centres are aimed at providing public and private bodies with new opportunities to radically overhaul business processes, improve services, and generate cost efficiencies through economies of scale and shared resources.

The partnership will guarantee continued investment in services to secure further improvements and savings through the lifetime of the contract.

A total investment of £1.9 million has been pledged to upgrade IT systems and services. Northgate is also guaranteeing cashable savings to the council of more than £2 million pounds, inclusive of fees, over the lifetime of the project.

John Harrison, the Acting Leader for South Derbyshire District Council, said: “South Derbyshire is a great place to live and work. It is one of the fastest, if the not the fastest, growing districts in the East Midlands. We aim to keep it that way. We are committed to providing value for money for our community and this contract will enable us to save money while continuing to improve services.

“Northgate is a partner that we trust. It shares our high ambition for the future. We have a genuine commitment to one another and to making this partnership a success. We are confident that Northgate’s expertise in this area of work will allow us to deliver high quality, efficient services while creating job opportunities and enhanced skills. This really is a win-win situation for all concerned. Working together will improve services for our residents, while realising much needed savings."

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services, said: “In these hard economic times councils must not only deliver stronger public services, they have to lead their communities back to economic growth. Our innovative approach is based on combining people development with process development to create better public services outcomes and wider improvements to South Derbyshire.”

“We are delighted to have been selected as preferred bidder. This is an exciting opportunity to build upon our transformation experience - to deliver the twin package of local service improvement and economic growth. We aim to deliver better for less while maintaining investment in services to create new opportunities for local people. We look forward to working with the Council and our new employees to ensure that the local community as a whole truly benefits from this partnership.”

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For further information

Northgate contact
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton     +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Hannah Smith    +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356
Danny Calogero  +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

NSPCC APPOINTS NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES TO ENHANCE IT SERVICES AND REDUCE COSTS

2010-05-16T23:00:00+01:00

The NSPCC has awarded a five year ICT contract to Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) for the provision of an ICT managed service. Under this contract, Northgate will be responsible for designing, implementing and managing a state of the art, resilient IT infrastructure supporting more than 2000 users in 130 locations across the UK, enhancing the quality of service to NSPCC staff and reducing costs.

Renowned as the UK’s leading child protection charity the NSPCC’s aim has remained steadfast – to protect children from cruelty and to increase awareness of the issues that surround such abuse. Today’s NSPCC continues to fight for the rights of children and works hard to promote its vision of ending child cruelty through a combined approach of services, policy and campaigning.

Thanks to a focus on the benefits delivered through new technologies the NSPCC has partnered with Northgate to implement a full ICT managed service based on the concept of ‘pay as you use’ utility based computing To achieve this, Northgate will build, own and manage the ICT infrastructure on behalf of the NSPCC. This service will be delivered from Northgate’s ITIL certified centre of excellence in Belfast and using Northgate’s national engineering team to provide local support at NSPCC offices throughout the UK.

Commenting on the new support contract Ian Chivers, Director of Finance and Corporate Services, NSPCC said, “As a third sector organisation, , the need to ensure value for money when selecting external suppliers is paramount. I am confident that by appointing Northgate, we have aligned ourselves with a provider that can not only deliver cost effective and reliable IT services across our organisation but also has the ability to grow with us as we continue to enhance our ability to engage with young people in an increasingly broad and fast changing digital world.

Mr. Chivers continued, “Northgate is providing a utility computing model. In essence we have in place a ‘pay as we use’ system which allows the NSPCC to accurately predict usage and to control costs. I am confident that over the next five years the NSPCC partnership with Northgate will allow us to optimise our use of technology and in doing so help us to work towards our main aim – ending child cruelty.”

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services stated, “We are delighted to have been awarded the NSPCC contract. The Third sector is an important marketplace for Northgate and the award of this contract is clear evidence of our ability to provide the best, most effective solution overall. The NSPCC’s decision speaks volumes and clearly demonstrates its confidence in our company and our staff. We are committed to working hand-in-hand with the NSPCC team and over the next five years we will be introducing a number of new services that I am confident will allow the NSPCC to achieve clear return on its ICT investment.”

Northgate Managed Services supports Mini Rugby Festival as focus shifts from competition to taking part.

2010-05-16T23:00:00+01:00

New Rules Will Encourage Primary School Pupils to Give it a ‘Try’

Ravenhill Rugby ground will play home to a game with a difference this month as organisers of Ulster Primary Schools’ Mini Rugby make an affirmative ‘conversion’ in a bid to encourage all primary school children to take part.

Proudly sponsored by Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) for the 5th year, the Mini Rugby festival will now place a sole emphasis on participation, with the IRFU omitting the competition element for the first time in over 35 years.

The festival will take place over four days where 40 teams will play against each other in a series of four round robin matches. Scores will not be kept and no team will be crowned winner.

Commenting on the decision to change the festival’s focus, Simon Wallace, Commercial Manager at Ulster Rugby said:
“Despite its success over the years, we were keen to shift the emphasis away from winning and instead focus on encouraging widespread participation across all school groups, irrespective of their ability. Mini Rugby continues to be a fantastic way for children to become more active and develop their team skills and sense of ‘fair play’. We’d like to ensure this is true for all children and that no one is discouraged from future participation should their team not ‘win’, and so we’ve taken the decision to eliminate the competition element and rebrand the event as a festival as opposed to a tournament.”

Stuart Gunning, Northgate Managed Services added:
“Northgate Managed Services is committed to investing in the communities in which we work and as we continue to play a pivotal role in education through our work with Classroom 2000 (C2K), it is important for us to continue to foster links with the schools we work with. This more inclusive approach focuses much more on participation which develops key skills outside of the classroom such as teamwork. We are delighted to support the Primary Schools’ Mini Rugby festival this year and we hope all the participants enjoy playing at Ravenhill.”

The Mini Rugby festival will take place at Ulster Rugby’s home pitch, Ravenhill 11th-14th May.

Review funding to maximise value from resources

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

The Scottish Government should conduct a review into public funding arrangements to ensure the sustainability of long-term care and to maximise value from resources, says Northgate Public Services today.

In a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on self-directed support, Northgate says that the medium term recommendations of the Sutherland Report, which calls for a review of public funding, should be fully implemented. This, the organisation says, would address current funding gaps in social care and provide a more sustainable long term approach.

Northgate welcomes the moves to create services built around personalised need, but argues that these should be refocused if better services are to be delivered for less. Long term value from resources could be maximised, Northgate says, by ensuring low risk as well as high risk needs are met. Social care should also focus on addressing health inequalities. Key to this is eradicating the postcode lottery which currently effects the provision of care for those with low risk needs.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, added: “The Scottish Government has a proud record in the provision of social care services. It must now take action to ensure the sustainability of its services in the future. Embedding prevention and the reduction of inequality will make services more responsive while also delivering financial benefits. Our concern is that the most disadvantaged in the poorest communities could face increasing inequality if a review is not conducted.

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For more 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

Northgate calls for integrated partnership to increase public confidence

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

An integrated partnership which focuses on the prevention of crime could promote public trust and release valuable resources for frontline policing, claims Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the Northern Ireland Office’s consultation Local Partnership Working on Policing and Community Safety, Northgate welcomes the plan to integrate two separate local partnerships – Community Safety Partnerships and District Policing Partnerships – into a single partnership, the Crime Reduction Partnership.

Northgate argues that local authorities working in conjunction with the police services are key to the new partnership’s success. They will identify local issues of concern for the Crime Reduction Partnership. Northgate says that this will help to promote neighbourhood policing, making services more responsive and enhancing public trust in policing. The company also says that new powers from 2011 will mean that local authorities can ensure the partnerships’ actions link effectively into community planning.

Northgate argues that the integration of the partnership will open up new opportunities for services to be redesigned around the needs of citizens and their local communities. The organisation says that by joining up back office functions, and reducing an overlap in services, the partnerships can ensure that more resources can be diverted to frontline services.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Promoting public confidence is key to delivering continually improving neighbourhood policing in Northern Ireland. By integrating the two partnerships, citizens will gain from better services with less resources. At a time when public services are so hard pressed, these proposals are all about providing more effective and efficient policing that is truly accountable and responsive to the needs of the people of Northern Ireland.”

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For more 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

DVA Telephone Booking Service Celebrates 2 Millionth Caller

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

21 April 2010

DVA Telephone Booking Service Celebrates 2 Millionth Caller

- - Northgate Managed Services continues to provide an effective telephone booking service for local drivers with 99.5% of Callers totally satisfied*- 412,000 Northern Ireland Drivers Opt for Phone Booking ServiceThe Driver Vehicle Agency (DVA) has proven to be a leader in the delivery of effective and efficient public services after receiving its two millionth phonecall booking. The positive uptake of the telephone and online booking system, which has been implemented and managed by Northgate Managed Services since 2004, highlights how the DVA has responded to the ‘Modernising Government’ agenda. Responsible for licensing and testing vehicles and drivers in NI, and operating 15 test centres province-wide, the DVA conducts over 500,000 MOT checks and 40,000 driving tests each year. Key outcomes of the booking system are a streamlined, paperless, time efficient service which provides a seamless transition from booking stage to test lane. All appointments are centrally managed by Northgate allowing customers to select or change appointment dates and pay fees by credit/debit cards, before the information is transferred to the 15 test centres.Carole Hill from Greyabbey was delighted to discover she was the DVA’s 2millionth telephone booking customer, and was presented with a £250 petrol voucher to spend at her local forecourt by Northgate: “I was very impressed with the convenience and efficiency of the telephone booking service and would highly recommend it to other car owners. At a time when fuel prices are increasing, I’m delighted that thanks to Northgate, one very simple, straightforward phone call has resulted in my MOT being arranged – and my tank being filled for a considerable time. ”Commenting on the success of the new booking system, Lee Dodds, contract manager of the DVA booking service said: “Over the last few years the uptake of the telephone and on-line booking service has been exceptional which reflects how our customers favour time efficient options. This is further reflected in the fact that 99.5% of all callers over the last year were totally satisfied with the service they received, which is an outstanding result.”James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services added: “The technology we’re using is entirely customer focused enabling bookings, payments, cancellations, and rescheduling of appointments in a matter of minutes. We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the DVA to deliver this important public service, and we congratulate our 2millionth caller for marking this great milestone.”* Based on the annual average of a monthly survey in which 1% of customers who book through test centre and call centre are surveyed. EndsFor further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 9039 3837

Foster announces investment by Northgate Managed Services

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

Foster announces investment by Northgate Managed Services Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster announced an investment by Northgate Managed Services, supported by Invest Northern Ireland. The investment, which aims to create 88 new jobs and safeguard 241 others, will help Northgate achieve £62million of new business in external sales over the next three years and deliver over £8million in salaries annually into the local economy. Northgate Managed Services provides infrastructure and specialist ICT managed services to public and private sector organisations throughout the UK and Ireland from its head office in Newtownabbey. Making the announcement, the Minister said: “This major investment demonstrates Northgate’s focus on ensuring that it is competitively positioned to win further new business. “Generating £8.2million annually in salaries through the creation of 88 new jobs and the safeguarding of a further 241, this investment is a significant commitment by one of the UK’s leading IT services firms. Maintaining such skilled jobs paying above average salaries in a key industry sector, particularly in the current economic climate, is a very welcome boost for the Northern Ireland economy.” The wider project will see the company centralise a number of back office functions, make a number of efficiency improvements and engage in a major training and development programme. Invest NI has offered £2.64 million of support which includes £1.12 million of training assistance part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Arlene Foster continued: “By 2011, over 530 people will be employed by Northgate in Northern Ireland, that’s almost half of its total UK workforce. This is a strong endorsement of the local skills base which will be further enhanced as the training element of the project is implemented.” Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services said: “Last year we worked to reduce the impact of the global downturn and focused on increasing sales, fulfilling customer needs and protecting jobs. We were extremely successful in achieving these objectives and the investment announced today will allow us to build upon those achievements and prepare to take advantage of the upturn. “We have identified new external sales opportunities potentially worth up to £62 million over the next three years and plan to implement a number of efficiency and capability development activities to ensure we achieve the targets set. Our highly talented employees are a key part of our continued growth and the investment in training and the recruitment of a further 88 staff will be a crucial to our future success.”

NI Business of the Year Awarded to Northgate Managed Services

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

29^th March 2010NI Business of the Year Awarded to Northgate Managed ServicesNI’s leading IT services provider, Northgate Managed Services, has scored a double whammy after winning two major accolades at the 2010 Belfast Telegraph Business Awards in association with BMI. The Newtownabbey-based business was named ‘Business of the Year’ in addition to scooping the award for ‘Excellence in Service to Business’. Northgate Managed Services provides IT services to a broad range of over 2,000 private and public sector organisations across the UK and is Northern Ireland’s largest indigenous IT services company. The judging panel, chaired by leading Ulster economist John Simpson, was impressed by the company’s consistent growth, innovation and commitment to people development, crowning it overall ‘Business of the Year’.The Service to Business category recognises business to business relationships and services offered which have enhanced the business efficiency and productivity. Northgate was awarded for its successful journey through the recession which it achieved by investing in its people, processes and technologies to deliver added value to its widespread customer base. Throughout 2009 the company doubled its order intake to £176m, won over 60 contracts with a value of more than £250,000, retained its 15 key clients and added 10 new major customers to its client list, not only protecting its existing workforce but supplementing it by the creation of 100 new jobs.Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services said: “Our success at these awards is a fantastic accolade for our business and our people. This achievement demonstrates Northgate’s commitment to developing excellence in our employees and delivering excellence in customer service.

“Amid the current economic climate, we understand the importance of reinvesting in our business to deliver value and results for our customers. This was particularly relevant over the past twelve months when we have focused on our technology, processes and people development – resulting in enhanced productivity, heightened customer satisfaction, an increased rate of employee and customer retention and growth. Business performance is extremely encouraging, which is not only good news for us, but also for the wider economy.” Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive of Invest NI and member of this year’s judging panel said: “Northern Ireland business has traditionally punched above its weight on the world stage. Much of this success has been achieved by individual companies focusing strongly on their unique selling proposition and relying on the expertise of others to deliver essential support services. In many instances, it is these providers of services to other businesses that underpin end to end excellence in customer service delivery, with this year’s winner being a worthy recipient.”In addition, Northgate was commended in the ‘Excellence for People Development’ category for its commitment to creating a sustainable learning and development culture, equipping staff with the appropriate skills, knowledge and processes to deliver innovative, industry-leading IT services.The Belfast Telegraph Business Awards were announced at a gala ceremony in Belfast’s Ramada Hotel, attended by representatives from leading local businesses, shortlisted across nine categories. Ends

For further information please contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 90 393837

Northgate calls for Citizen First Approach

2010-04-21T23:00:00+01:00

Commitment both to the citizen and users should be placed at the heart of local government services, according to Northgate Public Services, one of the country’s leading providers of citizen relationship management services to the public sector.

The company, which has recently gained a gold award from Investors in People for its people management practice, is calling on the public sector to further engage and involve citizens in the design and delivery of services. A Citizen First strategic approach involves leadership from the top, employee training and development, citizen and user input, and measurement and assessment.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions, Northgate Public Services said today: “In these hard economic times, the public sector has to innovate and engage with its citizens to deliver improved services. Increasingly, our clients in the public sector are focusing on the need of citizens and delivering services built around their needs. It is time that this best practice became common practice.”

The company highlights the practice of two of its clients who have recently won customer service awards as examples of best practice.

Broxtowe Borough Council has recently been awarded the prestigious ServiceMark by the Institute of Customer Service, the professional body for customer service performance and professionalism. It is one of only a handful of local authorities to gain the award. The award measures what citizens think of the council’s service and includes an independent assessment by a third party. The Institute report highlighted excellent leadership, the commitment to training of staff and service to their customers that was led from the top, and the fact that the management team had set themselves targets for improvement.

Lisburn City Council has been awarded the Customer Services Excellence Award by the Cabinet Office for its building control service. The assessors were particularly impressed by the development of a customer facing management information system which has evolved from an assessment of changing customer needs, including how the service reaches, interacts and creates business efficiencies for its customers. E-enabled services commenced with putting property certificates online. It has now evolved so that architectural plans can be submitted online, along with an enhanced and integrated email facility for customer interaction.

This development programme is soon to be added to, with the ability to track an applications progress from external PCs, employ remote access working abilities for surveyors and integrate with a corporate GIS facility permitting a 24/7 access to all of integrated services. Customer services will be enhanced further throughout NI local authorities, with the sharing of this technology and subsequent adoption by Belfast, N.Down, Cookstown, and Dungannon Councils.

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401

Further appointment to Northgate's transformation team

2010-04-18T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Amit Dhawan to its specialist transformation division as Regional Operations Director for the Southern Region.

Amit joins Northgate after five highly successful years with DHL (Global Mail) where, from April 2008, he was Divisional Managing Director for UK National Mail.

Following positions at the Post Office and Royal Mail, Amit pioneered the development of DHL’s domestic mail business in the UK from its start-up to becoming one of the country’s leading brands.

Amit’s appointment signifies the further expansion of Northgate’s specialist transformation services at a time when the public sector is under intense pressure to deliver better services for less. It follows the recent announcement of Giles Piercy who leads the work of the division as Head of Performance Partnerships.

Amit will focus on strengthening and intensifying the growth of corporate-wide transformation services across the public sector in the Southern region, while continuing to build up specialist services in areas such as transport, social care, customer services and housing.

The company offers the public sector an innovative risk and reward business model that links its fees directly to its performance. As a result, it only gets paid when it meets its agreed financial and improvement targets, and fees come directly from the cashable savings delivered to the public authority.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said today: “Amit’s appointment is a crucial one for us. We are doing great work for citizens and public services in the South. But we can do so much more. Amit is a strategic thinker with a flare for developing new operations in highly competitive markets. He will help us build upon our track record in delivering better for less to the public sector.

“In these difficult economic times, our message to the public sector is simple, if you do not innovate, you are unlikely to improve the services that you deliver and which people have a right to expect. If we do not help you deliver that improvement you do not pay. It’s a win - win situation for the public sector and citizens alike. The public sector can ill afford to lose out.”

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Hannah Smith +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Johnson Service Group PLC cleans up payroll and HR with NorthgateArinso

2010-04-06T23:00:00+01:00

Johnson Service Group PLC cleans up payroll and HR with NorthgateArinso
~ flexibility of service, future proofing and accuracy provide key motives for move to ResourceLink Aurora ~

Johnson Service Group PLC (JSG), which provides essential support services to UK businesses and consumers in the areas of workwear, laundry services, dry cleaning and facilities management, has signed a five-year contract with NorthgateArinso. The HR software and services company will supply a fully managed payroll and hosted HR solution to 2,500 of JSG’s employees within its textile services division, which comprises of Johnson’s Apparelmaster, Johnson’s Stalbridge Linen Services, and the JSG Plc division.

The company selected NorthgateArinso after a lengthy period of time investigating the business’ true needs, in terms of service provision and scalability for the future.

“We needed a firm to provide us with an up-to-date and reliable HR, training and payroll service, and give us the business information we require at our fingertips, whenever and wherever we needed it,” said Avi Kar at JSG. “NorthgateArinso had the experience of dealing with large corporate clients and, with 400 customers already using ResourceLink, had the tried-and-tested foundations we were looking for. Additionally, ResourceLink Aurora could integrate with our internal Business Objects reporting tool, which will make reporting processes much more efficient and reduce cost.”

As a solution that’s hosted online, ResourceLink Aurora is accessible via a web browser and does not require any on-premise footprint, which means it is more scalable – a crucial factor for JSG: “JSG is an ambitious company, and the flexibility to grow with the demands of the HR team played an important part in the decision,” said James Ronksley, business development director at NorthgateArinso. “ResourceLink Aurora is a streamlined service, which will improve efficiency and accuracy at JSG, now and in the future.”

(297 words)

NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning and talent management.
Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

NorthgateArinso awarded BSI

2010-04-06T23:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso awarded BSI
continuity standard

~ ensures business carries on if the unexpected happens ~

NorthgateArinso, leading HR and Payroll service provider has achieved BS25999 standard. This auditable standard was awarded by BSI Management Systems for NorthgateArinso’s ability to ensure unexpected events will have a minimum business impact, for example, environmental incidents, sickness (pandemic) and terrorist activity.

The standard means customers can be assured that, regardless of any disruption that may occur, their services will continue to be delivered. This represents the high quality and reliability of NorthgateArinso as a Payroll and HR provider.

“More customers are asking for evidence of business continuity credentials and at NorthgateArinso we are committed to satisfying our customers’ needs,” said Graeme Deane, global quality manager at NorthgateArinso. “We have invested in technology and infrastructure to ensure service delivery continues through any disruption. We have also ensured our people understand their roles, for example through scenario and rehearsal exercises, so that they can respond to emergencies in an organised and planned manner.”

Gaining certification has been a two-year process, and the company has demonstrated a commitment to understand its business risks and become resilient in any eventuality. Currently six NorthgateArinso locations are certified. The organisation plans to continue rolling this out further in the UK and globally.

Newport's innovative partnership set to make transport budgets go further

2010-03-28T23:00:00+01:00

Citizens using specialist transport around Newport, Gwent, can expect to see their services benefit from a dramatic transformation after Newport City Council signed an innovative performance partnership contract with Northgate Public Services.

This groundbreaking partnership comes after Northgate completed a comprehensive review of Newport’s specialist transport services last year. The review identified a number of potential ways in which the council could improve the services for citizens and deliver significant financial savings.

Working in close collaboration with Newport’s transport teams, Northgate’s transformation arm will focus on delivering improvements across a range of key areas including:

mainstream schools transport
Special Educational Needs (SEN) home-to-school transport
Adult Social Services transport
community transport
fleet provision, facilities, management

Newport currently spends around £11 million on public transport services annually. Its performance partnership with Northgate will achieve savings totalling £3m over its lifespan.

The performance partnership will focus on making savings in the following ways:

ensuring that transport routes are effective so that disabled users do not have to experience unnecessary travel time
reducing direct costs by helping the Council to introduce more rigorous supply and tendering processes
avoiding expenditure by scrutinising requests for additional service or equipment more thoroughly

Northgate will work alongside Newport City Council staff to transfer the skills and build the capacity and capability they need to sustain savings in all areas well beyond the life of the contract.

All fees paid to Northgate under the partnership agreement will come from cashable savings. The company operates an innovative risk and reward business model that links its fees directly to its performance. As a result, it only gets paid when it meets its agreed financial and improvement targets.
Cont.
Tracey Lee, Managing Director at Newport City Council, said today: “These are exciting times for Newport. The city’s regeneration continues to uplift the lives of everyone who lives and works here. Newport City Council and Northgate Public Services have already established a successful working relationship. Our performance partnership will deliver the change we need to deliver sustainable long-term improvements to people who depend on our public transport system.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services at Northgate Public Services, added: “We understand that quality public transport services are vital to the wellbeing and development of communities. Like so many councils across the country, Newport is under increasing pressure to provide better services for less.
We are committed to helping Newport transform itself into the economic and social hub of south-east Wales, a city where people are proud to live and work.”

-Ends-

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Accreditation leads to quality says Northgate Public Services

2010-03-19T00:00:00+01:00

Accreditation by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) should become a condition of authorisation for competent person self-certification scheme operators, states Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) consultation on Building Regulations competent person self-certification scheme, Northgate says that accreditation by UKAS will offer consumers and stakeholders greater piece of mind about such schemes.

Under the plans, UKAS would provide the quality assurance that is required of such schemes. Operators who showed low levels of compliance would have to agree to an action plan with CLG. Although Northgate accepts that this may cause additional cost for the schemes, it argues that putting such measures in place would be beneficial to everyone as deficiencies within schemes could be corrected earlier than would otherwise be the case.

Northgate also recommends that customers should be automatically given financial protection for any jobs that are undertaken through an insurance-backed warranty, professional indemnity insurance or bond, provided through the supplier. This would protect them against a situation where work carried out under a competent person scheme does not comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations but the installer is no longer able to bring the work up to standard.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “For some schemes, compliance with building regulations is not currently at an acceptable level. Sub-standard work is not only a safety hazard, it can cause devastation to the lives of customers left abandoned to put things right. Poor practice simply will not do. The independence of UKAS is widely recognised. Its involvement will help to promote customer confidence and drive up standards to ensure the very highest quality of work within the schemes.

For more 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

Notes to editors:
1. 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.

2. 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. 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.

Shaping the future of technology in education - Bolton students scoop prestigious Innovation in Action accolade for turning detective at top education technology show

2010-03-18T00:00:00+01:00

Students from Smithills School, Bolton, have won Northgate Managed Services’ prestigious Innovation in Action 2010 competition, demonstrating forward-thinking ways new technology can help transform their school. Created to reward innovation and collaboration using ICT, students from the six schools involved in the first phase of Bolton’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme were invited to turn detective at a major London technology exhibition, investigating new software or equipment they would like implemented at their school.

This January, students from Smithills School and LadyBridge High School, Bolton, visited BETT 2010, the largest education resource event in the world to discover new learning technologies and resources. Supported by teachers at study@bwfc, they were challenged to design an interactive presentation to show how particular technologies could benefit their peers and school.

Students from both schools worked hard to identify resources with real educational value as well as being fun and engaging. Commended by judges for their “excellent understanding and knowledge of technologies in a learning environment”, winning school Smithills students created a cinema-style virtual classroom and streamlined processes such as registration and school meals.

Demonstrating their commercial awareness, students also highlighted that their ‘cinema experience’ could be rented to the local community to help generate the funding.

The competition entries were judged by experts from Northgate Managed Services and members of Bolton Council who looked at how the students addressed issues such as the application of the technology in their school and the overall benefits to the school and students.

David Kilgallon, Bolton’s Transformational Lead, comments: “In Bolton we actively encourage students to get involved and have a say in what resources are implemented in their school and are delighted that the efforts of Smithills students have been recognised by Northgate Managed Services. The students’ research and recommendations have helped provide us and the school with an even deeper understanding of the ways they want to learn.”

David Hyland, Managing Director of Education at Northgate Managed Services comments: “Both schools involved showed a confident approach to planning their presentation and evaluating their choices. Smithills School was chosen as the overall winning school because they demonstrated clearly the reasons for their choice, the applications and value to their education. Their recommendations for a cinema-style virtual classroom won it for them as they gave specific examples on how they would use the resources to aid learning and even a method to help fund this investment.”

Smithills School received a Mac Netbook as a prize with the eight students involved from both schools received an iPod nano each. Northgate Managed Services will also be reviewing all the ICT that each school demonstrated in their presentation to see if it can be offered as part of their solution.

Press enquiries:
Louise Peto at Livewire Public Relations, tel: +44 (0)20 8339 7440 or e-mail louise.peto@livewirepr.com.

Notes to editors:
Northgate Managed Services is Bolton County Council’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provider as part of the Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme. Schools across Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton are set to build on existing progress in achieving excellence in education with the creation of a media-rich learning environment as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Working closely with ICT services and solutions specialist, Northgate Managed Services, contracted by Balfour Beatty, schools will benefit from an initial £41.3 million invested in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) making them some of the most advanced schools in the country.

The project will see 15 Bolton schools (three phases) rebuilt or re-modelled and upgraded to provide flexible and attractive learning environments that better support learning.

Northgate appoints Giles Piercy to its Citizen Services transformation team

2010-03-17T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Giles Piercy as Director of Performance Partnerships.

Giles’ appointment signifies the growing success and further expansion of Northgate’s specialist transformation services at a time when the public sector is under intense pressure to deliver better services for less.

Giles will focus on intensifying the growth of corporate-wide transformation services across the public sector, while continuing to build up specialist services in areas such as housing, social care and transport.

The company offers the public sector an innovative risk and reward business model that links its fees directly to its performance. As a result, it only gets paid when it meets its agreed financial and improvement targets and fees come directly from the cashable savings delivered to the public authority.

Giles joins Northgate after ten highly successful years with iMPOWER consulting. Recruited in 2000, to head iMPOWER’s business development into the local government and broader public sector markets, he was appointed Chief Executive in 2004.

At iMPOWER Giles was instrumental in the firm delivering major assignments with the organisations such as the Cabinet Office, the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. He was also closely involved in a series of high-profile local government assignments for Devon County Council, the London Borough of Lewisham, Dorset County Council and the City of London, among other local authorities.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said today: “Our vision is to support world class public services through transformation. Services must be built around citizen need and reach out to the most disadvantaged in our communities. We are delighted that Giles has chosen to join us. He shares our passion to improve public services. He has the knowledge, skills and expertise to turn this passion into the realisable results that the public sector needs. Our message to the public sector is simple. If we do not deliver improvement, you do not pay. In these hard economic times it is only right that we should take on more of the risk.”

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors:
1. Prior to working for iMPOWER, Giles worked for Macfarlane TeleSystems Ltd, LCR Telecom and Centaur Publishing. He was educated at Exeter University and Rugby School Giles is a director of ‘Heart of the City’, a charity that links businesses with community activity in London that is run by the City of London.

2. 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. 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 nearly 8,000 employees.

Ensure that CERT reaches those most in need

2010-03-15T00:00:00+01:00

The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) must adopt more innovative ways of identifying those households most at risk of fuel poverty, insists Northgate Public Services today.

In a response to the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s consultation, Extending the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, Northgate welcomes the government’s move to improve targeted support at the poorest households. However, the company believes that the proposals do not go far enough to tackle the growing problem of fuel poverty.

Northgate argues that there are a range of measures which are needed to ensure that those most at risk of fuel poverty receive the support they require. These include:
• partnership working between local authorities and utility companies - to identify the most vulnerable households
• sharing of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) data to identify the most fuel inefficient households. Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), for example, hold good quality data which could help to target the most vulnerable
• embedding behaviour change measures within the CERT process.- essential if sustainable savings are to be achieved and people are to be permanently lifted out of fuel poverty.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “The scale of the climate change challenge means that it is essential to act now. We must reach out to the most vulnerable members of our communities who are at the greatest risk of fuel poverty.

“We need a step change in the way measures are targeted through CERT. It is unacceptable for a household to fall through the gaps within the current system. Collaborative working between the public, not for profit and private sectors will ensure that those most in need receive the help that can permanently lift them out of fuel poverty. If we are to get it right, we must go further, faster and now.”

For more 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

Notes to editors:
1. 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.

Mycompanyfleet in new enhanced driver checking solution

2010-03-15T00:00:00+01:00

The increasingly flexible and disparate nature of the employment market in the UK is leading to the need for greater and deeper background checks to be made on company employees and drivers.

Now, fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet is responding to rising fleet demand by launching an enhanced driver checking service which not only checks and validates driver licence status, but also carries out deeper background checking of a driver’s qualifications, references and even criminal record.

Mycompanyfleet, the automotive arm of HR solutions provider, NorthgateArinso, identified the need following approaches from fleet clients who wanted to go further into the backgrounds of their drivers and to carry out deeper checks on their credentials.

The findings feed automatically into Mycompanyfleet software solutions to produce integrated driver records in one place which can be accessed by multiple departments, including fleet and Human Resources.

Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, said: “The UK employment scene has been increasingly complex, with growing numbers of nationalities and a wide variety of backgrounds.

“But a company still has a duty to show in a transparent and auditable manner that its drivers and vehicles are fit for purpose under legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act.

“We have now introduced these deeper background checks as part of an enhanced driver checking service that increasing numbers of our clients are asking for.

“The intention is to provide a one-stop shop of all driver records, improved management of vehicle and driver alike and the creation of a central and readily accessible source of driver information for various departmental managers,” he said.

Notes to Editors:

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:
Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Radical change required to improve public confidence in police

2010-03-12T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE12^th March 2010 Radical change required to improve public confidence in police Improving public confidence in the police will require a radical overhaul in many areas of police service provision, asserts Northgate Public Services today in a response to the Home Office’s policing white paper. Northgate argues that the measures included in the paper do not go far enough towards achieving the drastic service revolution that will improve public trust, reduce crime, and build more effective services. The white paper builds on the government’s earlier reforms which sought to put the public at the heart of policing through community policing. Police forces now face a diverse set of challenges, says Northgate, and to meet these they need an approach that promotes rapid change and positive outcomes, fosters innovation, and harnesses the expertise of wider society. Forces must build on the progress that they have already made by re-engineering services so that they are focused on achieving key priorities.

Given reduced fiscal resources, Northgate claims that it is essential that the correct balance is achieved between value for money and improvement. It argues that it is essential that the development of services is underpinned by a coherent approach to achieving better for less.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Forces across the country are facing the competing demands of having to offer more diverse services with fewer resources. Now is the time to revaluate the business operations of police forces. We have to embed a culture of better for less to meets the needs of the twenty first century. We are confident that the police service has the capacity and the enthusiasm to change. The government has not only to remove the barriers, but provide strong incentives to promote change which will restore public confidence in the police.” -Ends- For more informationFellows’ AssociatesKathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401Danny Calogero +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

Notes to editors1. 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. 2. 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. 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.

Mycompanyfleet adds alternative travel to grey fleet solution

2010-03-08T00:00:00+01:00

Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet has responded to Government calls for local authorities to reduce their grey fleet miles by launching a new software solution that allows employees to locate and evaluate the cheapest options for making any necessary business journey.

The Office of Government Commerce recently launched its own campaign to persuade councils to allow employees to use their own cars on council business only as a last resort, saying the drivers should look at all alternative forms of transport, or even consider not making the journey, before using the car.

The OGC estimated that grey fleet miles made up 57% of total public sector road mileage, and by reducing that total by one million miles could unlock an estimated £250,000 in cash savings and reduce carbon output by more than 240 tonnes.

New research from Mycompanyfleet, the automotive arm of HR software supplier NorthgateArinso, now reveals that councils, in some cases, are paying around 70p per mile to drivers who use their own cars on council business, well in excess of the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments of 40p for the first 10,000 miles and 25ppm thereafter.

To help tackle this issue, Mycompanyfleet has added an alternative travel module to its grey fleet solution, Driver Self-Serve, which provides employees with details of different forms of transport for their planned journey, including taking the train, flying or using the bus, and allows comparisons between them and the cost of using a car.

Mycompanyfleet business manager, Andrew Leech, commented: “The OGC recommendations were quite clear; councils should only consider using private cars on company business as a last resort. Any grey fleet vehicles should be effectively managed and their condition and mileages regularly checked.

“We have calculated that simply by reducing grey fleet mileage by two miles per vehicle per month any investment made by a council, or any other business, in our alternative travel module would be self-funding.

“”Our new module allows employees to compare the price of all transport alternatives and make the sensible decision for their employer and the environment. In addition to links to standard transport sites, such as the trainline, the system also has the ability to build up links to your own local passenger networks,” he said.

Mycompanyfleet, launched its Driver Self-Serve grey fleet solution at the end of last year to address the duty of care issues around vehicle condition, mileages driven and driver licence checking, providing a clear audit trail and reducing the amount of administration time, as drivers have to enter their mileage and service history details online themselves.

The system completely automates driver service reminders and advises when the vehicle will need to be booked in for the next service to be carried out.

To get its grey fleet message across, Mycompanyfleet is currently taking to the road in a series of roadshows across the country that are free to fleet decision makers. Every roadshow attendee will also receive a special copy of a definitive Health and Safety policy document for grey fleet drivers.

The roadshow dates are:
Richmond, Surrey                          March 18
Peterborough, Cambs                    March 22
Luton, Beds                                  March 23
Glasgow                                       March 24
Bristol, Avon                                 March 30
Chester                                        March 31

Andrew Leech added: “Grey fleet drivers still present companies with numerous problems, including major duty of care issues. These new roadshows will provide company managers with the solutions they need to effectively tackle the issues surrounding their grey fleet drivers, including alternative travel methods.”

Notes to Editors:

About mycompanyfleet

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:
Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Northgate Managed Services sponsors Education Partner Award in the 2010 corporate responsibility Awards

2010-03-05T00:00:00+01:00

Business in the Community has launched the call for entries to its 2010 Regional Recognition Awards for responsible companies in Northern Ireland.

Sponsored by ESB Independent Energy and in association with Ulster Business Magazine, the annual awards, now in its fifth year, will see Northern Ireland firms battle it out for the coveted title of Northern Ireland’s Responsible Company of the Year amongst other, more specific awards.

Northgate Managed Services is sponsoring the Education Partner Award, other awards categories include:
• Northern Ireland Responsible Company of the Year, sponsored by BT
• Local Community Impact, sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Environmental Improvement, sponsored by Phoenix Natural Gas
• Climate Change, sponsored by Bombardier Aerospace
• Workplace Health and Wellbeing, sponsored by Westfield Health
• Employer of Choice, sponsored by Foyle Food Group
• Diversity, sponsored by Invest NI
• Supporting Economic Growth, sponsored by ESB Independent Energy

Applications can be made online at www.bitcni.org.uk by clicking on the awards 2010 logo. Entries close on Wednesday 31 March 2010 with the gala awards ceremony taking place in Belfast's Waterfront Hall on Thursday 10 June.

Speaking at the launch, Paul Rooney, Chair of Business in the Community in Northern Ireland, said; "Every organisation in Northern Ireland is eligible to enter for a Business in the Community award.

“These awards are not about size, jobs or exports, but on how a business conducts itself in the workplace, the environment, the economy and the community.

“Our own research shows that organisations with close ties to communities and stakeholders enjoy higher levels of staff and customer engagement than those who focus solely on commercial gain. But, thanks to their close stakeholder ties, those same organisations also tend to generate more goodwill and profit

“Acting in a socially responsible manner is a win-win for business and these awards are intended to recognise and celebrate organisations that do the right thing by their workers, investors and their communities.

“Every company, regardless of size or location that receives a Business in the Community award should be rightly proud of its achievement.”

Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing, Northgate Managed Services commented: "We are delighted to sponsor the Education Partner Award. Working with every school in Northern Ireland, we understand the importance of local businesses working in the communities where they are based to help raise the aspirations and achievements of young people through a solid business education partnership. We are delighted to be able to support the great work Business in the Community is doing to assist such companies to act responsibly and make a positive impact on their local communities. I am really looking forward to finding out the great things that local companies are doing to motivate and inspire young people to succeed and I wish all those who enter the awards very best of luck.”

Northern Ireland winners of Business in the Community’s UK Big Tick Awards will also be recognised at the gala event in the Belfast Waterfront Hall on 10th June.

NorthgateArinso boosts global presence as it acquires Human Resources Management division of Convergys

2010-03-04T00:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso, the world’s leading Human Resources (HR) software and services provider, is to strengthen its global position by intending to acquire the HR Management division from US provider Convergys.

The transaction is worth approximately $85 million in cash at closing and $15 million in cash over three years. It involves NorthgateArinso acquiring the assets, including the global HR service delivery network and entire customer portfolio, of Convergys’ HR Management division.

Convergys’ HR outsourcing customers will benefit from NorthgateArinso’s clear focus on HR software and services and from its world-class HR delivery capabilities. NorthgateArinso is known for its innovation in the sector, including the creation of platform-based HR Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).

Speaking about the acquisition, Mike Ettling, CEO at NorthgateArinso, commented:

“We are delighted to be combining Convergys’ US market leader position with our world-class focus on software and service. We’ll be bringing together two great teams of people, with great HR solutions, and investing further around the world to innovate even more for our customers.

“We will be working very closely with Convergys’ customers over the next few weeks to ensure they continue to receive the same quality of service and truly understand the benefits of being a customer of the NorthgateArinso family.”

On completion of acquisition, NorthgateArinso will employ around 8,000 people globally, of which a third will be based in North America.

Chris Stone, CEO at Northgate Information Solutions, added:

“The US domestic market accounts for over a third of the global HR services market. As it is home to many multinational businesses, it is a critical marketplace for us as a specialist and we expect to strongly develop our position in the US over the coming years.”

NorthgateArinso’s American operations will continue to be led by Trey Campbell.

About Convergys
Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG) is a global leader in relationship management. We provide solutions that drive more value from the relationships our clients have with their customers and employees. Convergys turns these everyday interactions into a source of profit and strategic advantage for our clients.

For more than 30 years, our unique combination of domain expertise, operational excellence, and innovative technologies has delivered process improvement and actionable business insight to clients that now span many countries and languages.

Convergys has been voted a Fortune Most Admired Company for nine consecutive years. We have approximately 70,000 employees in 82 customer contact centers and other facilities in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and our global headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, visit www.convergys.com

(Convergys and the Convergys logo are registered trademarks of Convergys Corporation.)

We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

With its world headquarters in the United Kingdom, NorthgateArinso has offices in 31 countries on five continents delivering services in over 70 countries through a network of eight Service Delivery Centers. NorthgateArinso's approximately 5,000 staff members serve more than 20 percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 companies, and it is one of the five largest HR service providers in the world.

For more information, visit www.northgatearinso.com

Press contacts
US: Claire Rowberry and Christine Huynh, LEWIS PR
Tel: +1 617 226 8841
Email: clairer@lewispr.com / christineh@lewispr.com

UK: Sally O’Neill and Suzy Ferguson, LEWIS PR
Tel: +44 (0)20 7802 2626
Email: sallyo@lewispr.com / suzyf@lewispr.com

NorthgateArinso: Michael Custers
Tel: +1 770 595 7897
Email: Michael.custers@northgatearinso.com

Convergys: John Pratt
Tel: +1 513 723 3333
Email: john.pratt@convergys.com

Mycompanyfleet roadshows tackle grey fleet issues

2010-03-02T00:00:00+01:00

Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet, the automotive arm of HR software provider NorthgateArinso, is taking to the road to help companies tackle the problem of grey fleet drivers in a series of roadshows across the country that are free to company managers to attend.

The 90-minute roadshows, which start in mid-March near London before spreading through the Midlands and the north, will demonstrate how the key issues involving grey fleet drivers can be addressed, especially those of verifying vehicle condition, servicing and business mileage.

Leading fleet experts as well as Mycompanyfleet business manager, Andrew Leech, will be on hand to answer any grey fleet issues that arise. In addition, every roadshow attendee will receive a special copy of a definitive Health and Safety policy document for grey fleet drivers.

The roadshow dates are:
Richmond, Surrey                        March 18
Peterborough, Cambs                  March 22
Luton, Beds                                  March 23
Glasgow                                       March 24
Bristol, Avon                                 March 30
Chester                                        March 31

Mycompanyfleet has a software solution to help tackle the dilemma of grey fleet drivers in the shape of its intuitive Driver Self-Serve web portal which it launched at the end of last year.

Driver Self-Serve addresses the duty of care issues around vehicle condition and driver licence checking and not only provides a clear audit trail but also reduces the amount of administration time, as drivers have to enter their mileage and service history details online themselves.

Once they have done that, the system compares them against the manufacturer’s approved service schedule. It then informs the driver of the number of miles left before the next service or the next check and when the vehicle will need to be booked in for the service to be carried out.

If drivers fail to update their details, they will be unsuccessful in their mileage expenses claim, which acts as a major incentive for them to keep records accurate and up-to-date. They are also automatically flagged up in an exception report to their manager for further action to be taken.

Andrew Leech, Mycompanyfleet business manager, said: “Grey fleet drivers still present companies with numerous problems, including major duty of care issues. These new roadshows will provide company managers with the solutions they need to effectively tackle the issues surrounding their grey fleet drivers.”

Notes to Editors:
About mycompanyfleet
Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

For more information:
Contact:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:
Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Overhaul funding to create a fairer social care system for Wales

2010-03-01T00:00:00+01:00

A radical change to the way social care is paid for in Wales is needed to create a fair and equitable system, says Northgate Public Services in a response to the Welsh Assembly Government’s Paying for Care in Wales consultation.

According to Northgate, the system of funding care needs to be made more consistent and equitable, not only in Wales, but across the UK. The ‘Barnett formula’, which allocates funding to devolved authorities, disadvantages Wales in comparison to England and Scotland. This means that the Assembly Government face pressures over and above other parts of the UK.

The postcode lottery still exists within Wales. People pay different amounts towards their care, and receive different levels of care dependent on their location.

Northgate advocates a system of funding based on a partnership between an individual and the state. This would mean responsibility for paying for care would be shared between both parties, with the ratio the individual pays dependent on their means. Those on the lowest incomes would still receive all of their care for free. This would provide fairness and value for money whilst helping to make the system of state funded care more consistent across the country.

Northgate also reaffirms its support for local delivery of social care. The organisation calls for a national social care system for Wales. In this, minimum standards are set by government, but delivery is still the responsibility of local authorities which should have the flexibility to innovate and develop new ways to meet individuals’ needs.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “How we fund social care is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Faced with increased demand with reduced resources, there is a need to take drastic action now to ensure that quality care can be delivered sustainably over the long term. By radically changing the way care is paid for in Wales, it will be possible to develop a system that is universal, equitable, and affordable for those who need it.”

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7324 6221; 07966 890401
Danny Calogero 020 7324 6223; 07534 189235

Notes to editors:
1. 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.

Arnold Clark upgrades payroll with NorthgateArinso - car dealership rolls out ResourceLink Aurora for 8,000 employees

2010-02-26T00:00:00+01:00

Arnold Clark, Europe’s largest independent motor dealer, has signed a major payroll contract with NorthgateArinso. The HR services supplier will provide its ResourceLink Aurora platform to manage the monthly payroll of Arnold Clark’s 8,000 employees.

The Arnold Clark Group not only sells new and used vehicles but offers the full motoring package from servicing, repairs and parts to rental and finance. Its payroll team of six people had outgrown the company’s existing supplier due to the number of employees on the payroll. ResourceLink Aurora will interface with Arnold Clark’s existing in-house HR and time and attendance system.

Arnold Clark managing director, Eddie Hawthorne said, “NorthgateArinso is a company with tried and tested foundations and is used to dealing with huge payrolls. We felt we could trust them to deliver accurate results every month. ResourceLink Aurora will provide all the employee information we need at our fingertips, and integrates well with our existing HR systems.”

Malcolm Aldis, managing director at NorthgateArinso said, “Arnold Clark is a family firm which puts employee well-being at the heart of everything it does. In this environment, payroll systems simply cannot fail – there’s no room for error. ResourceLink Aurora is web-deployable, so it will enable the firm’s payroll team to access information when and where they need it.”

Notes to Editors:

NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com/>

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning and talent management.

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

Arnold Clark
www.arnoldclark.com <http://www.arnoldclark.com/>

• The family run business sells in excess of 200,000 vehicles per year, employees over 8,000 members of staff and generates an annual turnover of over £2 billion. In 2004, Sir Arnold received a Knighthood in the New Year Honours list in recognition of his services to the Motor Industry and his contribution to the Scottish community. The Arnold Clark Group has won numerous awards, Deliotte Sunday Times Fast Track 100 Largest Privately Owned Company in Scotland, Automotive Magazine Best Large Dealer Group, Five Star Award from the British Safety Council, The Guardian Best Rental Company.
• Arnold Clark has over 145 dealerships throughout the UK, stretching from Inverness to Birmingham.
• The Groups newly re-launched website, ArnoldClark.com is ranked No. 1 most popular UK dealer website by Hitwise/Experian after receiving more visitors than any other site.

For more information:
Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: http://www.lewispr.com

New Customer Contact Centre set to enhance Ipswich council services

2010-02-22T00:00:00+01:00

Communities in Ipswich are set to benefit from significant long-term improvement to their public services following the Ipswich Borough Council’s decision to route all public enquiries though a dedicated Customer Contact Centre.

The Council has entered into a pioneering three-year performance partnership with Northgate Public Services that will streamline communications with citizens, and enable council departments to focus clearly on service improvement.

The partnership will design and implement a centralised Customer Contact Centre, which is to be staffed by specialist customer service teams who will help to deliver a wide range of benefits by:

• creating a dedicated front office that gives citizens a single point of contact for all their enquiries, dramatically improving service quality and aiming to deal with citizens’ queries first time, every time;
• delivering better for less through carrying out an overhaul of the back office systems to improve front office services for citizens;
• using performance management data and customer feedback to shape further improvements to council services for citizens.

The partnership will deliver cashable savings of nearly £1.5 million over a period of three years to November 2012, over the life of the contract.

All fees paid to Northgate will come from cashable savings. The company operates an innovative risk and reward business model that links its fees directly to its performance. As a result, it only gets paid when it meets its agreed financial and improvement targets.

Terry Hayward, Head of Community and Customer Services at Ipswich Borough Council, said today: “Clear lines of communication are fundamental to the wellbeing of any relationship. The relationship between Ipswich Borough Council and the citizens it serves is no exception. For the first time, local people will be able to raise questions and resolve their concerns through a single point of contact with council staff. As a result, the Customer Contact Centre is certain to have a positive impact on improving the quality of life among our communities. Having worked with Northgate so successfully in the past, I am confident that our latest partnership will make a welcome difference to everyone who lives in our area.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services at Northgate Public Services, added: “It is essential that local councils enhance communications and engage effectively throughout their communities, reaching out to the most vulnerable people in these times of economic hardship. Our partnerships offer councils an innovative way of working at low risk and investing in improvement. If we don’t reach our performance improvement targets, we simply don’t get paid, and we only get paid, when we deliver savings. We are committed to working in collaboration with the Council and its employees to deliver better services for the people of Ipswich.”

-Ends-

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Ipswich is a multi-cultural centre for business, culture, entertainment and sport. With more than 130,000 residents from a diversity of communities, the county town of Suffolk is the fastest growing regional centre in the East of England. Ipswich Borough Council has a joint administration made up by Conservative and Liberal Democrat members.

Oracle recognises Northgate Information Solutions' expertise in delivering specialised Oracle Solutions

2010-02-18T00:00:00+01:00

Oracle today awarded Northgate Information Solutions the Oracle ISV Partner of the Year Award during its annual Oracle UK Partner Awards held at The Langham, London on February 4.

Oracle judges recognised Northgate Information Solutions’ success in delivering innovative solutions and achieving strong customer success using Oracle applications.

David Callaghan, Senior Vice President, Oracle UK, Ireland and Israel said: “These awards recognise the high-level of innovation, excellence and commitment our partners offer when they become specialised with Oracle. Northgate Information Solutions has a proven track record in delivering winning, proven solutions that solve customers’ most critical business challenges. All award winners are partners that have demonstrated tangible success, growth in their Oracle business and outstanding Oracle solutions."

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said today: “We are delighted to have received this award from Oracle UK. We are committed to meeting our client’s needs so that they can build better services for local people for less. Our partnership with Oracle helps us achieve this. Now more than ever, both the public and the private sector must invest in innovation. We work with our public sector clients so that they can deliver sustainable services built around individual need and reach out to the most disadvantaged in our communities.”

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton       +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis     +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized is the latest version of Oracle's partner program that provides partners with tools to better develop, sell and implement Oracle solutions. OPN Specialized offers resources to train and support specialized knowledge of Oracle products and solutions and has evolved to recognize Oracle growing product portfolio, partner base and business opportunity. Key to the latest enhancements to OPN is the ability for partners to differentiate through Specializations. Specializations are achieved through competency development, business results, expertise and proven success. To find out more visit http://www.oracle.com/partners.

2. Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) is the world’s largest business software company. For more information about Oracle, please visit our web site at http://www.oracle.com.

3. Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. In the UK, Northgate works with 95 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 nearly 8,000 employees. For more information about Northgate please visit our web site at www.northgate-ispublicservices.com

NorthgateArinso & Neller join forces to become HR & payroll solutions leader in Australasia - international expansion builds on success in UK, Europe and the US

2010-02-09T00:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso, the UK-headquartered global Human Resources (HR) software & services provider, has announced the acquisition of Australian HR and payroll solution provider, Neller Pty Ltd. The acquisition builds on NorthgateArinso’s UK success and supports its global growth strategy as it seeks to expand in Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific.

Neller, headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, develops and markets software and services to support HR professionals. Neller’s subsidiary, Neller Employer Services (NES), provides comprehensive outsourced payroll services.

With Neller’s highly experienced management team and track record of delivering high-quality HR & payroll services, the combined organisation will have an unrivalled capability of delivering HR solutions to the ANZA market. The transaction equips NorthgateArinso with further skills and capacity to spearhead its growth into the dynamic Asia-Pacific market.

Malcolm Aldis, managing director of NorthgateArinso in the UK, commented: “Following the successful strategy to acquire companies that enable us to best serve our customers’ needs here in the UK and around Europe, it is exciting to see this development in Australasia. The global recession has been tough for many organisations and this makes it more important than ever for suppliers to be ready to meet the needs of HR directors and provide a cost-effective, efficient service, delivered in the best way for that organisation. It’s a mantra that is serving us well in the UK, and will now be available to customers on the other side of the world.”

NorthgateArinso recognises the strength and flexibility of the Neller business and its solutions offerings. The existing Neller management team will be integral in the acquisition process - David Page, managing director of Neller, will assume overall responsibility for NorthgateArinso’s Australia/New Zealand business and will report directly to Darcy Lalonde, president, Asia Pacific (APAC).

David Page commented: “This transaction will offer our customers even greater access to a wide range of benefits that come with our enhanced suite of offerings, collective skills, experience and international reach. This is an exciting time for both businesses and this transaction presents a wide variety of opportunities.”

“Neller has a long history in Australia and an enviable client list of more than 1,000 medium to large sized companies. With its strength in servicing larger enterprises and public sector organisations, NorthgateArinso’s market proposition is complementary to Neller’s.”

“The opportunity to acquire Neller is one NorthgateArinso simply could not pass up,” said Darcy Lalonde, president, Asia Pacific. “The company’s credentials in Australia are second to none, and they are very well recognised and respected.”

The acquisition increases the company’s footprint in Australia and New Zealand, with offices in Auckland and Wellington (New Zealand), Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Notes to Editors:

About Neller
Since 1976, Neller has been a market leader in Australia/NZ developing systems and solutions to manage people. Neller and subsidiary, Neller Employer Services (NES), service over 1,100 medium to large organisations across various industries throughout Australia and New Zealand with their market leading Preceda OnDemand SaaS solution. The company employs almost 100 staff and has offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organizations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 5,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through leading HR outsourcing solutions, HR consulting services, and best-of-breed HR technology. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

For more information:

Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
Ellens@lewispr.com / lisag@lewispr.com

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & http://news360.lewispr.com/

Northgate Information Solutions - 6 months trading update May-October 2009

2010-02-04T00:00:00+01:00

I am pleased to report that, despite some very unfavourable conditions in some of our markets, the Northgate Information Solutions group of businesses has performed well in the first six months of the current financial year.

In these turbulent times we are fortunate to have a stable business on which to build, and the resilience of our core offerings in the Human Resources and Public Services markets has allowed us to continue to make progress in all parts of our business. This stability has been reinforced by the commitment of our majority shareholder, KKR, whose support has allowed us to take advantage of favourable market conditions for acquisitions, and add some scale to our businesses through further bolt-on deals.

NorthgateArinso, our global HR systems and services business, continued its journey towards market leadership. It was pleasing to see a growing number of new name clients recognising the benefits to them from the investments that we continue to make in our application portfolio, both in stand-alone software sales and in our IP led outsourcing model. In the period we won several multi-country HR BPO contracts, amongst them the single largest contract that we have ever won in any one of our businesses. This progress in our BPO business and solid performance in our Software business allowed us to grow our NorthgateArinso business overall, despite some contraction of our Systems Integration business in a weak market. Overall, we saw a strong profit performance, increasing our profit margins in the division, and a significant gain in market share with NorthgateArinso outperforming many of its peers.

Northgate Public Services, the UK market leader in the local authority and public safety software markets, has enjoyed another record period of sales and profits. We closed our largest ever software deal in this business, and we closed out the six months with a record contracted order book. At the same time, we were able to build a major pipeline for our transformational service deals in local government, and the first ever prospect for this type of multi-year project in the police sector.

Northgate Managed Services traded significantly ahead of our expectations in the period as we were successful in implementing our Education contracts ahead of schedule, allowing us to move to the managed services portion of these contracts earlier than expected. We also enjoyed a good period of new contract signings and renewals, with particularly good news in the re-signing of our contract with Viridian in Northern Ireland, and the addition of a number of new name long term service clients. Consequently, this business also exited the period with a record forward order book.

Overall, the average number of people employed by the group has grown slightly from approximately 7850 to just over 7900 in the period.

We have mentioned before the resilience of the products and services that we offer our clients, from payroll management to council tax administration, emergency call handling to running ICT infrastructure for schools, and from administering benefits payments to processing penalty notices. In this year more than ever we have seen the benefits of this resilience in our ability to continue to grow our business in very difficult market conditions. We help our clients with essential, mission critical activities. We are therefore confident that we are well placed to deal with the difficult times ahead.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our employees for their continued dedication and outstanding work. Above all I would like to thank our clients for continuing to trust us with such important work on their behalf. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve them, and look forward to serving them in the years ahead.

Chris Stone
Group Chief Executive

Salix Homes transforming Central Salford's neighbourhoods with new partnership

2010-02-03T00:00:00+01:00

Salix Homes has mounted a major transformation programme designed to radically improve the services it provides to customers while delivering much needed efficiencies at a time of economic downturn and unprecedented demand.

In an innovative five year performance partnership, Salford City Council and Salix Homes have joined up with Northgate Public Services to deliver its key priorities, with the implementation of the Keystone Asset Management system and Northgate Integrated Housing solution, as part of Salix Homes’ wider ICT strategy. The partnership will focus on community regeneration and targeted neighbourhood strategies; transforming the ALMOs services through the adoption of best practice; and enhanced collaboration with local agencies.

The partnership will deliver substantial improvement through measures including:

• providing personalised and localised services for customers through improved community related information so that they are provided with the right information and appropriate services at the right time;
• a major overhaul in managing assets and repairs;
• raising employee morale by introducing new ways of flexible working and enhancing their skills and capabilities;
• introducing extended self service for customers who want it and home based consultancy for vulnerable customers and others who need it.

Rob Wakefield, Director of Finance and ICT said: “Salix Homes is determined to provide a fresh approach to the management of homes - one that is all about results. Our vision is to make the neighbourhoods in which we work the neighbourhoods of choice. Our task is to provide housing, regeneration and a broader range of value for money services that are built around our customers’ needs. Our performance partnership with Northgate is focused entirely on excellence and making a wider contribution to improving neighbourhoods.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services added: “We are delighted to be working with Salix Homes. It is an organisation which is committed to change that advances the wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable within its communities. We fully support its ambition to provide quality homes and services that make Salford’s neighbourhoods popular places to live and work. Now more than ever, social housing providers must invest to improve. They can play a vital role in building better neighbourhoods through delivering a wider range of enhanced services which place the citizen at their heart.”

-Ends-

For more information

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Salix Homes Ltd is helping to deliver Salford City Council's five-year strategy to bring all council housing up to the Decent Homes Standard, a multi-million pound vision for the city. Salix Homes is an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) and is a not-for-profit company responsible for the day-to-day management of 10,600 homes across Central Salford, Rainsough Brow and Beechfarm. It also assists the council in the operational delivery of the Housing Market Renewal Programme. It was formed in July 2007.

2. Salix Homes is determined to provide a fresh and energetic approach to the management of homes, one that is all about results. As well as housing management, its role covers housing renewal services. It plays a key role in working with Salford City Council on housing regeneration and renewal services for residents and local businesses across Central Salford. It also supports wider regeneration projects carried out by the council and other agencies. This makes sure that all its projects bring real benefits to the whole community and help create better neighbourhoods.

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 is core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

5. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% 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 nearly 8,000 employees.

Garlands turns to NorthgateArinso for enhanced HR and payroll services

2010-02-03T00:00:00+01:00

Garlands Call Centres, a specialist provider of outsourced contact centre services, has signed a new six-year contract with NorthgateArinso to provide payroll and HR services to the company’s employee base.

NorthgateArinso’s ResourceLink Aurora system will manage employees’ personal details and employment records, process starters and leavers and run the payroll process for 1500 employees at Garlands centres in South Shields, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool Marina.

“We’ve been very pleased with the performance of the ResourceLink system. It provides us with all the information we need to efficiently and effectively manage HR,” said Yvonne West, HR manager at Garlands. “In addition, the self-service module puts employee details in a secure location online, enabling staff to check their own records and amend as necessary, which eases the administrative burden on the HR team.”

“Garlands is a significant employer in its region. With a high number of staff, getting the detail right on employee information is crucial to the smooth running of payroll and HR,” said Malcolm Aldis, UK managing director at NorthgateArinso. “No business can afford errors or delays with payroll, and ResourceLink has proved it can manage the company’s payroll effectively.”

Notes to editors

About Garlands
www.cjgarland.co.uk <http://www.cjgarland.co.uk/>
Garlands is a specialist UK provider of outsourced customer contact services via phone, email and the Web. Its services range from customer sales to customer service, collections & debt recovery and back office services. Garlands believes that people are the key to delivering superb customer contact services and provides comprehensive and innovative programmes with a holistic focus to develop the skills of its staff.

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/>
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

For information, please contact:

(For NorthgateArinso)
Ellen Spenceley or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 117 315 8584
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

(For Garlands)
Michael Gray
Tel: +44 (0)20 8224 2315
Email: Michael.gray@cjgarland.com
Internet: http://www.cjgarland.co.uk

NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme appoints Northgate

2010-01-28T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services has been appointed by the NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme (NAAASP) to develop and implement a national IT solution. Under a three year contract it will support the screening and referral process, administration of quality assurance and failsafe procedures, and enable the performance management of the NAAASP service.

An estimated 80,000 men aged between 65 and 74 are affected by abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), which are caused when the main blood vessel in the abdomen - the aorta - weakens and starts to expand. If undetected, the condition can be fatal and around 6,000 men die every year from a burst AAA. If caught in time, many of these deaths are avoidable.

Once fully implemented the NAAASP will reduce deaths from the condition by up to 50 percent by detecting AAAs early and enabling monitoring or treatment to be offered. The Programme will invite all men aged 65 and over - who are most at risk from the condition – for screening during the year they turn 65 from across England.

Roll out of Northgate’s NAAASP solution commenced in December, following its launch at the 2009 National Vascular Conference in November. Once completed by end of March 2013, the solution will support screening and monitoring for around 325,000 men every year at 60 local screening centres.

The award of the contract, Northgate’s first adult screening programme, builds upon its long track record of work in newborn and infant screening, and its wider success in the NHS through Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and National Joint Registry solutions.

Anne Stevenson, Programme Manager for the NAAASP said: “I am pleased that Northgate Public Services is working with us to develop and implement a national IT system that will help maintain the standards of the national Programme across England. The partnership is all about quality and is designed to ensure that our locally delivered screening programmes provide consistent, effective and efficient services for 65 year old men in their communities.”

Alan Campbell, Head of Screening Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said: “We are delighted to be working with the NHS AAA Screening Programme. To be effectively managed, screening programmes need robust solutions which support local practices while driving national standards. The experience we have gained through the implementation of other high quality screening programmes, combined with our consultancy led approach, will ensure that we develop a solution tuned to the unique requirements of the NAAASP and contribute towards saving lives. We are committed to providing national high quality innovative screening solutions and contributing to the Programme’s success.”

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For more information about Northgate Public Services:

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

For more information about the NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme please contact the press office: 020 7478 7802
aaascreeningprogramme@grayling.com

Notes to editors

4. Northgate Health works with organisations across the country to improve health outcomes. We support commissioners in effective decision-making; enable doctors to monitor and improve their performance; and provide patients with the information they need to exercise meaningful choice. Whether supporting world-leading screening programmes, managing national health registries or delivering state-of-the-art information systems for NHS Trusts, Northgate puts the patient at the heart of health services.

5. The NHS AAA Screening Programme will set national standards and protocols for the delivery of local screening services and will coordinate the implementation of the programme across England

6. The programme is being rolled out gradually following research evidence showing that a population based screening programme, using ultrasound scanning, for men in their 65th year would be effective in reducing mortality from ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Northgate supports Birmingham's drive to transform planning services

2010-01-27T00:00:00+01:00

Birmingham City Council’s pioneering e-planning service has been singled out as a leading example of service excellence in the UK, helping to transform public services to be more responsive to people’s needs.

Planning Management which is part of the Planning and Regeneration Service has recently achieved the Customer Service Excellence standard. This is the UK national standard of customer service excellence for public sector organisations overseen by the Cabinet Office.

Birmingham Planning Management deals with planning advice and all of the planning applications for city buildings. It has two main customer groups – the citizens of Birmingham and agents and developers.

Planning Management has formed an innovative partnership with Northgate Public Services. This is designed to streamline, simplify and strengthen planning services. It aims to make them more transparent, and engage the wider community in the process through the intelligent use of online services and technology. The partnership has been praised in the Service Excellence assessment report for improving services and making them more effective.

Planning Management supports the council’s Business Transformation Strategy, the largest transformation programme within local government in the UK. This seeks to revolutionise the way that services are delivered to citizens who live, learn, work in or visit Birmingham.

The national stamp of approval for Planning Management is based on partnership delivery of efficient and effective services. These include self -service systems which give citizens the opportunity to track the progress of planning applications, submit their responses, review decision notices and resolve queries and full mobile services which allow planning officers to spend more time engaging with their communities. Streamlined processes enable the council to meet national performance standards, and share information where necessary with other agencies. Council officers are able to provide a faster and more accurate enquiry services by having instant access to information so that they can provide immediate feedback to their customers on planning policy and guidance.

Cllr Peter Douglas Osborn, Birmingham City Council’s Planning Committee Chairman, said today: “We are delighted that our partnership has been singled out for praise. Effective partnership is all about shared understanding and dedication to improved outcomes. Northgate Public Services, like us, is wholly committed to building services around the needs of citizens. This achievement proves that we are well and truly on the road to revolutionising planning services in Birmingham.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Now more than ever councils need to invest in online planning and realise the benefits from this. Councils can save precious resources by eradicating waste and inefficiency. However, it is equally important to create better services which build public trust and are more effective in responding to the needs of individuals and local communities. We are ambitious for change and our partnership with Birmingham is achieving it".

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors
1. Birmingham City Council is the largest Metropolitan District in the United Kingdom and employs 50,000 staff servicing a residential population of over one million and 27,000 businesses within an area of 26,785 hectares. It is the largest local authority in Europe serving over one million citizens. Planning Management forms part of the Development and Culture Directorate of the City Council. It employs 109 staff. The Customer Service Excellence assessment report praised Planning Management for its deep understanding and commitment to service excellence. This commitment was found through senior line managers to operational and front line employees.

5. Business Transformation is Birmingham City Council’s ambitious nine-strand programme which aims to modernise and enhance services delivered across the whole authority to citizens. It is projected that the programme will realise benefits of around £1billion over the ten years to 2016.

Northgate Public Services awarded Champion status from Investors in People

2010-01-25T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announced that its specialist transformation division has been awarded Investors in People Champion status in recognition of its consistent commitment to the way it manages and develops its employees to deliver the organisation's goals.

The company will work with Investors in People UK to help other employers by sharing its experience and success in the area of people development. The best practice sharing activities will include mentoring and site visits for organisations wishing to learn from Northgate’s experience. It is one of only fifty organisations in the UK to receive this accolade.

The specialist transformation arm of Northgate Public Services has recently received the highest recognition from Investors in People and achieved the Gold award. Less than two per cent of public and private sector organisations have achieved this elite status.

Jane Jones, Director of Policy and Communications, Investors in People said: “Champions place the Investors in People Standard at the heart of their organisations. Northgate Public Services has reaped the benefits of effective people development. It will now share its expertise with employers across the UK, highlighting the business benefits of effective people development including increased employee motivation, higher retention rates and improved productivity. I am delighted that Northgate has achieved Champion status and I am sure that it will make a highly valued contribution to the continued success of our programme.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said: “Our investment in people is directly linked to overall organisational performance. It is central to the success of our transformation business. We will use this achievement to help build world class public services designed and delivered by motivated public service employees. Now, more than ever, public services must invest in the skills and capacity of their employees to foster innovation and to deliver services that are built around the needs of diverse communities which reach out to those most in need.”

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For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors
1. 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.

3. In the UK, Northgate works with 95 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 nearly 8,000 employees.

Northgate Managed Services confirms financial close on Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton BSF contract

2010-01-14T00:00:00+01:00

Schools across Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton are set to build on existing progress in achieving excellence in education with the creation of a media-rich learning environment as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Working closely with ICT services and solutions specialist, Northgate Managed Services, contracted by Balfour Beatty, schools will benefit from an initial £41.3 million invested in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) making them some of the most advanced schools in the country.

The project will see nine Blackburn with Darwen secondary schools (two phases) and 15 Bolton schools (three phases) rebuilt or re-modelled and upgraded to provide flexible and attractive learning environments that better support learning. As just one part of the project, each authority will benefit from the creation of a Discovery Centre, equipped with the very latest innovative learning and teaching tools. The centres will ensure schools can experiment with and evaluate new technologies over the lifetime of the contract. Each school will utilise ‘thin client’ technologies* which helps them save energy, utilise computer equipment more efficiently and ultimately enable students to access learning materials from a wide range of devices such as desktop PCs, laptops and PDAs. Every student will also have access to an online learning platform, providing true anytime, anywhere learning for the entire school community.

In addition, Northgate will be providing an interim managed service from 1st February 2010 where school technicians will transfer to work directly for the ICT specialist in the lead up to the full BSF service. This will help free up school staff to focus on the educational outcomes of this multi-million pound initiative. This interim service will aid the improvement of standards, ensure a smooth transition for ICT and ultimately transfer risk, helping to establish confidence across the school community. From September 2010, schools will have access to the online learning platform. This will help all schools benefit from BSF investment and allow early access to BSF ICT services.

Both authorities will benefit from the latest Learning Platform called N-able. Accessible through the internet from any location, Northgate’s Learning Platform will provide students with their own personalised learning area where they can work on assignments, store their work and access emails, enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students. Combining academic information and school administration systems, over the course of the project N-able will provide parents with secure access to information about their child such as their attendance, homework assignments and even their canteen purchases. This will help parents get involved in their child’s education improving communication between parents, school and students.

The creation of a safer school environment is also a key element of both local authorities’ vision for technology. To achieve this, Northgate will implement E-registration, access control and cashless catering systems to help make the schools a safer place for everyone.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We are extremely proud to be involved in the Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Building Schools for the Future project and look forward to working with the Authorities, Balfour Beatty, the LEP and the individual schools to transform learning and teaching using ICT. By working in partnership with the schools, we will be offering innovative, high quality facilities and integrated information and communication technology to help deliver personalised learning tailored to the needs, interests and aptitudes of their learners. We are delighted to be involved in this project and feel the benefits to young learners will make both authorities best practice models for BSF projects across the country.”

For further information, please visit the web site at www.northgate-is.com/managedservices contact tel: +44 (0) 28 90859085 or e-mail info@northgate-is.com.

* ‘Thin Client’ is a generic name for client machines on networks that deliver applications and data via a centralised computing model with the majority of processing carried out by the server(s). This is also known as server-based computing. (Thin Client Technology in Schools report, Becta)

Leicestershire Constabulary iR3 initiative goes nationwide with Northgate

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

A pioneering and award-winning Leicestershire Constabulary initiative aimed at building public confidence, improving performance and creating efficiencies is now available to all UK forces at a time when building public trust in policing has never been so crucial.

The iR3 resource and demand system has been developed and evolved exclusively with the Force. Northgate Public Services is now the exclusive supplier and integrator of iR3. It is offering all police forces the opportunity to meet their strategic priorities and boost public confidence in their localities while improving performance and driving efficiencies and cashable savings.

Leicestershire Constabulary introduced the iR3 solution to improve service delivery and enhance public confidence in the work of the local police. iR3 enables the Force to focus on priority issues that matter most to local people and ensures that critical resources are used efficiently and effectively.

By linking demand – such as crimes and incidents – to resources, operational managers can effectively plan, monitor and manage a variety of policing activities, from critical response to patrolling strategies. Better decision-making and analysis leads to an improvement in desired cashable savings, efficiencies and performance.

With iR3 the Force has been able to deliver and demonstrate a new and higher level of transparency in policing by ensuring that the right resources are in the right places at the right time; by improving the balance between response and patrol to achieve improved outcomes in Neighbourhood Policing priorities and NIM Tasking; and by enabling local officers to consult and report to local groups on activities and outcomes linked to local priorities such as ASBOs and vehicle thefts.

Officers in Leicestershire can now confidently show neighbourhood groups and the wider public where officers have patrolled on a visual computer display. For the first time, the community has a direct input on local patrol strategy by being involved in setting the locations that officers patrol either by foot or by vehicle. This helps to deliver increasing public confidence.

The Force delivered dramatic improvement and emphatic results during its pilot phase in the North Basic Command Unit. There have been significant increases in visits to, and time spent at, priority locations and marked reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour including:

• police visits to crime hotspots up 286%
• time spent in priority locations up 545%
• anti-social behaviour down 50%
• emergency response times within 15 minutes up from 85% to 94%
• fuel consumption down by 21%
• fuel bills down 16%

Leicestershire Constabulary has now rolled out iR3 force-wide, focusing its emphasis on improving operational performance and delivering efficiencies, and is in the process of rationalizing its vehicle fleet to achieve impressive savings.

The project’s success has won recognition at the highest level. In his Independent Review of Policing 2008, Sir Ronnie Flanagan noted that the initiative has resulted in: “A dramatic reduction in self-deployment, substantially reducing multiple deployments and improving response times through automatic identification and deployment of the nearest available unit. Officer time spent in priority areas has significantly increased.”

Leicestershire Constabulary was also among the winners at this year’s ACPO Excellence in Policing Awards in September. Now in their second year, the Excellence in Policing Awards aim to encourage police forces across England and Wales to share the creative thinking and innovative solutions that are vital to making their limited resources go further and work harder.

Speaking today, Superintendent Jez Cottrill, a lead on the iR3 project at Leicestershire Constabulary said: “This is about putting accountability into visible action for the local community. Community representatives are now able to see our achievements on an interactive map on a regular basis. They can also have a say in where we patrol. We believe that forces up and down the country would gain dramatic benefits from its introduction, not only in the more efficient use of resources but in delivering more effective neighbourhood policing.”

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Northgate Public Safety added: “The government’s White Paper on policing demonstrates the economic constraints facing the police over the next few years. Now is a time when police forces up and down the country have to deliver better for less. Through the introduction of iR3 police forces can rest assured that they will bring in sustainable, cashable savings over and above their initial investment. More importantly, they will improve police performance and help rebuild trust within their local communities, reaching out to those citizens most in need.”

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Leicestershire Constabulary provides a policing service to around a million people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. With just over 2,300 officers and 15 local policing units, the force is responsible for an area covering over 965 square miles (2,500 square kilometres). Following the departure of Chief Constable Matt Baggott to head up the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the force is under the leadership of Temporary Chief Constable Chris Eyre.

3. 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. 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.

4. iR3 was developed by L&A Consultants. Specifically designed for the police and emergency services, iR3 was developed out of a pilot project with Leicestershire Constabulary which produced operational benefits and financial savings that significantly exceeded expectations and forecasts. iR3 is sold to police forces throughout the UK by Northgate Public Services which is the exclusive supplier and integrator of the system.

The personal touch - Brislington Enterprise College achieves true personalisation with technology

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

Brislington Enterprise College (BEC) opened brand new doors to its 1200 students in September 2008 as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Fifteen months on, the school’s forward-thinking and flexible approach to ICT, managed by Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices), has helped teachers achieve to true personalisation for students.

Brislington Enterprise College is a mixed comprehensive college in Bristol, catering for 1200 11-18 year-old students. As one of the largest education institutions in the area, one of the biggest challenges the college faces is the delivery of personalised learning to every student. A major element of the college’s success has been down to effective implementation and use of ICT. To achieve this, the college works closely with Northgate Managed Services to ensure that every piece of technology is properly tailored to the needs of staff and students and that it runs optimally all day, every day.

The college’s extensive wireless network combined with easily transportable kit such as laptops, handheld devices and wireless projectors, enables staff and students to collaborate wherever they are in the college. In the past, teachers had to book a computer suite or a set of laptops in advance of a lesson which meant students only had ad-hoc access to technology. Ryan Lewin, Director of Post-16 Community and Teacher of Geography at BEC, comments: “Now that the college has gone wireless, my class can instantly start work on any given task or activity in the classroom. At BEC, we believe that students must be provided with continuity for their use of technology in order to develop proficient ICT skills which we are now able to achieve.”

As the college is based on such a large site, it is also incredibly important that technologies are mobile and that every student has the opportunity to use them. Richard Sykes, BEC’s eLearning Coordinator and Teacher of Music, is using Apple iTouch’s with music students to listen to instruments and music and help them interact with him throughout the lesson. Richard comments: “It is vital that teachers embrace the fact that young people are accessing mobile technologies all day, every day and develop ways to integrate them into teaching practice. We also provide students with access to handheld devices such as the iTouch outside of the classroom in practice rooms which helps reinforce their learning.”

Anytime, anywhere learning
Every student and member of staff at BEC has access to their own online personalised learning space through the college’s managed learning environment (MLE), N-able. Designed by Northgate, the MLE allows students to work on assignments, store work and access emails, enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students. Ryan Lewin comments: “The 24/7 accessibility to information on the MLE has had a tremendous impact on the learning experience for students. For example, I am able to upload everything my GCSE students need to complete activities and revise in one, easy-to-access place. In the past, I had to refer them to a multitude of different resources, whereas now, they are can download course materials and presentations, complete the work and upload it to the MLE to submit it for marking.”

The MLE provides flexibility for when, where and how teachers at BEC work. No longer confined to the four walls of their classroom, teachers can plan, set and review work from home, the library or anywhere with an internet connection. Richard Sykes was recently was off-site all day on a training course, which in the past, would have meant sorting out supply cover. However, he was able to logon to the MLE the previous evening and set work for his BTEC students who then completed and submitted it online to his deadline. Richard comments: “The MLE even enables me to see the time and date that my students upload their work, the specific resources they access and how long it takes them to complete it, so I can feel confident that they are still learning should I occasionally be out of college.”

Teachers at BEC are also utilising the MLE to plan and deliver lessons. Each class has their own assigned virtual room where teachers can upload resources to cover in class and activities to extend their learning at home. Details such as the topics they are due to cover or information they should read beforehand are reflected in their online timetable so they come to each lesson fully prepared. Richard, comments: “I also use the MLE to upload keynote presentations, handouts and audio recordings after class which they can discuss in the MLE’s moderated forums and chat rooms or share their work with parents.”

Student engagement
Staff at BEC believe it is important to teach with some of the latest technologies students own and use them as a way to engage them in their learning. Richard Sykes, comments: “Technology has become an intrinsic part of students’ lives and their preferred method of accessing and processing information, so the natural step has been to bring this into the classroom environment. Our young people are incredibly intuitive and excited by technology - as soon as they have new kit in their hands they want to progress it and use it in all their lessons. Often, they don’t want lessons to end and ask to come back after college to continue using it, which, in turn is also helping to improve their grades.”

Richard also believes it is important that schools and colleges continuously evolve their ICT offering to students to keep them engaged. He comments: “Many of our students own the latest digital technologies such as iPhones and PSPs so we have to continuously evolve our ICT offering to keep them interested in using technology and not let it become an archaic experience.”

The college is exploring the use of a wide range of devices in the classroom such as mobile phones, which students enjoy using and find familiar. Ryan Lewin gives his advice on this subject to other schools and colleges: “It is important that use of ICT is strongly linked to learning objectives to keep students on task. At BEC, we ensure students are using technologies that are reflective of the outside world and are keen to provide students with an experience which will help equip them to continue their education or enter the workplace.”

The managed service has played a pivotal role in successful ICT provision and student engagement at BEC. John Matthews, College Principal at BEC, comments: “To engage staff and students in ICT, it is imperative that it operates efficiently. The managed service ensures that our server and technologies are up and running whenever students want to use them and if there is a fault, the problem is fixed quickly before it impacts on their learning. Working with Northgate has also relieved the pressure on our technician who can spend more time helping everyone get to grips with new technologies.”

At BEC, staff understand that technology does not stand still and in order to keep abreast of innovation and implementing technology which continues to complement the college’s vision for learning, they need to work with professionals. John Matthews, comments: “Northgate provides a team of specialists who look out for cost-effective, tailored technologies to improve our offering to students and who continuously work to ensure that existing ICT is working efficiently.”

Independent learners
Teachers at BEC believe it is vital that students leave college as confident, independent learners prepared for higher education or the world of work. To help achieve this, an Enterprise Centre has been created and is open until 5pm each day for students to use. The suite comprises of 70 PCs, 60 mobile devices and a suite of Apple Macs for students studying media and has the look and feel of a higher education centre as opposed to a school library. John, comments: “We appreciate that currently, some of our students do not have access to a computer or the internet at home, so the Enterprise Centre provides a place that they can come to complete their work at lunchtime or after college. This has been well received by students who are very proud of their facilities. As a result of this more professional atmosphere, students are coming in and getting on with their work with minimal disruption or vandalism.”

By providing students with their own personalised learning area, BEC is able to provide the additional support and assistance they need to maximise independent study and to progress according to their own individual learning plan. Teachers are able to monitor each student’s progress to ensure that they are on track and progressing. The college has also set up eLearning community forums for each class to encourage students to collaborate with their peers if they need help with their work.

Richard Sykes, comments: “Using N-able, teachers set and develop a personalised learning pathway for each student which they work through in their own time. The MLE allows us to set deadlines for students and view when they upload their work, helping them to take ownership of their learning in preparation for life after college.”

Parental engagement
At BEC, teachers understand the importance of parental and guardian involvement in their child’s education and encourage parents to log-on to the MLE to view the work they have been doing and homework to complete. John Matthews, comments: “We really want our students’ families to feel part of the college community and understand more about their child’s day-to-day activities. As they have online access, parents can log-on to the portal anytime, anywhere, whether they are at home, at work or even on the move using their mobile phone.”

The future
The college has many exciting plans for the future, including a trial of Microsoft Surface, a 42-inch touch-screen to encourage greater collaboration between students. John Matthews concludes: “Traditionally our ICT provision has focused strongly on one-to-one provision to support personalisation for students. We are keen in 2010 to encourage groups of students to work together using technology and look forward to implementing new technologies alongside Northgate to achieve this.”

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

Northgate Managed Services launches N-able School

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

At BETT 2010, Olympia, LONDON – 13 January 2010, Northgate Managed Services, a leading provider of ICT services and solutions to the education sector, launches N-able School, a web portal which allows learners, teachers & administrative staff to create their own personalised portal.

N-able School is an easy-to-use, flexible web portal which has been designed to meet the needs of schools, colleges and academies across the UK. It provides access to core applications along with a wide range of additional add-on widgets allowing schools to tailor the portal to their individual needs.

N-able School provides flexibility of choice by integrating all the key educational and administrative systems that individual schools currently use, allowing secure access through single sign-on from school, home or anywhere else where the internet can be accessed.

N-able school also offers flexible service levels depending on the school’s individual needs. It can be hosted and managed centrally by Northgate or alternatively the school can host and manage the product locally within the school. This means the school has the choice and control over how the application is managed and costed.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services, comments: “Appreciating the individuality of every school and the concept that one size doesn’t fit all, we are excited to be able to launch N-able School which has been designed to offer a flexible solution that users can personalise to best suit their needs.”

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices.

Panasonic Appoints Northgate Managed Services as Education Technology Solutions Provider

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

London Olympia, 13th January BETT 2010 – today, on the same day Panasonic unveiled a ‘classroom of the future’ featuring leading edge education technology that improves audio visual communication in a secure classroom environment, the global technology leader also announced Northgate Managed Services as a key distribution partner for its interactive whiteboards called ‘Panaboard’ and a wider range of products and solutions for delivery into the Education marketplace.

Northgate Managed services, known for its work with leading technology organisations such as Microsoft, Compuware, VMWare, Symantec, Cisco, Citrix, Commvault, Apple, Sun, HP and DELL will work in close partnership with Panasonic to assist them to gain a deep understanding of its education customers. This will enable Panasonic technology solutions to be deployed in the transformation of education, delivering greater efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership in the use of technology in education.

Northgate Managed Services who have 1000 staff across UK, England, Scotland and Ireland is a leading provider of ICT services and solutions to the education sector and through its C2k partnership in Northern Ireland has supported 1200 schools for over 7 years. In England, within the Building Schools for the Future programme, Northgate Managed Services is working with Local Authorities to support the transformation of teaching using ICT equipment in Kent, Bristol, Leicester City and Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton.

“We are delighted to have been chosen as a distribution partner by Panasonic. Panasonic offers the education market a very cost-competitive and versatile portfolio of solutions”, says David Hyland, Managing Director (Education), Northgate Managed Services.

Peter Dempsey, Northgate Managed Service’s Account Manager at Panasonic added; “as a key Panasonic partner, Northgate was selected because of their special expertise and relationships within the education sector. The C2k partnership particularly gives Northgate extensive knowledge and experience useful to help deliver precisely the technology solutions required for the education market”.

Msona and its distribution partner Northgate Managed Services showcase 'School-in-a-Box' solutions at BETT 2010

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

LONDON – 12 January 2010, Msona Ltd. (www.msona.co.uk), an innovative European
manufacturer of unified IP communications and networking systems for small, medium and distributed enterprises, today announced that together with its distribution partner Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), a pioneer in delivering Information & Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure solutions to schools across the UK and Ireland will be showcasing “School-in-a-Box” Solutions at BETT 2010, Olympia, London.

The “School-in-a-Box” solution is the first 21st Century ICT Infrastructure platform optimised for schools, nurseries and youth clubs requiring simple, affordable and easy to use, manage and support platform. “School-in-a-Box” is designed and packaged for forward-thinking educational institutions looking for advanced and feature-rich multi-service ICT platforms without the complexity and cost of traditional systems

“BETT attracts more than 30,000 visitors and brings together the global teaching and learning community for four days of innovations and inspirations and we intend to use this platform to communicate with our customers and channel partners on how they can benefit from our fully integrated solutions and our strategic partnerships like the one with Msona,” said David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, at Northgate. “The Msona product range is great at delivering secure, radically simple and reliable ICT infrastructure in one single robust box which can be managed by the school, Northgate or our channel partners,” Hyland added.

Msona offers All-in-One Multi-service Internet appliances known as the mBox 2000 series that consolidate up to eight networking, communications and IT devices. The mBox pre-integrates a simple and modular solution for schools’ ICT needs including Broadband gateway, shared and secured Internet access, telephony, data backup, security, remote access, resource sharing, email, web servers and collaboration applications. Acting as the main access gateway to the Internet, the mBox offers the ability to host schools’ public websites and Intranets as well as run a secure email infrastructure for staff and pupils. The device offers the full capability to monitor Internet usage, filter access to inappropriate material and content on the web while blocking viruses and spam from reaching school’s network. Msona also offers a range of cloud computing based services known as mRepublic which complement the applications running on the mBox and enhance the schools’ quality of experience for web presence, security updates as well as maximum uptime and availability of ICT services.

Rami Houbby, Msona’s Vice President of Business Development, commented, “The
“School-in-a-Box” offering is an innovative solution brought to market by top education focused system integrator and leading-edge European technology manufacturer to deliver easy-to-use and affordable ICT solutions that cater for schools, nurseries and youth clubs across the UK and Ireland”. “We are looking forward to participating at the event together with our partners Northgate to demonstrate our joint determination to offer our customers best-in-class solutions tailored to the education market,” Houbby added.

The mBox offers educational institutions the ability to securely connect to the Internet over Broadband while providing an environment for hosting web-based applications and collaboration tools to develop communities and interest groups that span across the institution and its community to include pupils, staff, parents and other schools.

Msona products showcased on Northgate’s BETT stand are:
• mBox 2000 Multi-service Internet Appliances
• mPhone M6730i IP Phone
• mPhone M6755i IP Phone

mBox 2000 Key features:

• Internet presence:
o Fully integrated web presence and domain management enables schools to
locally host and manage their own websites for greater performance,
reliability, control and security.

• Secure web-browsing
o Blocking inappropriate material on the Internet and enforcing school’s Internet usage policies where access to all network services is controlled by passwords providing a greater level of security. Through detailed and extensive filtering of content categories, all information delivered to the school is guaranteed to be appropriate for minors’ access.

• Unified IP Communications Infrastructure
o Full-featured PBX delivering many telephony features tightly integrated with email so teaching staff can communicate better and never misses a phone call!

• Anti-Virus and Anti-Spam
o All emails are scanned for spam and virus signatures before being delivered offering total protection.

• Secure Internet Access
o A built-in firewall protects the school’s network from Internet attacks.

• Network Access Control
o Protecting the school’s network from the inside with seamless access admission control over wired and wireless networks to control who can go where on the network.

• Local e-mail delivery
o All internal communications are delivered locally. No need for email messages to go up and down the Internet link and use up valuable Internet bandwidth

• Round-the-clock Collaboration
o Full groupware and collaboration functionality for Microsoft Outlook users.

• Remote Connectivity
o Staff members as well as pupils with access permission can access school’s resources from their homes or while travelling so pupils can engage and interact with teachers and other students as well as access homework assignments and lesson material even while not at school.

mPhone M6730i IP Phone Key features:

• Exceptional Value in an entry level IP Phone
• Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
• Auto-provisioning of extensions from mBox
• Basic LCD screen display
• AC power adapter (included)
• 10/100 RJ-45 Interface

mPhone M6755i IP Phone Key features:

• Exceptional Value in an advanced level IP Phone
• Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
• Auto-provisioning of extensions from mBox
• Large LCD screen display
• Power Over Ethernet (POE) support
• AC power adapter (included)
• 2 x 10/100 Switched RJ-45 Interfaces

Managed Services appointed selected bidder for ICT provision in Hartlepool Borough Councils' Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), a leading provider of ICT services and solutions, has been announced as Hartlepool Borough Council’s selected bidder for the supply of ICT in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Subject to final contract negotiations and a successful financial close the parties intend to enter into a contract by February 2010.

This contract valued at £12.98m is Northgate’s first ICT-only contract in the BSF programme and builds on success in Bristol, Leicester, Kent, Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton. The BSF investment aims to build on the very good standards in Hartlepool by transforming learning in all secondary schools through innovative building designs and personalised learning for all learners.

Northgate will deliver ICT services to seven schools in Hartlepool; Dyke House Sports and Technology College,; Manor College of Technology, St. Hilds C of E School, English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College, Catcote Business and Enterprise College , High Tunstall College of Science and the Pupil Referral Unit. The investment allows for the provision and management of the very latest innovative learning and teaching tools creating technology-rich learning spaces which are responsive, inclusive and supportive of attainment by all.

Northgate will also be supporting Hartlepool’s “Space to Learn” project which is a nationally recognized project to provide a testbed environment to develop and enhance teaching and learning in the 21st century. It will consist of flexible learning spaces and innovative technologies which will be used by all schools within Hartlepool supported by Hartlepool’s City Learning Centre and in partnership with Northgate Managed Services, to deliver change.

Northgate already supplies managed services to over 1,200 school and college networks across the UK and is responsible for 17 schools currently benefitting from BSF investment as well as providing interim managed services to an additional 10 BSF schools. This is Northgate’s fifth BSF contract win, in addition to recent success in the single schools and academies market.

Councillor Cath Hill, Hartlepool Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Hartlepool schools and the council are really excited about the BSF programme and the opportunities this presents for all learners across the town. The council is looking forward to working with Northgate Managed Services in a true partnership agreement to build on the current good practice that already exists.”

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services said: “We are delighted to be chosen as selected bidder for Hartlepool Borough Council and look forward to working closely with the schools and council to achieve both individual school objectives and those of the borough as a whole”

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices.

Consortium of Authorities in South East Wales extend shared services partnership with Northgate

2010-01-11T00:00:00+01:00

Following recent successes, six Authorities in South East Wales, acting as a consortium, and Northgate Public Services today announce that they have renewed their shared services partnership for a further five years. The partnership is focused on the delivery of cost-effective IT solutions for Social Services.

The announcement follows the implementation of the Unified Assessment Process for Adults (UAP) and the Integrated Children’s System (ICS) across the Authorities in the consortium working cooperatively with Northgate.

UAP and ICS offer a holistic approach to assessing and managing people’s needs through an integrated approach across all care agencies, delivering care packages that promote the independence of the service user.

The consortium has employed a project manager and other dedicated staff and has aligned processes and data collection mechanisms across the Authorities in key areas. This brings added value by enabling further alignment of training, support and report development.

The partnership with Northgate has resulted in a number of tangible benefits for service users and staff. These include more effective and accessible services by reducing the need for different assessments by different agencies; a reduction in paper processes, reducing manual error and maximising efficiency; and considerable savings as processes are shared across all authorities.

The partnership is committed to expanding and progressing its information sharing initiatives to meet its overall goal where it is able to share information with all of its partners including other local Authorities in Wales.

Ellis Williams, Director of Social Services, Rhondda Cynon Taff Council and Chair of the South East Wales consortium said: “By sharing procurement and services, we have been able to develop a system which is responsive to the needs of our users and helps our staff deliver a joined up service built around personal needs, which also reflects value to the tax payer. We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Northgate. They are a trusted partner and a safe pair of hands that have given us the confidence to build a social care business which is truly aligned to the needs of our local communities.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are very proud of the work that our partnership with the South East Wales consortium has produced so far. We believe that shared services and joined up working can transform social care, not only for individuals, but for communities. At a time of unprecedented demand and limited resources, the consortium has shown how innovative delivery can be richly enhanced by local development.”

-Ends-

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

1. The South East Wales Consortium is a partnership between the local authorities of Caerphilly, Newport, Monmouth, Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr, and Rhondda Cynon-Taff. The Consortium, which covers 28% of Wales, serves the needs of more that 25,000 adults and 6,000 children. It was set up to transform the provision of social care services in the region through shared service delivery.

Travis Perkins selects the right tools from NorthgateArinso - HR contract renewed to strengthen workforce support

2010-01-11T00:00:00+01:00

Travis Perkins, a leading UK supplier in the building and construction industry, has re-signed its contract with NorthgateArinso to continue using its payroll and HR management solution until 2014. The firm has also introduced self-service functionality for its 25,000 employees.

Travis Perkins has used the HR and payroll software for the past nine years. It allows HR and employees from other departments to better manage processes in-house, from pay to absence management and training.

John Smith, IT Manager, at Travis Perkins commented: “We are highly self-sufficient when it comes to our internal IT systems. We have renewed our contract with NorthgateArinso, as we feel its HR service matches our high standards.

“The solution has served us very well over the last nine years and it was not a difficult decision to re-sign, it is important that we have every confidence in our HR and payroll systems.”

Malcolm Aldis, UK managing director at NorthgateArinso, said: “Renewing this contract will give us the opportunity to maintain the strong relationship we have built with the company. We’ve demonstrated our value through streamlining all HR processes and aligning our functionality to meet the needs of the business and will continue to do so in the future.”

Notes to editors

About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso, the HR division of Northgate Information Solutions, was created in 2007 following the acquisition of ARINSO International, thus creating a merged entity with more than half a century of combined HR expertise.

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software and services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune™ 500 companies and many public sector organisations.

Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

NorthgateArinso’s 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, best-of-breed software solutions, outsourcing services and systems integration. NorthgateArinso has offices in 32 countries on 5 continents.

About Travis Perkins
A major PLC, Travis Perkins is a leading company in the builders’ merchant and home improvement markets, and is a main supplier to the building and construction market, one of the largest industries in the UK. The company operates eight businesses - Travis Perkins, Keyline, City Plumbing Supplies, CCF, Benchmarx, Wickes, Tile Giant and Toolstation - and has over 1,200 branches across the UK.

For more information

Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586

Empowering local authorities key to tackling fuel poverty

2010-01-04T00:00:00+01:00

More power and resources should be handed to local authorities in order to combat climate change and reduce fuel poverty in our local communities asserts Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the Welsh Assembly Government’s consultation on fuel poverty strategy, Northgate argues that the issue of climate change is so severe that a statutory role for local authorities in addressing energy efficiency is now essential. The organisation points out that local authorities are well placed to take into account specific issues of social equity and economic deprivation which are essential to combating fuel poverty at a local level. Northgate also calls upon the Assembly Government, the UK Government and local authorities to work together to encourage the take-up of energy advice and benefits to those affected by fuel poverty.

In their response, Northgate also outline a number of other recommendations, including:

• that services, such as health and education, should work together in order to provide a holistic approach to combating fuel poverty;
• that any reporting system take into account variables in order to ensure progress can be accurately measured;
• that information is readily available to citizens, and provided where necessary by frontline workers.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We welcome the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to eradicating fuel poverty in Wales. Given the economic climate, fuel poverty is an issue which is affecting more and more people. But the severity of the issue means that now is the time to take drastic action. By giving local authorities more powers to promote energy efficiency, communities will benefit from localised, specialised advice that meets their needs. Local authorities are better placed to co-ordinate collaborative action from a range of services that seeks to help those most at risk from fuel poverty.”

-Ends-

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7324 6221; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7324 6222; 07949 421356

Notes to editors
1. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Northgate gains place on Software Application Solutions framework agreement

2009-12-22T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announced that it has been successful in being awarded a place on the Software Application Solutions framework agreement by Buying Solutions, the national procurement partner for UK public services.

Launched on 17 December 2009, the new framework agreement provides end-to-end application solutions or individual elements and includes consultancy, integration with existing systems, data migration, training and ongoing maintenance.

Northgate has been included in all of the four Lots it was invited to tender for. All of Northgate’s application solutions can be bought through the new framework agreement. The framework agreement runs for two years with options to extend for a further two years.

Northgate’s applications are available via the following Lots:

• Lot 1 – Bespoke Applications
• Lot 2 – Customer/Citizen Relationship Management and Case Management Solutions
• Lot 3 – Document and Records Management Solutions
• Lot 5 – Information Management Applications

Kris Ross, Senior Software Category Manager said today: “We are delighted to be working alongside Northgate Information Solutions on the Software Application Solutions framework agreement, an integral vehicle for providing individual or end to end software solutions, for the lifetime of the framework agreement.”

Peter Rottier, Managing Director of Northgate’s Buying Solutions Business said:
“We are delighted to offer our solutions through this new framework agreement. It offers public services the opportunity to invest in value for money support in delivering effective, efficient and innovative public services. Now more then ever, it is essential that public services get better for less. The framework agreement is a crucial element to achieving this.”

-Ends-

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

4. The Lots that Northgate have been awarded are as follows:

Lot 1 Bespoke Applications
Services in this Lot may include solution identification, design, development, implementation, data take-on, migration, integration and security; user training, maintenance, application hosting and support for a range of applications. It may also cover the prototyping, configuring, tailoring and integration of existing products and also include some goods and services as part of a wider solution.

Lot 2 Customer/Citizen Relationship Management And Case Management Solutions
Provides for Customer/Citizen Relationship Management and Case Management solutions which may include solution identification, design, development, implementation, data take-on, migration, integration and security; user training, maintenance and support or managed service. It may also cover the prototyping, configuring or tailoring of existing products and also include some goods and services as part of a wider solution. Including the provision of call and contact centre and similar operational services.

Lot 3 Document & Records Management Solutions
Provides for Document and Records Management solutions which may include solution identification, design, development, implementation, data take-on, migration, integration and security; user training, maintenance and support as part of a wider solution. It may also cover the prototyping, configuring or tailoring of existing products and also include some goods and services as part of a wider solution.

Lot 5 Information Management Applications
Provides for Information Management application solutions or amendment of existing solutions which may include solution identification, design, development, implementation, data take-on, migration, integration and security; user training, maintenance and support. It may also cover the prototyping, configuring or tailoring of existing products and include some goods and services as part of a wider solution. This lot also covers data management services which may include Data Interfacing, Data Integration, Data Governance, Data Analysis, Data Architecture, Data Modelling, Data Management, Data Security, Data Quality Management, Master Data Management, Data Warehousing, Business Intelligence, Content Management and Meta Data Management

Stop the empty property rot says Northgate

2009-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

Billions of pounds are being wasted by the soaring problem of empty homes. Many of these properties continue to benefit from a 50 per cent discount for council tax, according to a leading provider of transformation services, which is calling on the government to stop the empty property rot that blights our local communities.

Northgate Public Services is today backing the call for a national strategy to end the scandal of empty property. It is demanding that government takes urgent action following the publication of the latest authoritative reports by the Audit Commission and Halifax Building Society in the last two months. It wants government to:

• remove the discretionary council tax on empty properties
• consider allowing local authorities to impose punitive levels of council tax for property for very long term empty properties
• introduce a statutory duty for local authorities to develop empty property strategies
• reduce VAT from 17.5% to 5% for the refurbishment of empty properties
• give housing associations the right to apply to the Homes and Communities Agency for the repair and purchase of run down empty homes
• enable empty properties in the public sector to be transferred to parts of the public sector or housing associations under the Public Request Disposal Order system which allows the public to request the disposal of empty public sector property

The latest Halifax Survey result shows that the number of long term private empty homes has risen to 303,285, the highest level since April 2003. There is a clear inequality gap and North/South Divide. Empty properties are associated with higher levels of deprivation – such as lower earnings and more unemployment. The recent Audit Commission report shows that by bringing only five per cent of empty homes back in to use, councils could cut their homelessness costs by as much as £500 million. Every £1 spent on providing housing support for vulnerable people can save nearly £2 in reduced costs of health services, tenancy failure, crime and residential care.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Many of the local authorities that we work with have good policies to tackle empty homes. Yet others are doing too little or nothing at all. My fear is that things will only get worse and not better. Therefore, we are calling on the government to attack the pernicious waste of empty property in our local communities, to introduce a statutory duty for local authorities, and to stop the council tax discount that is of negative public value. Why should we pay for the waste of an empty home when our council taxes could be better spent on promoting community well being? It is simply an economic nonsense that the government must not tolerate in an economic downturn.”

[Ends]

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

3. 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 nearly 8,000 employees. To support local authorities deliver their empty homes strategies, the company has recently launched an empty homes service that is supporting local councils to bring empty properties back into use.

£6.5m ICT services contract to deliver key efficiencies

2009-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

North Lanarkshire Council has forged an ICT Service Delivery Partnership worth £6.5m with leading ICT company, Northgate Managed Services (Northgate).

The five-year contract is part of the council’s drive to operate more efficiently and cost effectively in line with the Efficient Government programme impacting all Scottish Local Authorities.

The Partnership will support the Council’s ICT Strategy supporting over 8,000 IT users across 220 sites ultimately helping the Council to provide high quality services to its citizens.

With the rise in users’ expectations of what constitutes a high quality ICT service, Northgate’s Managed Service offers a flexible solution allowing for increased user productivity and satisfaction.

At the heart of the service is an ITIL Service Desk supported by continuous remote monitoring of the Council’s network and infrastructure.

The service, modelled on industry best practice, will promote high first time fix rates and ensure incidents and problems are managed efficiently.

The Service Desk together with the dedicated on-site team will provide an integrated managed service, supplemented where required with resources drawn across Northgate ensuring maximum flexibility and efficient delivery.

As part of the Partnership, Northgate will also provide support for ICT projects enabling the share of innovation and continuous improvements.

North Lanarkshire Council Finance Convener Councillor John Pentland said: “The council needed a partner with a long standing commitment to Scotland, one who will provide high quality services that will best assist us in achieving our vision to ‘put Service and People First.’

“Northgate’s approach fits in with our desire to address new ways of doing things.”

Commenting on the partnership, James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services said, “We are excited by the prospect of working with the council and feel that our strengths and capabilities in this market will allow us to bring innovative and value added ideas to the partnership on a regular basis.”

He continued, “We are strongly committed to the region, and to Scotland in general, where we have been conducting business for some 30 years now.

“Our aim is to develop North Lanarkshire as our Regional Centre of Excellence, bringing in more employment to the council area and supporting the local community wherever we can.”

NorthgateArinso to provide human resources solutions and services to AstraZeneca

2009-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso, a leading global Human Resources (HR) software & services provider, today announced it has signed a seven-year, multi-million pound contract to provide global HR software and services to AstraZeneca, a major international healthcare business.

The decision to work with NorthgateArinso to provide HR support services is part of AstraZeneca’s long term corporate initiative to improve efficiency and reduce costs. NorthgateArinso will provide AstraZeneca with the support and expertise to help achieve these goals:

•      Streamlining and consolidating HR services and solutions onto its globally deployed euHReka HR services platform, powered by SAP
•      Providing in-country payroll services from its global delivery network for over 100 countries
•      Delivering HR administration and talent management services from HR service centres in Manila, Buenos Aires, Granada and Katowice

AstraZeneca has approximately 65,000 employees in over 100 countries.

“This agreement underscores our global delivery capabilities and the unique benefits of our euHReka platform with standardised out-of-the box HR processes and services. Employees, managers and HR professionals can now benefit from easy-to-use self-service applications, accessible for everyone over the Internet, across 105 countries supporting a wide range of local languages,” commented Mike Ettling, CEO at NorthgateArinso.

“Our investment in a software-based OnDemand HR outsourcing platform changes the HR outsourcing landscape as it efficiently leverages a multi-tenant HR solution while avoiding the pitfalls and risk associated with traditional mega-deals. A standard and straightforward HR services solution empowering employees, managers and HR teams is what drives our vision as a global workforce administration, payroll and talent management service provider. Together with our partners SAP and BDO, this agreement illustrates our commitment to delivering HR excellence across the globe,” continued Ettling.

“We were pleased to find a service provider that can administer and pay all of our employees across more than 100 countries supporting an impressive number of local languages. Our search for a service provider and solution has been anchored by a strong desire to improve the experience for our employees and leaders,” said Penny Stoker, VP Global HR Services for AstraZeneca.

About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com>

For more information:

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & www.lewismediacentre.com

Citizen services in Melton Borough Council improve in record time

2009-12-16T00:00:00+01:00

A partnership between Melton Borough Council and Northgate Public Services has led to the rapid improvement of services for local citizens, at a time when hard pressed local authorities are faced with increased demand for quality public services.

Northgate’s citizen relationship management solution was installed in just twelve weeks, faster than the standard time of four to five months for such systems. The partnership enables Melton Borough Council to provide better and faster services. Council staff benefit from seamless integration with back office systems that grant them with access to all the information they require. As a result, citizens can get reliable answers to their queries on council tax and benefits at the first point of contact.

The innovative solution has proven vital to the rural area of Melton. Citizens now have better services available to them with a reduced need to travel. Council staff also benefit from a simple interface, an easy to learn system and speeded up transactions. The user friendly nature of the system has allowed Melton to empower non-specialist advisors, freeing up specialist staff.

Melton Borough Council has been working with Northgate since 1992, using Northgate systems in revenues and benefits and housing, providing the highest quality service to its citizens in the most cost-efficient way.

Jill Simpson, Customer Services Manager, Melton Borough Council said: “The implementation went extremely smoothly. This solution gives us an easy to use platform for handling citizen queries reliably at the first point of contact. Northgate staff ensured that the system went live on time and without problems.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services said today: “We are very proud of the work we are doing with Melton Borough Council. Whilst the Council gains from the quick implementation of the service, it is the local citizens that benefit from better and faster services. Every member of our local communities should enjoy high quality public services, especially those considered most vulnerable, and that is what Melton has achieved.”

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

4. ‘Front Office’ is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information.

Mycompanyfleet identifies five-point plan for fleets for 2010

2009-12-14T00:00:00+01:00

With the UK still in recession, fleet cost control will continue to be the key priority for most companies in 2010. Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet has devised a five-point plan for fleet managers to help them keep costs under control by tackling five key issues: the grey fleet, fuel management, vehicle utilisation, fleet servicing and data entry.

Most companies look set to keep a tight control on all aspects of corporate expenditure next year, as the UK economy struggles to recover from the depths of recession. Julie Jenner, chairman of the Association of Car Fleet Operators, underlined the point recently in confirming that she expects there to be three key priorities for fleets next year – cost, cost and cost.

Mycompanyfleet has identified five key areas of cost control that, with the appropriate use of fleet management software, will improve cost effectiveness for fleet managers.

1 Grey fleet management
An often-invisible cost that the BVRLA, amongst others, calculates is too high on most fleets. Mycompanyfleet offers a solution through its intuitive Driver Self-Serve web portal, which stipulates that drivers sign a declaration confirming that their cars have been regularly checked and serviced in accordance with manufacturer instructions before they can claim their business mileage expenses.

This not only also meets duty of care requirements by confirming vehicle condition, but reduces administration time and costs as drivers are required to verify and input mileages themselves. The system also proactively informs the driver of the number of miles before the next service is due and when the vehicle will need to be booked in for a service to be carried out.

2 Fuel management
The average price of diesel has passed the £5 a gallon mark, and is set to go higher from January following the Pre-Budget Report, putting the emphasis on controlling fuel costs and cutting business miles. This can be achieved by the use of fuel cards integrated within the fleet management system, linked to the use of exception reporting to highlight those drivers who are exceeding pre-agreed spending parameters.

The use of fuel management modules, such as Mycompanyfleet’s ‘fuel optimiser‘, which identifies the most fuel-efficient cars and vans from all major motor manufacturers, can also help fleet managers select the right mix for the fleet. They can also be used to produce fuel cost reports of existing fleet models to flag up the best and worst performers, showing which vehicles and drivers are the most expensive for the company to operate.

3 Vehicle utilisation
Fleet managers can cut vehicle hire costs through better utilisation of vehicles already on the fleet. Vehicles that are freed up when employees leave through redundancy or natural wastage can often lay unused for days sometimes weeks before they are re-allocated or returned to the vehicle supplier.

By using a fleet management system, such as Mycompanyfleet’s FleetAcumen platform, to log and pinpoint the location of all vehicles it is possible to keep a much closer control of the whereabouts of vehicles across different sites at various locations.

The system can be pre-set to flag up when vehicles become free across multiple locations within the business, allowing the fleet manager to take the appropriate action to re-allocate vehicles as quickly and effectively as possible, so avoiding expensive extra hire charges.

4 Fleet servicing
By utilising up to date vehicle information including mileage details, the current generation of fleet management software systems flag up, through exception reporting, those vehicles due for servicing, well in advance of their allotted service interval. This ensures that service intervals are not missed, which would invalidate vehicle warranties, and that the fleet does not face the potential for expensive corrective maintenance bills.

5 Data entry
Fleet managers can reduce administration costs and time by the use of modern fleet management systems which allow data input from third parties, including drivers and suppliers. Systems, like FleetAcumen, integrate with the back office of leasing companies, for example, which avoids the need for time-consuming double-keying of data. Key information such as monthly vehicle contract hire rates can be integrated seamlessly within the company system without the need for manual intervention, saving both time and money.

Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, said: “Without doubt the major focus for fleet operators next year will be tighter cost control.

“We have devised a five-point plan for fleet managers which we believe will have a significant impact on fleet costs and will be able to help save between10 and 15% of total fleet operating costs.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet
Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Wellingborough invests in radical improvements to its front line services

2009-12-10T00:00:00+01:00

Over 75,000 citizens in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, are set to benefit from radically improved front line services thanks to a new initiative from their local council and Northgate Public Services.

The Borough Council of Wellingborough is implementing Northgate’s citizen relationship management solution (CRM), which will provide a better, more efficient and more responsive service.

The development will deliver measurable benefits to the local community and council employees alike. Among other improvements, Northgate’s CRM will:
• increase the number of queries dealt with at the first point of contact
• raise citizen satisfaction through better services
• empower employees to enhance the quality, consistency and range of services they offer by equipping them with information to satisfy enquiries from citizens
• ensure efficiencies across the Council’s services
• support an associated initiative to enable citizens to make better use of the Internet to obtain services and information.

Lyn Martin-Bennison, Chief Executive of the Borough Council of Wellingborough, said today: “Our mission is to make Wellingborough a place we can all be proud of. We want to deliver efficient and high quality services for our local communities and we recognise that some of our systems need to be improved.

This is why we are delighted to work with Northgate. We were looking for a proven local government solution that would take our service delivery to the next level, drive future service improvements and increase efficiency. With Northgate, this is exactly what we have found. I am confident that investing in their solution will significantly enhance the quality of our citizens’ lives by improving the services they receive."

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said: “At Northgate, we focus exclusively on meeting the evolving demands of the public sector. We work closely with local authorities to maximise the benefits of collaboration. Our knowledge and expertise helps us to work in partnerships with our customers that enable citizens to enjoy the benefits of effective and efficient services.

“The Borough Council of Wellingborough looked for a solution capable of meeting the current and future needs of its citizens. While many areas in the Borough are relatively affluent, we want to reach less advantaged members of the community and ensure that they receive the services they deserve in the right way and at the right time.”
-Ends-

For more information

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. The Borough of Wellingborough is situated eleven miles from the county town of Northampton and just south of Kettering. It has a population of 75,500. Wellingborough has approximately 2,500 businesses within its boundaries.

2. 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 is core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

4. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% 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 nearly 8,000 employees.

5. Front Office is Northgate’s leading citizen relationship management system. It has an established reputation for helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers; track the progress of queries; and review performance while providing other management information.

Northgate Public Services gains gold award from Investors in People

2009-11-27T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services has achieved the highest recognition from Investors in People and achieved the Gold award. Less than two per cent of public and private sector organisations have achieved this elite status.

The prestigious award was awarded to its specialist transformation division, Northgate Kendric Ash, following a rigorous inspection process which judged the organisation on business strategy, learning and development strategy, people management strategy, leadership and management strategy, management effectiveness, recognition and reward, involvement and empowerment, learning and development, performance measurement and continuous improvement.

The Gold award represents achievement of world class best practice. It shows a truly cutting-edge organisation is operating at the very highest levels of people management practice using Investors in People to drive the business forward.

Trish Fraser, Managing Director at QSE said today: “The Northgate Kendric Ash division of Northgate Public Services has an empowering and highly supportive approach to people management which underpins their clear business goals. Their commitment to continuous improvement, their highest quality of standards and delivery of results are underpinned by a set of people focused values which are believed and lived by everyone in the company. This achievement of Investors in People Gold is a rare accomplishment of which all staff should be proud.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services added: “Our transformation business has had unprecedented success in working with people in the public sector to create better and efficient services built around the needs of all within the community, including the most disadvantaged. A central part of our strategies is that we offer organisations sustainable solutions by building up the capacity and capabilities of their own employees through skills transfer.

“We practice what we preach. Our investment in our people is an integral and vital part of our organisational development. Now more than ever, in times of unprecedented economic demand, it is essential to invest in people to provide them with the capability to respond to change through innovation.”

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows' Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Mycompanyfleet backs BVRLA's grey fleet position

2009-11-27T00:00:00+01:00

Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet is backing the British Vehicle Rental’s position on grey fleet drivers and agrees that employers should prevent staff from using their own vehicles for business, unless they can give proof that their car is roadworthy and insured.

The view came from BVRLA chief executive John Lewis, who, according to reports, told delegates at the Office of Government Commerce grey fleet conference last week that they needed to adopt a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on staff who were unable to prove that their vehicle was properly maintained and insured or give details of their driver licence status.

Mycompanyfleet recently launched its Driver Self-Serve portal to meet demand from fleet customers worried about the duty of care implications posed by their grey fleet drivers, and believes it has found the answer to the problem.

“We very much support the BVRLA’s position on grey fleet drivers and believe that fleet operators, perhaps especially those in the public sector, need to be seen to do more to verify the condition of their grey fleet vehicles,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, the automotive software division of NorthgateArinso.

“All too often we hear stories of the problems faced by fleet managers in verifying the condition of their grey fleet vehicles. Duty of care requirements state that companies must check and verify the condition of the vehicles that employees use on company business and that they are fit for purpose, even if employee-owned.

“Our new Driver Self-Serve not only tackles this problem, and provides a clear audit trail, but reduces the amount of administration time spent by the fleet manager as the drivers have to enter the mileage and service history details online themselves.

“Without that update and a signed agreement, the drivers do not receive their monthly mileage expenses - which is a major incentive for them to update the vehicle records as required,” he said.

Drivers, both grey fleet and company drivers, log on to the Driver Self-Serve portal and enter their current business mileages and their mileage expenses claims online as normal.

In doing so, they sign an agreement that they accept the company’s terms and conditions and that they have had their vehicle serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s approved service schedule, or with the company’s own bespoke servicing schedule.

Once the vehicle details and business mileages are entered by the driver, the fleet software system that sits behind the portal compares them against the manufacturer’s approved service schedule, and the company conditions, for the vehicle in question.

It then proactively informs the driver of the number of miles left before the next service or the next check and when the vehicle will need to be booked in for the service to be carried out.

“Used in this way, our Driver Self-System provides the fleet manager with a confirmation that a service has taken place and a record of the date, in an easily visible audit trail that meets duty of care requirements and effectively tackles grey fleet problems,” added Andrew Leech.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Ends

Contact information:

Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Northgate picks up top accolade at UK IT Industry Awards

2009-11-18T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services confirms its position as one of the UK’s leading IT providers after being named as IT Services Supplier of the Year.

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has been crowned Best IT Services Supplier of the Year at the British Computer Society (BCS) & Computing UK Industry Awards.

Up against several big names in the UK’s IT industry, Northgate beat the competition to secure the title based on investing in its people and communities without compromising on business growth. Northgate demonstrated high levels of customer satisfaction which resulted in a significantly increased order book and pipeline, winning new customers and renewing or extending all major contracts, whilst increasing permanent headcount and delivering innovative schemes for apprentices and graduates across the UK.

As a company, Northgate has consistently met its own challenging objectives to ensure the successful use of IT while continually exceeding the requirements and expectations of customers. With business growing and sales success on the up, Northgate is continuing to make headway across the UK, providing IT services to a wide portfolio of customers in a range of sectors such as AAH, Balfour Beatty, Viridian PLC, NI Water, DVA, Hartlepool Borough Council and Kent County Council.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services commented, “Our continued ability to successfully deliver IT systems across a breadth of sectors has enabled us to strengthen our business by winning over £100m in new contracts, increasing our order book by 85% to £185m and developing a sales pipeline in excess of £200m. The judges based their decision not only on our substantial business growth over the last 12 months but on our continued investment in our people and the communities we work in. We are delighted to have been able to showcase our achievements against some of the biggest players in the industry.“

David Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said: “This year’s Awards have been exceptional. I was delighted to take part in the judging day and witness firsthand the quality of the winners and medallists. To qualify as a finalist is terrific, to win is an absolutely fantastic achievement, and I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all those who took part. They not only provide examples of best practice but also demonstrate how IT is enabling today’s information society from entertainment to healthcare, manufacturing to retail.”

The UK IT Industry Awards see a new venture between BCS and Computing, merging the BCS IT Industry Awards and the Computing Awards for Excellence to create one platform for the entire profession to celebrate best practice, innovation and excellence.

Northgate was also short-listed for Promoting IT Professionalism Award.

Ends

Huge savings from whole life costs, says Mycompanyfleet

2009-11-18T00:00:00+01:00

Huge savings can be made from adopting a whole life cost approach when adding new vehicles to the fleet, and not relying on their upfront monthly leasing rentals or front end price, says Mycompanyfleet, the fleet software solutions provider and automotive division of NorthgateArinso.

For many fleet managers, a vehicle's monthly rental often helps them in their vehicle choice. However, this quick and easy snapshot is not an accurate method of assessing the true financial impact on the operation of a company fleet.

The true cost of a vehicle is its whole life cost which includes manufacturer discounts, taxation, national insurance, fuel economy and CO2 emissions. Special offer rentals that draw buyers in on a short term basis could end up costing more in the long run if you choose the wrong vehicle.

To illustrate the point, Mycompanyfleet compared two vehicles over a typical three year contract hire agreement - a Volkswagen Passat 1.8 Highline TSI 4dr and a BMW 320d ES 4dr.

At around £357 per month to contract hire, the BMW is some £30 per month more expensive than the Passat. But the Passat emits 178g/km of carbon dioxide compared to just 128g/km for the BMW.

And over three years, the Passat’s whole life costs are £23,255 including fuel, national insurance and the tax on the lease rental restriction as its emissions are above 160g/km, the limit at which cars can qualify for full deduction of their lease rentals against profits.

This compares unfavourably to the BMW’s whole life costs of £21,700, with the BMW’s lower CO2 output meaning that it is cheaper to operate over three years by more than £1,500.

Choosing cars that emit less than 160gm/km of carbon dioxide makes perfect sense as these are the most financially attractive under the new rules governing capital allowance and leasing rentals that were introduced in April this year.

Mycompanyfleet’s FleetHR and FleetAcumen software solutions are designed to help fleet managers make the right model choices, identify those which are the most cost efficient and help keep fleet operating costs under control.

Both fleet management systems use a traffic light system to rank each car on the policy list with an environmental rating, with the cleanest cars given a ‘green’ carbon rating and the most polluting, a ‘red’ one.

If the particular model is in the ‘red’, then it is above the 160g/km limit and the fleet manager has the option of introducing a financial penalty for choosing such vehicles, or insisting that drivers have to make a personal contribution towards its cost.

Similarly, financial incentives can be offered to drivers to choose those cars that fall within the ‘green’ zone, as there are both financial and environmental benefits for the company.

Mycompanyfleet business manager Andrew Leech said: “Moving as many cars as possible into the 160g/km or less category will not only offer clear whole life cost benefits, as well as reducing the fleet’s carbon footprint – and this in the perfect time to do it.

“We have designed our fleet management systems to allow fleet managers to help set fleet policy that cuts costs and rewards environmental initiative at the same time,” he said.

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet
Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Northgate Managed Services appointed preferred bidder for ICT provision in Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Councils' Building Schools for the Future programme

2009-11-17T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), a leading provider of ICT services and solutions, has been announced as Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Councils' preferred bidder for the supply of ICT in the £450million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

The new public private partnership consisting of Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Councils, Balfour Beatty Education and Partnerships for Schools (PfS) will refurbish or rebuild nine Blackburn with Darwen secondary schools (one phase) and 15 Bolton schools (three phases), providing flexible and attractive learning environments that better support learning. Northgate will provide and manage the very latest innovative learning and teaching tools to make learning more engaging and exciting.

Northgate already supplies managed services to over 1,200 school and college networks across the UK and is responsible for 14 out of 127 schools currently benefitting from BSF investment as well as providing interim managed services to an additional 10 BSF schools. This is Northgate’s fourth BSF contract win, in addition to recent success in the single schools and academies market.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services said: “We are delighted to be a part of the preferred bidder consortium for Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton. Northgate is in an outstanding position to supply state-of–the-art ICT managed services across the boroughs. By working in partnership with the schools and local authorities, we will be able to challenge the thinking of what is possible with ICT provision to help deliver personalised learning tailored to the needs, interests and aptitudes of their learners.”

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices.

Ends

Better vehicle utilisation can cut fleet hire costs, says Mycompanyfleet

2009-11-16T00:00:00+01:00

Fleet managers can cut rental and other vehicle hire costs through better utilisation of vehicles already on the fleet. That’s the view from Mycompanyfleet, the fleet software solutions provider and automotive division of NorthgateArinso, which says that companies can save money by improving the way they utilise the vehicles they already have.

Vehicles that are freed up when employees leave through redundancy or natural wastage can often lay unused for days sometimes weeks before they are re-allocated or returned to the vehicle supplier, especially in a multi-site situation.

Quite often they can be in locations very near to where they are required. In one example, a Mycompanyfleet customer that had been resorting to short term hire to meet local mobility needs, was able to identify that it had spare vehicles in the car park at another office only 20 minutes away through the use of its FleetHR fleet software system.

By utilising those spare vehicles back within the fleet, it was able to make savings running into thousands of pounds that would have otherwise been incurred in terms of short term hire costs.

By having all vehicle details entered and up-to-date on a fleet software system, such as FleetHR, it is possible to keep a much closer control of the whereabouts of vehicles across different sites at various locations.

FleetHR employs Mycompanyfleet’s acclaimed exception reporting methodology within a highly visual dashboard environment that highlights areas that require immediate management action.

This can be pre-set to flag up exceptions such as vehicles becoming free across multiple locations within the business, allowing the fleet manager to take the appropriate action to re-allocate vehicles as quickly and effectively as possible.

Andrew Leech, Mycompanyfleet business manager, said: “Companies are all too ready to bring in daily rental or short term hire vehicles to meet their short term mobility needs, without first taking stock of what vehicles they already have on the fleet which are currently being under-utilised.

“By having up-to-the-minute vehicle details on the fleet management system in real time, any changes to the status of a vehicle can immediately be flagged up, and that vehicle can then be reallocated to fill a short term need, thus avoiding additional hire costs.

“By keeping better control of all vehicles on the fleet through the fleet management system in this way, available vehicles can be matched to those locations where they are most needed and vehicle utilisation and cost control improved dramatically,” he added.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Focusing on data security

2009-11-16T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) addresses data security issues by sharing customer experiences to members of Scotland’s public sector on how leading-edge protection technology can safeguard citizens' data.

Northgate hosted a data security seminar at Falkirk Wheel for Scottish public sector representatives responsible for safeguarding public data. Following recent well publicised security breach incidents the seminar highlighted security issues to consider, the impact and the need to ensure that ICT systems are robust and offer the proper levels of security. Two public sector organisations within Scotland shared their experiences managing data security for large public sector organisations, the solutions which have been put in place, results and future plans.

James Turnbull, Managing Director, Northgate Managed Services, Scotland added, “The issue of data security is one that is affecting more and more organisations in today’s technology-based business environment. It is important for data management to be carefully monitored and constantly reviewed, this seminar was an excellent platform to identify areas of concern around data security and discuss the solutions which are available to address these issues.”

One size doesn't fit all! - schools and academies to transform learning supported by ICT with Northgate Managed Services' personalised solutions

2009-11-11T00:00:00+01:00

Every school and academy across the country can now benefit from a truly personalised ICT solution tailored to the needs of staff and students with Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/education). Building upon its significant experience working with Building Schools for the Future programmes in Leicester, Kent and Bristol, Northgate is now working with a plethora of exceptional centres of learning, including Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough, Bristol Cathedral Choir School in Bristol, Havelock Academy in Grimsby and Litherland High School and Abraham Guest High School, one school BSF Pathfinder projects school in Sefton and Wigan.

Every school has its own development and improvement plan so Northgate takes a flexible approach to solutions and designs the service to each school’s needs. Appreciating the individuality of every school and the concept that one size doesn’t fit all, Northgate’s team works closely with the leadership team from the outset to foster a flexible, dynamic partnership to support this vision and ultimately help to transform learning. Northgate’s services are built from a number of key components including, infrastructure design and installation, device and software procurement, service desk, problem and incident management, infrastructure management and remote management and monitoring. The service is designed to meet the needs of the school and can also include elements of outsourcing of technical and support staff.

Northgate believes it is employed to challenge as well as support a school’s ICT provision so it is vital that there is a constant two-way dialogue. Both parties need to be continuously engaged and challenge each other every step of the process to improve ICT provision. For example, Northgate’s team will analyse the efficiency of existing resources before making recommendations for new technology so believe feedback from the school about the current efficiency, usage and uptake of technologies is vital.

Northgate’s approach to TUPE* (whereby school ICT technicians work directly for the company) is helping to improve standards, ensure a smooth transition for ICT and ultimately transfer risk, establishing confidence across the school community. As schools face the challenge of developing a shared vision for ICT, this approach ensures that Northgate’s team of professionals gain a much deeper understanding of the different ICT needs and issues experienced by individual schools. It also helps to build a solid working relationship imperative for successful change management. Working alongside school technicians from such an early point also means that extensive evaluation of existing resources can be carried out to ensure best value for the school.

Abraham Guest High School, the BSF One School Pathfinder in Wigan, is due to open its doors in spring 2010. Keen to implement robust technologies which facilitate anytime true personalised learning for students, its senior leadership team is working closely with Northgate to ensure solutions are tailored to the needs of staff and students and will also stand the test of time. The new school will be fully wireless-enabled allowing students to access their work via a range of fixed, mobile and handheld devices wherever they are in the building. This will also help staff to achieve their vision of delivering anytime, anywhere learning for every student.

Roy Caslake, Headteacher at Abraham Guest High School, comments: “It is vital that all our partners share the common goal of building a learning environment which is meaningful for students of the future. From the outset, Northgate has been incredibly flexible and adaptable in its approach and as a result, truly understands and has helped shape our school’s vision. A relationship built upon confidence and trust is so important so all our heads of department, teachers and students have been involved in this vision. Technology is moving so fast that we are already adapting parts of the ICT so Northgate’s flexible approach is enabling us to achieve great things.”

Exciting technology plans for the new school include Northgate’s Thin Client solution which will enable students to log-on to any computer, anywhere and access the school’s full range of applications, and the school’s ‘Faraday Project’ which aims to incorporate science into the building and grounds. Northgate is integrating technology to take readings from the school’s new wind turbine, 60-year clock and a Knowledge Garden which will see waste products from the science blocks filtered into a tank and pumped through reed beds to create recyclable water. All this data will be available on the school’s intranet for staff and students to interpret in class.

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or contact our Schools and Academies team via email info@northgate-is.com

*The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations

Teachers across the country join Northgate Managed Services' experts to share best practice for ICT at BETT 2010!

2009-11-04T00:00:00+01:00

** BETT PREVIEW 2010 *** BETT PREVIEW 2010 ***

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES,
STAND D70,
BETT 2010,
OLYMPIA, LONDON,
13-16 JANUARY 2010

Teachers from around the UK will be joining experts from Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/education) on stand D70 at BETT 2010 to share best practice for ICT to enhance learning. Teachers and technology partners will be running Northgate’s Seminar Zone throughout the show, discussing their personal experiences of the dynamic partnership with the ICT specialist and the innovative ways they use technology to engage and improve learning for students. Visitors to the stand can also learn about the benefits of Northgate’s ICT managed service by entering its Interactive Video Pod where they will be able to explore some of Northgate’s schools..

Teachers can also visit Northgate’s School Demonstration Area where each day a teacher will be promoting innovative usage of ICT that they are using to engage students. For example, using the Apple iPod Touch as a teaching tool in music classes

Working closely with many Building Schools of the Future (BSF), Academies and Pathfinder schools Northgate is keen to share its vast experience and expertise in the field of ICT and demonstrate how a flexible, dynamic partnership between ICT provider and school can support transformation in learning. Northgate’s team will be available throughout BETT to discuss the benefits of a Managed Service for those schools due to embark on BSF; helping to improve standards, ensure a smooth transition for ICT and ultimately transfer risk, establishing confidence across the school community.

Each and every school has its own development and improvement plan so Northgate takes a flexible approach to solutions and personalises service delivery to each school's needs. Northgate believes it is employed to challenge as well as support a school’s ICT provision so it is vital that there is a constant two-way dialogue. Both parties need to be continuously engaged and challenge each other every step of the process to improve ICT provision. For example, Northgate’s team will analyse the efficiency of existing resources before making recommendations for new technology so believe feedback from the school about the current efficiency, usage and uptake of technologies is vital.

In the Interactive Video Pod, visitors can submerge themselves in the real-life experiences of schools currently working with Northgate. Just one of many engaging case studies, teachers will hear from Hugh Christie Technology College in Tonbridge, Kent; a state foundation, mixed PFI school, which is at the forefront of introducing innovative resources to improve the learning experience for its students. Collaborating with Northgate, Hugh Christie is engaged in a ‘discovery programme’ using the company’s expertise to maximise its ICT efficiency and to offer students the best education.

Just one of a number of key seminars held at the show, Northgate will be discussing the company’s approach to TUPE*, whereby school ICT technicians work directly for Northgate. Helping to improve standards for ICT within schools and ensure a high level and continuity of service, Northgate is working with school technicians to determine their skill levels, providing professional training, guidance and support. This combined with early engagement makes the process much more effective and less stressful, ensuring technician time is better channelled into supporting staff and developing the school’s new ICT strategy.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “Our extensive experience of working closely with schools has taught us that a relationship built upon openness, flexibility and trust enables a partnership to innovate, challenge and ultimately improve learning through ICT. We welcome teachers from all schools, whether they are beginning BSF, an academy, or a single school to come along to our stand and meet our teachers, partners and team to hear more about how we can support them in their transformation.”

Northgate will be running seminars throughout the show exploring many different topics including those dedicated to specific pieces of technology and schools’ personal experiences. For further information about Northgate and its seminars, please email info@northgate-is.com or check the website for regular updates www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

*The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations

Truro and Penwith College scores top marks with NorthgateArinso - college implements flexible HR and payroll platform to deliver more efficient HR to all staff

2009-11-04T00:00:00+01:00

Truro and Penwith College has signed a seven-year deal with NorthgateArinso to implement ResourceLink Aurora, its web-enabled HR and payroll solution.

Prompted by changes with its current bureau service and the desire to achieve an integrated HR and payroll solution, the College has chosen the ResourceLink Aurora solution to provide a more efficient and flexible back office service for HR and payroll. The overall strategy is to deliver a more joined up service for employees, supporting their day-to-day activities, with an emphasis on empowering Team Leaders and staff across the college to concentrate on the key issue of supporting students.

As ResourceLink Aurora is delivered via the web as a zero footprint solution, the system will deliver significant savings by reducing paper flow and duplication of data. From an IT perspective, the College is able to deploy the solution through a web browser, utilising web technologies. This will not only reduce the day-to-day management that can hamper more traditional client server applications, but also open up the opportunity for greater accessibility from home.

The solution is highly configurable, meaning processes can be streamlined and personalised to an employee’s role or task. It puts vital information at the fingertips of each person in the HR and finance team, giving them the tools and data needed to do their jobs in an integrated view. Managers and staff members will be able to interact with HR and have their own self-service view of the information they need, wherever they go.

Andy Goodman, project manager for Truro and Penwith College, said: “We have ambitious plans and we're keen to make use of the web-enabled technologies in ResourceLink Aurora to drive forward our HR and payroll strategy. We will be able to streamline our working practices, bringing payroll and HR information together so that it can be used efficiently and intelligently on one platform. It was important to select a tried and tested supplier that was keen to work in partnership with us. NorthgateArinso invested time in us during the evaluation process and the company has proven it has a strong relationship with other colleges”.

Dave Proctor, business development director for NorthgateArinso, said: “We’ve worked closely with the College to bring the HR team a more efficient way of working with all the benefits of an e-HR solution, based on a proven and reliable platform. Additionally, we have created a Further Education User Group to work with us on ongoing developments in our ResourceLink Aurora Solution. We look forward to embracing Truro and Penwith College into this community and seeing them deliver the best HR in line with the College’s strategic objectives”.

(437 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.
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For information:
Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & www.lewismediacentre.com

Councils could save up to £90 million a year in council tax

2009-10-28T00:00:00+01:00

Over seven million pounds has been saved since 2008 by local authorities working in partnership with Northgate Public Services through targeting ineligible discounts for single people claiming council tax according to figures released today as the company mounts a campaign to persuade other councils to gain significant additional revenue of up to £90 million by taking advantage of its self-funding service.

In unique public private partnerships that link fees to performance, offering councils a self-financing approach to sharing risk with the private sector, Northgate provides local authorities with a fully managed Single Person Discount Review Service. This helps to promote revenue assurance as an integral part of transforming revenue and benefits services based upon citizen needs. Local authorities who sign up only pay up when cancellations have generated a direct cashable saving. Councils who have benefited from the service include Kirklees and Walsall.

Since 2008 twenty three local authorities have taken advantage of this service, with over 500,000 records reviewed, and 30,000 ineligible discounts removed. This has generated £7.8 million of savings to the local authorities at a time when the public sector is under great pressure to make further efficiencies.

A recent Audit Commission report has highlighted the fact that council taxpayers could be losing as much as £2 million a week to people who are ineligibly claiming single person discount on their council tax (Protecting the Public Purse – Local Government Fighting Fraud, September 2009).

Northgate offers councils a service which:
• provides the most accurate reporting of occupancy status available - using the most extensive data sources including over 300 million name and address links;
• covers the electoral register, over 400 million credit records and Mosaic lifestyle data on over 10 million households and individuals;
• reaffirms the vast majority of legitimate claims with no need for contact with the household and updates the councils’ council tax records;
• delivers results rapidly through dedicated project teams with an exercise typically taking twelve weeks to complete.

Mike Carr, Revenues Manager at North Kesteven District Council said today: “I do feel that the partnership has worked very well over the period of the review and again would thank you all for the professional way in which the contract has been handled …The exercise has not only proved very beneficial for North Kesteven from a financial point of view, but has now been highlighted as “good practice” in the recent Audit Commission report on “Protecting the Public Purse” which is also rewarding.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services for Northgate Public Services said today: “As the pressure on public services increases as a result of the economic squeeze, it is now more vital than ever that councils take quick steps to ensure that our communities receive their proper entitlements. This requires proactive campaigns to increase take up of benefits where this is low, particularly for those most vulnerable in our communities. It also means making sure that people pay the right amount of council tax and do not claim benefits to which they are not entitled.

“I am delighted that we have helped councils to make these cashable savings and we urge other councils to take advantage of our self-funded service to create more cash to spend on vital frontline services.”

[Ends]
For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 nearly 8,000 employees.

Teachers asked to share best practice in the innovative use of ICT in the classroom

2009-10-28T00:00:00+01:00

Entry Deadline - 20th November 2009

Teachers from schools throughout Northern Ireland are to be recognised for their innovative ideas and forward-thinking use of ICT in the classroom, thanks to a unique competition organised by Northgate Managed Services, the ICT managed services provider.

The province-wide competition aims to harness and share the very best ideas generated by NI’s teaching community, with the long term objective of enhancing the learning of our children and young people.

Northgate‘s aim is to maximise the very real and practical skills of the teachers by offering a vehicle to share how they use ICT to enhance teaching and learning in their school.

“Teachers are at the forefront when it comes to shaping the workforce of the future – and when it comes to ICT their input is vitally important,” said Stuart Gunning, Regional Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services. “From our work with schools province-wide we know there is a wealth of innovative talent out there – with many teachers creating fantastic, innovative learning techniques by using ICT in ways which others might never consider, for example using Nintendo Wii Fit for PE classes and incorporating Apple I-touch into music lessons. Our aim is to use the insights of our teachers to create a ‘best practice’ platform which can be shared by all teachers. Only by hearing from those at the coal face can we really appreciate how ICT will continue to play an inclusive and fully effective role in teaching today and in the future.”

Thanks to the success of its partnership with Classroom 2000 (C2K), Northgate works closely with every school in Northern Ireland in the delivery of ICT Managed Services and network support. Yet the company feels it can go further still to fully understand how education can benefit from ICT, and more importantly how Northgate can help teachers and pupils maximise their learning potential.

Open to teachers from all primary, post-primary, special educational needs and nursery schools throughout NI, the competition will highlight what ICT is achieving in the classroom, how it helps deliver the learning process, and the key educational benefits resulting from ongoing investment in ICT.

Teachers spanning all subjects and modules are asked to submit a short summary (maximum 400 words) detailing how they’ve used ICT innovatively and effectively in their classroom. Two members of staff from two schools in NI will each win all expenses paid trips to BETT 2010, the world’s largest education, information and ICT event. Held in London in January, BETT showcases the best examples of international educational technology and is widely anticipated by teachers throughout the UK.

For competition details and terms and conditions, please contact ciara.mccoy@northgate-is.com, the competition deadline is Friday 20 November 2009. For further information on Northgate Managed Services visit www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

Ends

For further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 9039 3837

Mycompanyfleet tackles grey fleet problem with Driver Self-Serve

2009-10-14T23:00:00+01:00

Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet is helping fleet managers tackle the problem of grey fleet drivers and remote company workers with the launch of its new intuitive Driver Self-Serve web portal.

With grey fleet drivers who use their own cars on company business and remote-lying field sales staff and engineers who may visit head office infrequently, verifying vehicle condition, servicing and business mileage is a constant battle for fleet managers.

Now Mycompanyfleet has developed Driver Self-Serve to meet demand from fleet customers worried about the duty of care implications posed by their grey fleet drivers, and believes it has found the answer to the problem.

Drivers, both grey fleet and company drivers, log on to the Driver Self-Serve portal and enter their current business mileages and their mileage expenses claims online as normal.

The company has the option to add a bespoke element to the service schedule by including items, such as additional tyre pressure and fluid level checks at various mileage intervals, and making them part of the company terms and conditions.

It then proactively informs the driver of the number of miles left before the next service or the next check and when the vehicle will need to be booked in for the service to be carried out.

Used in this way, the system provides the fleet manager with a confirmation that a service has taken place and a record of the date, in an easily visible audit trail that meets duty of care requirements.

Andrew Leech, Mycompanyfleet business manager, said: “We all too often hear stories of the problems faced by fleet managers in verifying the condition of their grey fleet vehicles.

“Duty of care requirements state that companies must check and verify the condition of the vehicles that employees use on company business and that they are fit for purpose, even if employee-owned.

“Driver Self-Serve not only tackles this problem, and provides a clear audit trail, but reduces the amount of administration time spent by the fleet manager as the drivers have to enter the mileage and service history details online themselves.

“Without that update and a signed agreement, the drivers do not receive their monthly mileage expenses - which is a major incentive for them to update the vehicle records as required,” he said.

Northgate Managed Services supports Northern Ireland's first all-girl ICT conference

2009-10-08T23:00:00+01:00

Glengormley High School puts the I.T. in Femininity

Belfast’s Waterfront Hall opened its doors to 500+ female school pupils today for a special ‘Girls Only’ ICT event designed to highlight the exciting career opportunities in what is predominantly perceived as a ‘male’ industry.

Organised by Glengormley High School and ICT Academy, one of Northern Ireland’s specialist ICT schools, the ‘FemininITy’ conference is a first for Northern Ireland. It is one of the latest in a range of ICT initiatives pioneered by the school.

Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane attended the event along with leading females within the ICT industry including figureheads from Microsoft and Google as well as representatives from Northern Ireland’s Universities. Several interactive workshops were held throughout the day with topics ranging from the practical side of ICT to the future of robotics. The workshops incorporated break out sessions allowing the pupils to put questions to the guests, discuss some of the stereotypes that surround the industry and the prospects available should they decide to pursue a computing related career.

Speaking at the event, Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane commented: “It is vital that today’s female pupils are aware of the excellent careers available within the software profession and that they make informed subject choices based on this. It is a well known fact that the ICT industry is typically viewed as a male dominated sector and I would like all our young people to have the chance to excel in these areas. I’d like to congratulate Glengormley High on hosting a wonderful event in an attempt to dispel these myths for good and get the north’s female pupils thinking about ICT. Hopefully they will be inspired by the successful women they have met here today and will themselves make steps to becoming the leaders of the future.”

During his address, Glengormley High School principal, Alex Hayes took time to thank the Minister and industry representatives, “After many long nights and lengthy meetings, we are delighted to have made it to the day of the conference and have our vision of a ‘girls only’ ICT conference realised. We, as teachers, are excited about the prospects within Northern Ireland’s ICT industry and we want to encourage that excitement in all pupils, especially girls. I would like to extend my gratitude to all partnering bodies and organisations, as without their participation and generosity, this event wouldn’t have happened.”

Stuart Gunning, Regional Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services Commented “We are delighted to support Glengormley High School in this initiative and congratulate them in a highly successful event. As a leading IT company, working with every school in Northern Ireland we are committed to working with young people including females to encourage them into a career in IT. We already offer a number of initiatives including career workshops, IT apprenticeship schemes, graduate placement and training programmes and were pleased to be involved in this event to further promote IT as a career for girls”

The event falls under the ‘BringITon’ banner; a partnership between Momentum, the Department for Employment and Learning, Invest Northern Ireland and eSkills UK that encourages GCSE and A-level pupils to consider a computing related pathway through school and at University.

Improving citizen service in Scotland

2009-10-04T23:00:00+01:00

The Improvement Service and Northgate Public Services today announce that Inverclyde, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire councils have entered into five year agreements to promote high quality benefits services.

In a shared procurement led by The Improvement Service, the three councils will work with Northgate to ensure that vital revenues and benefits information is available to customer service officers serving over 331,000 citizens. Northgate’s leading Revenues & Benefit system is set to be integrated with the councils’ implementations under the National Framework Agreement in Scotland. The National Agreement has now enabled 17 Scottish councils to standardise on a common caseload management platform and has facilitated a number of additional collaborative benefits.

The deals support The Improvement Service Customer First programme aimed at supporting councils deliver 'first time' public services by re-designing them around customers' needs. Through joined up systems citizens will benefit from:

• speedier responses with vital back office information relating to revenues and benefits easily accessible by front line employees;
• better quality services with more queries dealt with at the first point of contact;
• cost-effective services with less duplication and a reduction in bureaucracy.

At a time of unprecedented economic and social demand, the councils have benefited from the value from money gained through working with The Improvement Service in a collaborative procurement with Northgate.

Hilary Horton, National CRM Project Manager for The Improvement Service said: “Through collaborative procurement and deployment local councils can take advantage of a more cost effective approach to joining up services, as well as helping to improve customer service and increase efficiency. We are delighted that we were able to conclude these contracts with Northgate on behalf of the three councils and look forward to developing our partnership further.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said: “All of us need to work collaboratively and develop new ways of working to deliver citizen-centred services at a time of great need. We are delighted to be supporting the work of the Improvement Service in promoting its national programme. We are committed to working with Scotland’s councils and the not for profit sector to deliver better services and to reach out to all, particularly the most disadvantaged within our communities.”
[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors
1. The Improvement Service was set up in 2005 to help improve the efficiency, quality and accountability of local public services in Scotland by providing advice, consultancy and programme support to councils and their partners.

2. Its purpose is to help councils and their partners to improve the health, quality of life and opportunities of all people in Scotland through community leadership, strong local governance and the delivery of high quality, efficient local services.

3. The Improvement Service is a partnership between the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE). It is a Company limited by guarantee.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. In Scotland, clients include NHS trusts, local authorities, fire and rescue services and passenger transport services as well as many in the commercial sector. Northgate works with 4 out of 5 local authorities and every police force in Scotland. Its human resources services are used by over thirty public sector bodies in Scotland. .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 nearly 8,000 employees.

Northgate Managed Services announces �100m of new contracts

2009-10-04T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services today announced that during the last 6 months it has secured more than £100m of new contracts.

Northgate Managed Services, an Invest Northern Ireland client company, and one of the largest IT services providers in Northern Ireland, has secured a number of new contracts, including an ICT and Business Process Outsourcing contract with Viridian, an extension with C2k to provide further ICT services to secondary schools in Northern Ireland and an ICT outsourcing contract with Northern Ireland Water. Using Northern Ireland as a near-shore delivery centre, Northgate is continuing to export skills and expertise to help secure contracts in other parts of the UK, and has won new business in the Local Government market with Hartlepool, Greenwich and North Lanarkshire councils, and in the Education Sector with 5 new Academies.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services said: “ As a result of tough trading conditions due to the global economic downturn we set ourselves three key objectives at the start of the year; delivering financial results to our shareholders, fulfilling delivery commitments to our customers and protecting the jobs of our permanent employees. It is very pleasing that we have achieved all these objectives; strengthening our business winning over £100m in new contracts, increasing our order book by 85% to £185m and developing a sales pipeline in excess of £200m. In addition we are at preferred bidder stage on business worth a further £60m, and expect to sign these contracts over the next four months.

“We continue to be committed to Northern Ireland as a Centre of Excellence and our recent successes are testament to our ability to compete and win, in particular against strong off-shore competition, proving that Northern Ireland can be a credible and viable near-shore alternative.

“Notwithstanding the tough economic conditions we are continuing to invest significantly to expand our business activities, which is vital if we are to continue to deliver value to our customers, long term career opportunities for our employees and profitable sustainable growth for our shareholders.

Congratulating Northgate Managed Services on its recent successes Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive Invest NI said: “Northgate Managed Services is a key player in the growing IT and business services sector, employing more than 1000 staff in the UK, 500 of which are based in Northern Ireland. Over the past 12 months, the company has engaged in a major drive to renew existing and win new contracts, which has resulted in more than £100 million of additional business.

“This is a remarkable achievement for Northgate Managed Services at a time when many companies continue to experience difficulties in the current economic climate and I commend their clear drive and determination to succeed. It demonstrates how market challenges can be overcome if a company invests in its people, products and services, and remains focused on targeting new opportunities.”

Northgate Managed Services supports ICT for every secondary and special education needs school in NI freeing up valuable teacher time

2009-10-04T23:00:00+01:00

£24m C2k contract extension awarded to ICT specialist Northgate Managed Services

Teachers and students at 238 Northern Irish post-primary and 47 special educational needs schools are to continue to benefit from an ICT managed service and technology refresh from Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) as part of a £24milllion investment by the Department of Education and Classroom 2000 (C2k).

Northgate will install 22,000 new workstations and 1,600 printers, and continue to manage the ICT infrastructure to ensure teachers and students can rely on technology in their schools. Northgate manage all school based technology from the network to access devices and curriculum software. As part of the new service, Apple Macs will also be integrated into the managed network and supported by Northgate. .

Northgate manage the schools ICT across Northern Ireland from their centre of excellence in Newtownabbey. Dedicated teams constantly monitor the school based systems intervening to resolve any problems often before schools are aware there is an issue either remotely or through the team of engineers. Schools now rely on availability of technology in the classroom and Northgate works hard to ensure that teachers and students are provided fully access to the technology.

Providing further peace-of-mind for schools, Northgate will implement advanced security updates with encrypted backup to protect school networks and data from unauthorised access due to hacking or unpermitted usage.

Jimmy Stewart, Director, C2k, commented: “I am delighted to announce Northgate’s continuance as the main partner on the C2k network. The company has played a pivotal role in the implementation of Northern Ireland’s Education Technology strategy and opening new e-learning pathways into further and higher education. By removing the burden of managing and maintaining IT systems from the school and replacing it with a reliable, supportive and more effective alternative, Northgate has demonstrated its true leadership in the education sector.”

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services added, “I am delighted that C2k has taken the decision to further extend our partnership to help transform teaching and learning for students in Northern Ireland. It is an honour to continue working with such forward-thinking schools and we remain dedicated to ensuring that our ICT solutions work to provide the Department of Education and C2k with the flexibility and enhanced services needed by students and teachers alike.”

Northgate Managed Service has been working with C2k since 1998 providing over 1,200 primary, nursery, post primary and special needs schools across Northern Ireland with the ICT infrastructure to access a wide range of education technology content and services to support the Northern Ireland curriculum.

For further information please visit the web site at www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or contact Northgate Managed Services on Tel: +44 (0) 28 90859085 or e-mail education@northgate-is.com.

Issued: Ends Ref: NG024

Notes to editors:

Established by the Department of Education, C2k’s main remit is to deliver on the Department’s strategy for Education Technology in Northern Ireland. The strategy’s main aim is to address the issues constraining the uptake of ICT in schools across Northern Ireland and to provide a high quality, reliable and equitable ICT service for all pupils in every school in Northern Ireland.

Northgate wins contracts with Viridian Group companies

2009-10-04T23:00:00+01:00

- Major contract win safeguards jobs in Newtownabbey
- Contract award consolidates Northgate’s position as Managed Service Specialist

Northgate Managed Services has won a number of 5 year managed service contracts with Viridian Group companies against stiff competition.

Viridian, Ireland’s leading independent energy group, which includes Northern Ireland Electricity, NIE Energy and Viridian Power & Energy, has awarded Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) contracts to Northgate following a lengthy procurement process, which attracted submissions from a number of the world’s leading technology and outsourcing specialists.

With the overall aim of providing Viridian Group companies with the most cost effective, flexible and high performing ICT systems and services available, Northgate will retain responsibility for managing the Group’s ICT infrastructure, networks, software applications and disaster recovery facilities. Northgate will also provide a range of BPO services to two of the Viridian Group companies.

Northgate will be working in partnership with eircom Northern Ireland on the implementation of a fully refreshed data network and upgraded IP telephony service.

“The ultimate aim of this contract is to enhance efficiencies and deliver improved services to our business users,” said Caroline Murphy, Head of Technology, Viridian Group.

Congratulating the team on their success Ed Brown, Managing Director, Utilities and Public Services NI for Northgate added:

“This is a tremendous achievement, not only for Northgate Managed Services, but for the Northern Irish economy as a whole, securing jobs for our workforce and creating a number of new positions within the fast moving technology sector.

“With a proven track record in the utilities sector the team at Northgate relishes this opportunity to work in partnership with Viridian Group companies as they seek to further improve operational efficiencies and benefit from world class systems and services”

Ends

For further information contact Claire Bonner/Gareth Colhoun, Morrow Communications
Tel: 028 9039 3837

Online citizen self-service support

2009-09-30T23:00:00+01:00

Innovation in delivery is essential for the long term sustainability of the social care system. Northgate Public Services today launches an online self-service support solution which gives the citizen greater control and promotes enablement and early intervention in adult social care.

Supporting a pro-active and preventative model of personalised social care centred on improved wellbeing, with greater choice and control for individuals, My Support helps citizens to shape their own lives and the services that they receive. It helps people access care and support through a number of features including:

• My Assessment – a self assessment tool that allows citizens to directly and simply express their needs and requirements.

• My Money – an on-line view of the money that the person has in their personal budget, it shows a statement summary including the amounts, payee, date and description of service.

• My Schedule – the citizen is able to see what visits they are getting, who is seeing them, and at what time

• My Plan – this provides guidance and structure for individuals and their support networks by putting together a personalised support plan. The plans can be amended by the individual. Supporting documents including video clips and images can be stored against the plan.

• My People - this gives the citizen their key contacts in a simple address book.

• My Details – this enables the citizen to manage their basic personal details

• My Views – this gives the citizen the ability to provide feedback on their support plan such as the services that they receive and the outcomes of different forms of support

• My Docs – an online repository of documents relating to an individual and their support. It can include support plans, care plans, letters from the GP, copies of correspondence and evidence including photographs

• My Shopping – a catalogue that contains the details of goods and services. It has a simple built in inventory and comes with a portal for providers to upload their own products and for citizens to purchase online.

Whilst online self service will not be appropriate for all citizens, Northgate Public Services believes that for many it will provide a means of increasing citizen satisfaction with their social care support. Citizens will benefit from 24x7 access to information and services from the comfort of home at a time that suits them. The company is now mounting a campaign for local authorities to introduce self service in adult social care as a means of improving delivery and making efficiencies through the reduction in visits and paperwork.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director, Citizen Solutions, Northgate Public Services, said today: “Many citizens want to be active participants in the care and support they receive. They do not want to be recipients of standardised packages and they want to be at the centre of identifying what is personally important to them to deliver effective and efficient outcomes.

“Our self service solution places the dignity and respect that people have a right to expect at its heart. At a time of unprecedented pressure on our health and social care system, there is a need to introduce change now. Over the next few months we will be working with our partner authorities to deliver self service as an essential element of radical change that our social care system so desperately needs.”

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates;
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors
1. 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.

3. 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 nearly 8,000 employees. Northgate’s social care solutions are used by 40 per cent of local authorities.

Northgate Launches IT Apprenticeship

2009-09-30T23:00:00+01:00

New job opportunities and training for school leavers offered by Northgate Managed Services

Northgate Managed Services is bucking the current economic trend for downsizing with the launch of an IT Apprenticeship Scheme - offering school leavers a direct route to develop a long-term career in the IT sector.

Northgate employs over 1000 people, and services customers across the UK from its base in Northern Ireland. It is the first company in the IT sector in NI to officially recognise the potential talent pool that exists locally, and is directly targeting 16 to 19 years olds via an on-the-job training scheme. In addition to its existing Graduate schemes, Northgate is commencing the 18 month training scheme with the recruitment of six apprentices in September and intends to extend the scheme significantly over the next few years.

In addition to studying for the NVQ Level 2 IT systems and support qualification, the apprentices will ‘earn as they learn’, combining educational study with hands-on training as part of the IT service team in Northgate’s head office. Each apprentice is also allocated a mentor and ‘buddy’ to support and advise them throughout the 18 month programme. As with every employee in Northgate, the apprentices will have their own personal development plan and upon completion of the Scheme, there is potential for them to move into permanent positions in Northgate with opportunities to develop their skills within a wide variety of career paths in the company.

“As a leading IT company, working with every school in Northern Ireland, I feel it is important to encourage young people into a career in IT, offering job opportunities to those people who for whatever reason choose not to go on to University. The typical 16 to 19 year old is already IT literate, and can very quickly become productive in an IT services environment. As a successful and growing IT services company Northgate Managed Services is committed to working with young people in the communities where we are based and I am delighted we have been able to launch the IT Apprentice Scheme” said Andy Ross Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services.

“Many people seem to believe that a university degree is the only route to a career within the IT sector. This isn’t the case and by offering an IT Apprenticeship Scheme as an additional option to our existing Graduate schemes, we are developing a qualified and talented workforce that will help us grow our business.

Northgate Managed Services has also commenced the roll out of the IT Apprentice Scheme across the UK with the recruitment of Apprentices to IT teams in Kent, Bristol and Leicester already underway.

Supporting the progressive move by Northgate, Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey said:
“This is a welcome development which offers great potential benefits for Northgate as a company and for the new IT Apprentices employed here. We have been convinced for some time that Apprenticeships could offer a viable route into this exciting industry and I am therefore delighted that a major IT employer like Northgate has decided to launch an Apprenticeship scheme.

“I wish Northgate and their new employees all the very best with this new initiative and hope that the scheme goes from strength to strength.

“I would also encourage other IT companies in Northern Ireland to look carefully at what Northgate have done and follow their lead in bringing future talent into the industry at an early stage.”

The first six apprentices started in August, and Northgate will visit schools and colleges to promote the Scheme during the autumn term with the next assessment centres being held in Feb/March, aiming for another batch of new recruits to start in June 2010. Those interested in finding out more about the IT Apprentice Scheme should contact info@northgate-is.com or via www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

G2G3 simulations point towards success for Northgate Managed Services

2009-09-30T23:00:00+01:00

G2G3 (www.g2g3.com), the leading provider of simulations and immersive readiness programs, today announced an exciting new partnership with Northgate Managed Services, the leading provider of infrastructure services to both public and private sector organisations and specialist managed services to the education, government and utilities sector.

Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) will license G2G3's Polestar ITSM simulation to add value to its ICT managed services solutions portfolio.

Polestar ITSM from G2G3 is energetic and fun way to accelerate understanding, involvement, and acceptance of ITSM and ITIL V3 best practice in any organisation. Facilitated in a familiar high technology scenario, Polestar ITSM brings to life the behavioral and process issues faced by IT organisations. This unique experiential learning approach causes breakthrough understanding of ITSM and ITIL V3 best practice and transforms learning into an engaging, fun, and highly memorable shared experience. Polestar ITSM was the world's first ITIL simulation to be based around the latest version of the Service Management best practice framework, the IT Infrastructure library (ITIL) Version 3.

Northgate Managed Services support over 2,000 customers and 420,000 IT users across the UK. It’s ITIL based, accredited ICT managed services offer customers a range of options from outsourcing a single element of their IT to a full outsource including TUPE transfer of staff. Working in partnership with their customers, Northgate’s goal is to make IT work harder, delivering efficiencies and unlocking the potential of IT to transform organisations.

Mark Ross Sutherland, CEO at G2G3 commented: “We are delighted to welcome Northgate Managed Services to our global partner community. Simulations are an ideal platform to create a holistic level of awareness and understanding around the power of the Managed Services model of business and the benefits it can ultimately deliver.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure, Northgate Managed Services commented: “Northgate can bring together all the aspects of our customer service provision into a single dedicated unit that can deliver prompt, professional and high quality IT services. We feel it is important to engage with our customers from the outset to ensure they receive the best solution to meet their needs. The addition of the G2G3 product will enable both our internal and external customers to understand and experience the tangible benefits that our ITIL ICT managed service can offer them. We have trialled the simulation and have found it both useful and interesting and we look forward to rolling it out with our customers”

For more information on G2G3's products and services please contact Linda King at lk@g2g3.com or +44 (0) 131 461 3333.

For more information on Northgate Managed Services please contact 028 9085 9055 or info@northgate-is.com

IRRV accredits Northgate as training provider in revenues and benefits

2009-09-28T23:00:00+01:00

The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) and market leader Northgate Public Services today announce that they have joined forces to provide accredited training in revenues and benefits in a concerted attempt to drive up standards, improve service delivery and deliver efficient and effective services at a time of unprecedented demand and economic recession.

Northgate is the first organisation to participate in the Institute’s new accreditation scheme as a training provider. Its user-focused revenue and benefits training programme will be the first of its kind to be accredited by the IRRV. The training is designed to encourage excellence and performance improvement for Northgate’s clients’ employees using Northgate’s systems. It is focused on achieving best practice and working with and assessing staff on the systems that they use in their workplaces.

Northgate clients stand to benefit from the introduction of end-user training through skills enhancement for their employees and improved performance. In an innovative offer, Northgate clients who put their staff forward will receive preferential rates from Northgate on the basis that they are less likely to call on Northgate for help and support.

Northgate believes that by tackling end-user improvement it will ensure that best practice and excellence amongst its clients can be attained by all. Northgate clients consistently outperform local authorities that use other revenues and benefits systems as measured by official data such as comprehensive performance assessments and best value performance indicators.

The courses are intended to fully complement the suite of vocational and non-vocational qualifications provided by the IRRV and other training providers in the practical interpretation of legislation and customer service. They are uniquely targeted at the 10,000 employees who use Northgate’s system on a regular basis. Best practice will be defined and maintained through close consultation with customers and third party training providers.

End users will gain a certificate accredited by the IRRV if they complete their course and pass a formal test. If successful, they will also receive a unique license that can be recorded against their user account. It is anticipated that the average time to complete the course will range between three to six months.

Learners will be able to work through the course at their own pace using online facilities. Each will have access to On Line Tutorials and a course database for self learning and assessment. A mentor will be on hand throughout their studies to provide help and support.

Cont.
David Magor, Chief Executive of IRRV said today: “Our accreditation scheme rewards quality training providers focused on improving performance. Northgate has passed our robust test with flying colours. We believe that investment in training creates opportunities for employees and authorities alike. Whilst employees benefit
from skills enhancement, authorities gain by improving performance in revenues and benefits and maximising their subsidy.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services, said today: “Working alongside and valuing public service employees is an essential part of improving performance. Our courses are designed to improve job satisfaction, motivation and morale, as well as to build and develop capacity and capability. They are also focused on providing better for less with Northgate clients benefiting from our preferential rates at a time when they need them most. We are delighted that the IRRV has accredited our organisation. This is an integral part of our campaign to transform public services through innovation in how and what we do in partnership with the public sector.”

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

The Accord Group looks to a greener future through web-based HR and payroll - integrated technology supports goal to be the greenest housing association

2009-09-22T23:00:00+01:00

The Accord Group, comprising several housing associations and over 1,000 employees, has signed a seven-year contract with NorthgateArinso to implement its fully integrated web based HR and payroll solution, based on the ResourceLink-Aurora platform.

Working with NorthgateArinso will enable the Group to focus on its business objectives for growth. It will streamline and consolidate its operational practices through the use of web-based HR and payroll technologies, underlining Accord’s aims to become a more efficient and greener organisation.

NorthgateArinso’s ResourceLink will support the Group in delivering an organisational development strategy, which is focused on performance improvement and aligned to the development of managers and employees, who will drive the business forward.

Allison Taylor, head of organisational development at The Accord Group commented: “We were looking for a provider that understands the challenges Housing Associations face. NorthgateArinso recognised these challenges and highlighted how its solution and a close working partnership could assist us to meet our objectives.”

“We have bold plans in organisational development, and we needed a solution which would allow us to get the basics of HR and payroll right, whilst empowering managers and employees with better information to make proactive decisions,” Taylor continued.

Access to management information and the ability to use that to develop new policies and procedures is key to the success of The Accord Group HR and payroll project. ResourceLink will deliver a comprehensive set of reports for the HR and payroll user, and for managers, the ability to access KPIs through a web-based solution on turnover, absence, training etc.

Lakhbir Jaspal, Deputy Chief Executive of the Accord Group commented: “With social housing high on the political agenda, the Accord Group has ambitious plans for the future and our partners need to be aware that we will change as an organisation to meet these challenges. The NorthgateArinso team proved they wanted to work with us to support our business and the organisational development strategy that will underpin our overall business strategy. Our new organisational development team is playing a key role in creating the environment in which Accord and its people will grow and thrive today, tomorrow and far beyond, and ResourceLink will play a key part in this strategy.”

“NorthgateArinso has seen some great results with housing associations, based on a partnership approach, which The Accord Group highlighted as a key requirement in its evaluation process. I am confident that our partnership will go from strength to strength,” said Dave Proctor, Public Sector Director at NorthgateArinso. “The Accord Group has ambitious plans for the ResourceLink solution, providing an enhanced level of business intelligence to managers and employees to become more empowered in their roles. Furthermore through the use of web-based technologies, for example online payslips and timesheets, our solution ensures that we support The Accord Group’s goal to become the greenest housing association in the UK.”

(496 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso

www.northgatearinso.co.uk <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk>

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, solutions integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

More information:
Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & www.lewismediacentre.com

Standardised information key to improving service delivery

2009-09-13T23:00:00+01:00

Regional policing information must be standardised to allow accurate comparison between forces to take place, asserts Northgate Public Services today in a response to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’s (HMIC) consultation on Value for Money (VfM) profiles.

Commenting on the proposed content, Northgate suggests that differences in operational data may undermine the profiles, which were designed to highlight opportunities for service improvement. The company recommends that HMIC develop a rationalisation mechanism for police service information. This would allow the differing operational requirements of forces to be taken into account whilst still allowing an accurate comparison to take place.

Northgate welcomes the emphasis placed on value for money as a means of assessment. Its response stresses the importance of maintaining a balance between value for money and service improvement, with a clear focus on achieving better for less.

The company also makes suggestions as to how the use of VfM profiles can be supported and encouraged. These include:

• the provision of a sample analysis and sample business change plan;
• dedicated resources to support forces in the analysis process;
• identification of VfM profile champions; and
• sharing of success stories and lessons learnt.

These actions would be supported by the creation of a user guide to VfM profiles. Northgate recommends that these material should be provided via a range of channels including specialised portals, audio-visual material, web-training services and new media.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We welcome this opportunity to respond to HMIC’s consultation on VfM profiles. The profiles come at a time when, due to the economic climate, police forces are under increased pressure to do better with less.

“VfM profiles will provide a useful tool for police forces across the country to measure their performance. This will open up opportunities for improved service delivery to be identified by them. Effective delivery of service improvements is vital to building public trust. We are committed to working in partnership with the police service to build efficient and effective services built around the needs of our diverse communities and placing the citizen at their heart.”

-Ends-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0) 20 7395 1516; +44(0) 7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0) 20 7395 1518; +44(0) 7949 421356
Notes to Editors

Councils opt for Northgate Revenues & Benefits system

2009-09-13T23:00:00+01:00

Two councils have chosen to become early adopters in switching to Northgate Public Services’ Revenues & Benefits system following the company’s acquisition of Anite Public Sector in November 2008, the company announced today.

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and Wrexham Borough Council have chosen to replace the former Anite Public Sector’s overlapping Pericles system with that of Northgate’s leading system.

Following extensive consultation with clients and employees over the future of Anite Public Sector’s overlapping product, Northgate has decided to close down Pericles over the next few years, offering clients the opportunity to gain the benefits from switching to Northgate systems.

Unlike Pericles, Northgate’s Revenues & Benefits system has been subject to substantial investment and has functional additions, and the councils are confident that their early transition will deliver improved levels of service to citizens in the most efficient and effective manner at a time of unprecedented demand. Sixty one per cent of Northgate’s clients to whom Comprehensive Performance Assessment for Benefits applies scored 4* in 2008, with the remaining thirty nine per cent scoring 3*.

Mark Horrigan, Head of Revenues and Benefits at Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council said: “I am satisfied that the early adoption of Northgate’s system will improve the revenues and benefits services we provide to our customers. We have held detailed discussions with Northgate since the decision was taken to de-support Pericles, and we believe it is a company that is constantly looking for ways to improve its products, to meet our customers’ needs”

Mark Owen, Head of Finance at Wrexham County Borough Council said: “We already work with Northgate and they have an excellent track record with us. We are committed to delivering citizen-centred services at a time of increased demand. We believe that by making the switch early we will reap in the benefits of improved service. Northgate has a good track record in Revenues & Benefits and we are delighted to be extending our relationship with the company.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizens’ Services, Northgate Public Services added; “The early adoption of our system is a sign that our post- acquisition strategy is working. We have closely consulted our employees and clients over this decision which was not taken lightly. We believe that the decision to focus solely on one system in the future will bring our clients added public value over the years to come and bring citizens efficient and effective public services.”

[Ends]
For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

Four new appointments reinforce Northgate"s success in local government

2009-09-07T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of four directors as the company gears up its activities to drive transformation through innovation in local government and public services.

Michael Parry leaves Computershare to join Northgate as Director of Specialist Solutions managing Northgate’s energy, financials and elections businesses. Michael has worked with the public sector for over 20 years and has a background in project management, consultancy, sales and business development. Ten of these years were spent as a practitioner in local government working with West Lancashire District Council and Liverpool City Council.

Peter Houselander is appointed as Director of Health and Social Care. Previously Director of Anite Social Care acquired by Northgate in 2008, Peter has twenty five years of experience in developing solutions for the public sector and ten years working directly in social care. Northgate’s social care solutions are currently used by forty per cent of local authorities. Its healthcare business is rapidly expanding. It has recently won the contract for the NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme (NIPE) in which every child is offered a top-to-toe physical examination shortly after birth and again at 6 to 8 weeks of age

Trevor Hampton is promoted to become Director of Enabling Technologies. Trevor joined SX3 in 2003 acquired by Northgate in 2005. He has over twenty years of work experience in the public sector focused on business innovation and product design and development. Enabling Technologies will focus primarily on innovation using mobile and information management to improve local government performance.

Matthew Salter is appointed as Director of Environmental Solutions. He has over fifteen years experience of working in the public sector. Prior to joining Northgate, Matthew was Operations Director for Caps Solutions. He has also worked for Capita, and was previously an IT consultant for North Somerset. He has a strong background in delivering new solutions and business improvement services into local government.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director, Citizen Solutions, Northgate Public Services, said today: “Local government is facing its most severe challenge in a generation. We are committed to strengthening local authority delivery so that it can provide locally based services built around people’s needs and expectations.

“These new appointments reflect the increasing demand that we have for our services. Increasingly local government is working with Northgate in innovative partnerships guided by the intelligent use of technology. By strengthening our team yet further, we will support local government in making the radical change that it must make to meet the challenges today and to build better services for tomorrow.”
[Ends]

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Kwik-Fit Fleet selects Mycompanyfleet solution

2009-09-06T23:00:00+01:00

Leading corporate fast-fit supplier, Kwik-Fit Fleet, has selected a bespoke version of Mycompanyfleet’s YourAcumen Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to help enhance driver support services to UK leasing companies through its new Service24 proposition.

Kwik-Fit Fleet provides call centre-backed driver support services to the overwhelming majority of the UK’s leading contract hire and leasing companies as defined by the FN50 league table of leading companies.

The new software solution will handle and co-ordinate driver bookings through Service24 for vehicle servicing, glass replacement, breakdown assistance and vehicle recovery for all Kwik-Fit Fleet’s leasing customers.

It will also streamline processes and provide greater reporting capabilities than the system it replaces, as well as providing mapping facilities for the entire Kwik-Fit Fleet centre network.

Kwik-Fit Fleet selected YourAcumen from leading fleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet, after a review and selection process that investigated other systems on the market before the final decision was taken.

Simon Lucas, Kwik-Fit Fleet operations director, said:”We felt that the Mycompanyfleet solution was the perfect fit for us and the ideal solution to help provide enhanced driver support services to our major corporate customers.”

Mycompanyfleet provided an extensive demonstration of the capabilities of its YourAcumen system, involving a bespoke, personalised and fully operational version of the system that completely met Kwik-Fit Fleet’s exacting and demanding specification and requirements.

“By being able to demonstrate the full capabilities of our solution, we were able to convince Kwik-Fit Fleet that it was the correct one to meet their customer service requirements,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet.

“We are delighted to be providing Kwik-Fit Fleet with the means to enhance their driver support services in this way. We hope to be working with them on a number of projects in the coming months,” he added.

The YourAcumen CRM system integrates fully with the company’s FleetAcumen software system, and allows users to capture customer feedback and satisfaction at every point of customer interface.

It is the ideal solution for fleet operators that provide services to customers through delivery fleets, such as couriers, fast-fit companies, air conditioning and other service engineers, as well as those involved in multi-disciplinary activities such as facilities and maintenance management.

“We believe YourAcumen to be a unique proposition as there is no other system that allows the seamless integration between fleet user and customer in this way,” added Andrew Leech.

“YourAcumen can capture every aspect of interface with the customer to help assess customer satisfaction, productivity, vehicle utilisation and business efficiency.

“Many companies have service standards and rules they want to meet for either new or existing customers. YourAcumen automatically polices those standards to ensure that pre-set levels are being reached and not exceeded,” he said.

YourAcumen uses Mycompanyfleet’s acclaimed exception reporting methodology within a highly visual dashboard environment to highlight areas of the business that require management attention. It avoids the overload of information that characterises many other current systems.

It is designed to integrate with other applications and supplier systems, and provides an unrivalled level of analysis and reporting similar to that of its sister application, FleetHR.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:
Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

A new national system to help frontline police officers deal with offenders more quickly is being developed by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA)

2009-09-01T23:00:00+01:00

PentiP (Penalty Notice Processing) will improve the recording and processing of two types of one-off financial penalties, reducing red-tape and enabling police officers to spend more time patrolling the streets.

The two types of penalty are:

• Fixed Penalty Notices, issued for driving offences such as speeding and failure to wear a seatbelt.
• Penalty Notices for Disorder, issued for offences such as petty shoplifting and damage to property.

Both notices are currently issued on paper and processed by two separate computer systems. PentiP will computerise the issuing of the ticket and bring the two computer systems together into one. Rather than carrying books of tickets, recording offences on paper and then taking them back to the station for processing, police will be able to record information on their hand-held computers.

Moving to a central electronic processing system will deliver over £120 million in cashable benefits over 10 years to the police and courts services and improve the accuracy of information on driving offences held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

It will enable the police and magistrates courts in England and Wales to access information on a single administration system and allow the police to make cross boundary checks and share information on a national basis. It is currently stored only at a local level.

Frontline officers will also benefit by being able to quickly check whether a penalty notice is the most appropriate method of dealing with an offender or if there is a previously issued unpaid penalty.

The NPIA has awarded the contract to design, build, deliver and manage the service to Northgate Public Services. The service is planned to go live from July 2010. This will initially be in Lancashire, Leicestershire and Kent, with nationwide rollout anticipated by the end of 2011.

Chief Constable Peter Neyroud, Chief Executive of the NPIA said:

"The NPIA looks forward to working with Northgate to deliver a more efficient national system for processing offenders.

"Quick access to information is essential to help frontline officers deal with offenders appropriately. PentiP will speed up the administration of penalty notices, cut bureaucracy and give officers more time to spend on the frontline and contribute to a more joined-up criminal justice system."

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Northgate Public Safety said:

"We are delighted to be awarded this contract by the NPIA to modernise the penalty notice system.

"It will be welcomed by police and magistrates courts across the country, helping them to enforce justice fairly, effectively and efficiently. We have a long track record of working in penalty notice enforcement and this contract represents the culmination of our activities in helping to increase public trust through joined up justice and fair enforcement."

PentiP is part of the Information Systems Improvement Strategy (ISIS) programme. The aim of ISIS is to transform the way police information services (including IT) are developed, procured, implemented and managed by the police service. ISIS addresses the need to bring about real change in police information systems by joining them up.

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Councils move to paperless offices

2009-08-16T23:00:00+01:00

Councils are increasingly moving to enterprise-wide paperless offices as they seek more efficient and cost effective ways to deliver high quality public services under the current economic conditions, and to assist in combating climate change.

Two councils in South Wales are leading the way – Carmarthenshire and Merthyr Tydfil – are working with Northgate Public Services to deliver enterprise electronic information management services across their councils. And Northgate is urging more public services to adopt corporate wide information management systems in its drive to help transform public services and build public trust.

The councils have tested different electronic document systems on a departmental basis and have decided to move further to deliver improved information management services for their citizens.

The proven outcomes include:
• freeing up staff time to increase productivity and service quality;
• enhanced information-sharing to encourage a whole person approach to public services;
• a reduction in administrative overheads, enabling employees to focus on adding to public value;
• savings in accommodation and storage costs;
• regulatory compliance.

According to expert organisations, inefficient use of paper documents amounts to
between 20 per cent and 45 per cent of an organisation’s entire labour costs, and the introduction of automated information solutions can increase productivity by 20-30 per cent, and bring about 30-50 per cent savings on desk space. Councils have experienced dramatic improvement in performance, such as halving the time it takes to process benefits claims, which has contributed to customer satisfaction levels of 98%.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Northgate Citizen Solutions said today: “Doing nothing is simply not an option. If councils wish to save resources and improve services they must act now. Otherwise they will count the cost later, at a time when they can least afford it.

“This is not primarily a technology but a cultural issue. It requires leadership at the very top to achieve an organisation in which appropriate information flows effortlessly between the people who need it. This involves the total commitment of senior management, and must have the full engagement of employees throughout the organisation.

“South Wales is showing positive leadership in embracing the need to change now, to transform services, to build public trust and satisfaction. We are proud to be working in partnership with these councils. And over the next year we will be undertaking a concerted campaign to encourage other public sector organisations to drive home the transformation that can occur through automating information management.”

[ENDS]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

3. 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. It stores and manages two billion documents and records electronically for public sector bodies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Invensys signs global HR deal with NorthgateArinso using euHReka to manage HR and Payroll processes for 21,000 employees in more than 50 countries

2009-08-16T23:00:00+01:00

Invensys, a global technology group supplying solutions, software, consultancy and equipment to monitor, control and automate processes in a wide range of environments, has signed a seven-year contract worth GBP £35million with NorthgateArinso. The global HR services provider will deliver HR and payroll processes to Invensys’ global workforce in more than 50 countries.

Invensys aims to deliver a more efficient service to its employees through euHReka, NorthgateArinso’s standard HR solution powered by SAP HCM, using the solution both as a BPO service for administrative HR and payroll processes, and in an OnDemand mode for Talent Management processes.

The self-service element will enable staff to manage general administration and processes themselves, reducing the HR team’s administrative duties and allowing them to focus on wider strategic initiatives. Invensys will also take advantage of euHReka to deliver HR processes, such as learning and compensation management, via self-service, without the need to install a software platform locally. In addition to deploying euHReka globally, NorthgateArinso will also use its proprietary ResourceLink solution to deliver payroll services in select geographies.

“By outsourcing all HR administration and payroll we’re able to take advantage of NorthgateArinso’s global expertise and vast experience in this area – it’s a fantastic bank of knowledge we’d never have been able to replicate in-house in an efficient, cost effective manner,” said Paula S. Larson EVP HR at Invensys. “We started to review our options to provide a better HR service to our internal clients and realised that working with NorthgateArinso would transform the way we provide the service, at a lower cost.”

“Outsourcing the HR, payroll, learning and compensation performance management functions to a single, consistent point of contact will not only free-up managers’ valuable time, but also ensure Invensys complies with the many employment regulations that exist worldwide. Ultimately, this partnership means all HR processes will be supported by a single supplier from the day an employee starts in the business to the day they leave,” said Mike Ettling, CEO at NorthgateArinso.

(354 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com>
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 6,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

For further information, please contact:

Ellen Spenceley or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 0117 315 8586
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com

/...

Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & www.lewismediacentre.com
Blog: www.lewis360.com
ImageBank: www.lewisimagebank.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lewispr_uk

The Holmes Report – Technology Agency of the Year, 2008
Computing Excellence Awards - IT PR Company of the Year winner, 2008
Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence finalists, 2008
CNET Networks - UK Technology PR Campaign of the Year winner, 2006, 2007
PRWEEK - International Consultancy of the Year finalist, 2006, 2007
PRWEEK - Not-for-profit Campaign of the Year short listed, 2007
The Holmes Report - European SABRE awards finalists, 2008
Best Companies accreditation, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Investors in People accreditation, 2006-2009

NorthgateArinso strengthens leadership

2009-08-12T23:00:00+01:00

~ HR specialist appoints global sales and marketing director, and regional managing director to build ANZ operations ~

NorthgateArinso, the global provider of HR systems and services, has appointed two senior executives. Jürgen Seibert will be leading the global sales and marketing teams and Jim Walker will head NorthgateArinso’s business in Australia and New Zealand.

Jürgen Seibert has over 20 years’ experience in the IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. He will focus on business development, sales and marketing, by maximising growth opportunities around the globe, developing and sharing innovation and best practice, and improving sales effectiveness. Seibert joined from his previous role as VP sales of global outsourcing and infrastructure services at Unisys, where he has worked for the last four years. Prior to Unisys, Seibert worked in various sales and management functions for Hewlett-Packard.

“Jürgen’s experience in successfully leading sales organisations to greater effectiveness and winning large strategic deals will be important to achieve our vision of becoming the No.1 global HR services provider,” said Mike Ettling, CEO at NorthgateArinso. “Working within our key markets in the public and corporate sectors, Jürgen will identify new opportunities, help grow relationships with existing customers, and respond to larger bidding opportunities.”

Jim Walker will head NorthgateArinso’s business in Australia and New Zealand, a priority growth market for the company. His appointment comes during an exciting time for NorthgateArinso as it expands its commitment to the Australian market. Jim Walker has over 25 years’ experience in the finance and technology sector, having previously worked at SAP, KPMG and IBM.

“I’m joining NorthgateArinso at an important time in its growth. I relish the opportunities and challenges ahead as we continue to promote our capabilities for transforming HR services and helping companies to effectively manage talent in the ANZ region,” said Jim Walker. “Our leading position provides an ideal base from which to explore further opportunities to deliver value for our customers, and to help them meet the challenges that they face both now and in the future.”

“The appointments of Jürgen and Jim bring us tremendous strengths; particularly in the form of almost half a century of combined experience in the technology market. NorthgateArinso has the best people in place to develop new business opportunities and deliver our customers and partners superior value,” added Ettling.

(386 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com>
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas such as workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

Boxer chooses Mycompanyfleet solution to automate fleet services

2009-08-11T23:00:00+01:00

Portuguese fleet management provider Boxer has selected Mycompanyfleet’s FleetAcumen fleet software system to fully automate its service offering to fleet customers in Portugal, following a review of the leading software systems in the UK.

Boxer, an independent new start-up, was launched earlier this year by Rui Pinto and Luis Carajote, both fleet professionals with long fleet experience, to provide support and consultancy services to major fleet customers, including Portuguese leasing companies and major corporate fleets.

These services range from total outsourcing of the fleet to individual tasks such as car preparation, refurbishment and logistical support, as well as consultancy services through a separate consultancy arm.

But to fully automate and manage the services they wanted to provide, Boxer needed a state-of the art fleet software solution that was not only reliable but capable of handling the multi-faceted requirements of modern fleet management.

The directors turned to the UK in their search for the ideal system, and reviewed several on the market before selecting the FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet.

“As a new company ourselves, we wanted to work with the very latest and most recent state of the art technology partner,” said managing director Rui Pinto. “Mycompanyfleet offered everything we were looking for with FleetAcumen.

“We wanted a solution that was not only capable of being delivered over the internet, as many of our own services are web-delivered, but was very modern and capable of fully automating and managing all the complexities of modern fleet management.

“After a number of presentations and demonstration, we arrived at a final shortlist of two systems, and selected FleetAcumen as the best all round solution,” he said.

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets, leasing companies and fleet service providers of whatever nationality. It has a multi-lingual functionality with up to 20 different foreign languages and is language intuitive, switching seamlessly to the host language when it recognises the country of origin.

FleetAcumen uses exception reporting methodology to highlight areas of the business that require management attention. It is designed to integrate with other applications and supplier systems across national boundaries, and provides an unrivalled level of analysis and reporting similar to that of its sister application, FleetHR.

Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, said his company was looking forward to working with the new Portuguese fleet management provider.

“We recognise many of our own characteristics in Boxer – a young company, a can-do attitude, and a desire to use the latest systems and delivery mechanisms to provide first rate support services to fleet customers,” he said.

“We look forward to supporting them and helping deliver those services to Portuguese fleet customers,” he added.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

About Boxer

Boxer is a specialised provider of fleet services whose mission is to help fleet managers meet the challenges of a changing environment. Boxer is managed by people with in-depth knowledge of the Portuguese fleet market, and works with the best technological partners. Boxer provides all the services that a fleet manager needs to reduce the operational costs of his fleet.

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Rui Pinto
Managing Director
Boxer
Tel: +351 93 708 5571
Email: rui.pinto@boxergroup.pt

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Mycompanyfleet launches new chauffeur module

2009-08-09T23:00:00+01:00

Fleet solutions provider Mycompanyfleet has launched a new ‘movement module’ as the latest addition to its acclaimed FleetAcumen fleet software system, which provides executive chauffeur fleets, specialist rental and taxi firms with more effective route mapping and driver and vehicle allocation planning.

The new module is ideal for companies which need to allocate the appropriate driver and vehicle to transport executives or other personnel to the correct location in a timely and efficient manner.

It allows more efficient route scheduling and allocation of drivers, and interfaces with modern telematics systems to ensure complete capture of all relevant data from that particular journey, including vehicle speeds, route taken, length of journey and miles covered.

Integrated PDAs allow drivers to record when jobs are completed as well as allowing messaging and next-job scheduling.

The new module was initially developed for the efficient and scheduled transportation of company executives in the Middle East but has now been adapted for the home market.

“This latest addition to FleetAcumen will allow the more efficient scheduling and planning of customer journeys for chauffeur firms, or indeed for any firm where the main activity is the transportation of human cargo,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet.

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets, leasing companies and fleet service providers of whatever nationality. It has a multi-lingual functionality and can be used in up to 20 different foreign languages.

FleetAcumen uses exception reporting methodology to highlight areas of the business that require management attention within a dynamic and highly visual dashboard environment.

It is designed to integrate with other applications and supplier systems across national boundaries, and provides an unrivalled level of analysis and reporting similar to that of its sister application, FleetHR.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Hilton selects FleetAcumen from Mycompanyfleet

2009-08-09T23:00:00+01:00

Hertfordshire-based contract hire and leasing supplier, Hilton Vehicle Leasing, has selected the FleetAcumen fleet software system from fleet solutions provider, Mycompanyfleet, to manage its corporate fleet.

Hilton Vehicle Leasing, based in Bishops Stortford, is part of the larger Hilton Group which includes manufacturer approved bodyshop operations for prestige marques including Mercedes Benz, and an accident management division.

Prior to selecting FleetAcumen, the company, which launched in November 2007 as a bolt-on to the Group’s main activities, had relied on a self written quotation system and spreadsheets, but had reached the stage where volume dictated that an automated system was required.

FleetAcumen gives it cradle to grave coverage of its contract hire fleet, handling all vehicle records, service scheduling details, contract mileages and terms, and features sophisticated workflow and KPI management, making the user aware of upcoming issues before they become an operational problem.

Managing director Morgan Devereux said:” We have seen significant growth in the last 18 months with over 400 vehicles to manage and Mycompanyfleet offered us a compelling proposition with FleetAcumen, and we particularly liked its reporting capabilities, not just for us, but for our corporate customers, too.

“We are convinced it will make a major difference to our business, including a significant reduction in the administrative burden,” he added.

Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet said: “Hilton Vehicle Leasing is a young fast growing company, and whilst still a relatively small company, we are delighted to be playing a key role in helping handle the administration of the leasing fleet.

“By automating all their fleet processes through FleetAcumen, they will be able to cut down their administrative burden and really drive efficiencies to the business.”

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets, leasing companies and fleet service providers of whatever nationality. It has a multi-lingual functionality and can be used in up to 20 different foreign languages.

FleetAcumen uses exception reporting methodology to highlight areas of the business that require management attention within a dynamic and highly visual dashboard environment.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

New IT Solution to Drive Quality Improvement

2009-08-06T23:00:00+01:00

The NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme (NIPE) today (07/08/09) announces the appointment of Northgate Public Services to assist in the development and implementation of a national IT system. It will capture the results of the physical examinations, making it possible to monitor and maintain standards.

Every newborn baby is offered a top-to-toe physical examination shortly after birth and again at 6 to 8 weeks of age. These examinations have been carried out routinely by healthcare professionals in England for more than twenty years, but there is considerable variation in the way the examinations are documented. Paper-based systems are mostly used making it difficult for sites to audit their performance, assess referral rates and follow-up treatment outcomes. An IT system that interfaces with both maternity and GP services will facilitate simple and accurate data capture.

Programme Director, Professor Adrian Davis said: “I am delighted that Northgate Public Services is working with us to develop and implement a national IT system - the company has a strong track record in healthcare information management, providing robust solutions to other screening programmes. A national NIPE IT system will enable practitioners to drive quality and improve standards and that is good news for babies and their parents.”

The tender for the contract saw 14 companies compete for the £2.2 million contract. Alan Campbell, Head of Screening Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said: “Our solution will help to join up information held in the NHS. We are committed to contributing towards high quality healthcare by providing professionals with the information they need to continuously improve services.” Subject to successful evaluation the IT system will be rolled out across England by 2012, as follows:

• Phase 1: The feasibility study, where initial ideas and systems are tested, will begin in two maternity units in 2009.

• Phase 2: Following evaluation of the proof of concept phase, further development of the prototype system/s will be carried out. The final solution will be piloted in a larger number of maternity sites by 2010 as part of the strategy for service transformation.

• Phase 3: National roll out of the systems will be completed by 2012 or earlier.

Ends

For further information about the NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme press office on:
Telephone: 020 7478 7841
Email: nipepressoffice@trimediauk.com

Notes to Editors:

1. The NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme (NIPE) offers parents of newborn babies the opportunity to have their child examined shortly after birth. The examination includes a general physical check as well as an examination of the baby’s eyes, heart, hips and testes in boys. The examination is repeated at six to eight weeks, usually by a GP.

Police expert joins Northgate Public Services

2009-07-29T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of former police officer Geoff Anderson as the lead adviser on policing excellence as the company gears up its activities to respond to the challenges facing policing at a time of unprecedented demand.

Geoff was previously with Avon and Somerset Police where he held the position of Detective Chief Superintendent, Head of Criminal Investigations Department. He was responsible for managing the response to major and serious crime for a force of 6,000 staff with a community of 1.5 million citizens.

Geoff is a highly accomplished senior manager and investigator with considerable experience spanning a wide spectrum of policing, including the delivery of innovative and strategic multi agency initiatives across the public and criminal justice arena. His involvement with numerous national groups including the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) Workforce Modernisation Programme, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Homicide Working Group and the Southwest Regional Collaboration Project gave him the opportunity to influence the direction of the law enforcement community both at a local and national level. For Northgate, Geoff will be the senior officer responsible for shaping and guiding its policing business, strengthening further the company’s innovation work with police forces throughout the UK and abroad. He will lead the development of partnership work to ensure that business process change is police-led and professionally informed.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Public Safety, Northgate Public Services,
said today: “I am delighted to welcome Geoff to Northgate at a pivotal time in the development of our public service business. The economic and social challenges facing the police service are unprecedented. The breadth and depth of Geoff’s experience will help us consolidate the relationships that we enjoy with police forces up and down the land and work with them in partnership to build citizen satisfaction and public trust through innovation.”

Geoff Anderson added: “I am thrilled to be helping Northgate at such an exciting time in the company’s development. Innovation must be informed by the day-to-day practice and operational demands of the police and measured by the levels of public satisfaction. There is a clear realisation that radical change is necessary in how the service is currently run. I believe that there is enormous opportunity to innovate within the police service and develop creative and innovative responses in trusted partnerships and look forward to working with the police in my new role.”

[Ends]

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401

Notes to Editors

Northgate unveils new appointment to strengthen healthcare drive

2009-07-27T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Alan Campbell as Head of Screening Solutions as the company spearheads its drive further into the management of health screening programmes as an integral part of its health business growth strategy.

Alan who has over twenty years of experience within the healthcare sector previously with Hays, and latterly with Northgate, will be responsible for the delivery of current services, the development of new programmes, and for extending Northgate’s capability to innovate both at home and internationally.

His appointment builds on the success of Northgate’s management of the world class Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP). This has been running for over five years, has screened nearly three million babies, and identified over 3,000 cases of hearing impairment. Northgate’s contract has recently been extended for a further three years.

The company has also recently completed a successful proof of concept programme for Bloodspot screening, leading to the development of a pilot programme which. if successful, will lead to a national roll-out. Further successes in screening are due to be announced next month.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Public Safety, Northgate Public Services, said today: “This appointment marks a step change in the development of our healthcare business. The management and successful delivery of high quality, efficient and effective healthcare screening programmes is an integral part of our growth strategy. Alan has already contributed greatly to the success of our strategy. He will play a central role in consolidating and strengthening our work to support healthcare professionals in the future.”

Alan Campbell, Head of Screening Solutions added: “I am delighted by this appointment. I am committed to supporting the health service in its drive for high quality and equitable services for all patients. Northgate has a track record of working collaboratively with healthcare professionals to deliver quality assured systems. Over the next few years we will be using this expertise to deliver further innovations in providing healthcare professionals with the information they need to continuously improve services and health outcomes for patients.”

[Ends]

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton
+44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401

Konstantinos Makrygiannis
+44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

Emap achieves whole new model through outsourced HR, payroll and benefits

2009-07-27T23:00:00+01:00

~ outsources all HR, payroll and benefits activity
to streamline business units ~

Emap, the B2B media group, has outsourced all HR, payroll and benefits delivery to NorthgateArinso. The move follows Emap’s acquisition by Apax and the Guardian Media Group in 2008. The contract is part of a wider strategic plan to outsource all IT, finance and HR services, enabling Emap to focus on its objectives for growth.

Emap’s Performance Director, Tracey Gray, has a vision for aligning the organisation to its core values, which encourage staff empowerment and accountability. As part of her overarching strategy, Gray has appointed heads of resourcing, employee relations, learning and development and reward. The service that NorthgateArinso is delivering to Emap complements the strategy, providing core HR services and supporting her and the directors in helping to instil employee accountability and ownership.

Key elements of the service that are aligned to the core values include self-service, which enables staff to manage their own affairs, from booking holidays to reporting sickness. Managers are then encouraged to take responsibility for following HR procedures in their own teams, using the self-service functionality and supported with an advice line, run by experts at NorthgateArinso, who can be called for guidance whenever it is required.

All of Emap’s HR process will be integrated on one platform, creating a central database that will provide integrated business information via an intuitive dashboard display. This will give Emap’s senior team the workforce information they require for accurate decision-making across the business.

After examining the offerings from other key providers, Emap found that NorthgateArinso was the only provider in the UK that could offer complete process management across HR, payroll and benefits, using an end-to-end outsourced solution. Not only did NorthgateArinso have best-of-breed solutions, but having recently been acquired by private equity group KKR, there were clear synergies between the companies. Tracey Gray explained: “Soon into our search, we realised that NorthgateArinso's values were well matched to our own. The team has a good understanding of our challenges and priorities, and is well placed to support our future growth.”

“Outsourcing the HR, flexible benefits and payroll functions to a single, consistent point of contact will not only free-up managers’ valuable time, but will ensure all HR processes are supported by a single supplier from the day the employee starts in the business to the day they leave,” concluded Gray.

(407 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
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Gateshead tenants get go ahead for customer improvements

2009-07-12T23:00:00+01:00

The Gateshead Housing Company today announces that it has extended its partnership with Northgate Public Service to help deliver customer service excellence and to meet the increasing expectation of its 21,000 tenants through modernising customer systems and service delivery.

In an agreement worth over £590,000 over five years, The Gateshead Housing Company will introduce Northgate’s citizen relationship management solution, designed to radically improve customer engagement and help deliver services on time, at the right time. The partnership aims to deliver realisable benefits for both tenants and staff including:
• increasing the amount of services delivered at the point of contact and increasing the number of queries dealt with at the first point of contact
• improving customer satisfaction levels through improved services
• enabling customer service agents to have access to the relevant information at the point of customer contact with the tenant and helping them to answer multiple queries
• empowering staff to increase the quality and range of services they offer customers
• delivering greater efficiencies across the organisation’s services.
Bill Fullen, Chief Executive of The Gateshead Housing Company, said today: “We have a commitment to continuously improving the many essential services our customers receive. By giving our employees access to the right technology, we believe we can even further improve our relationship with customers, and then use it to make our excellent services even better. We are committed to delivering the very best and we are delighted to have extended our partnership with Northgate. That partnership is based firmly on the trust an effective track record brings. We have shared values and also believe placing the needs of customers at the centre of service delivery is paramount. This investment is proof to our customers that we will carry on making improvements to ensure they continue to have the standard of services and homes they truly deserve."
Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said: “Today, over one in five of the population served by local authorities is benefiting from our citizenship relationship management systems. Increasingly, social landlords such as The Gateshead Housing Company understand the importance of investing to improve service delivery and customer satisfaction. This provides better services focused on the individual needs of people. It also removes bureaucracy and inefficient processes, enabling greater efficiencies to be made at a time of economic need.”

-Ends-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. The Gateshead Housing Company is the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) of the Gateshead Metropolitan Council. It is a non-profit organisation responsible for the day-to-day management of over 21,000 properties.

2. In February 2009, the Audit Commission assessed the housing services provided by The Gateshead Housing Company as ‘excellent’ with ‘excellent prospects for improvement’ and gave the service the top 'excellent' three star rating. This was because it has a strong commitment to customer care, estates are well managed and major improvements are being made to thousands of homes to bring them up to modern standards.

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. 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.

5. ‘Front Office’ is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information.

'GREEN FINGERED' TEAM FROM NORTHGATE TEND TO CHILDRENS' HOSPICE GARDEN

2009-07-11T23:00:00+01:00

A team from Northgate Managed Services swapped office life for the great outdoors this week to tend to the garden at the NI Children’s Hospice at Horizon House, Newtownabbey.

The 15 volunteers from Northgate visited the Hospice over two days as part of Business in the Community’s Cares Challenge, a campaign that encourages employee volunteering in the local community. To encourage participation in community challenges Northgate offers each of its 500 employees in Northern Ireland a community link day.

Leaving the technical world of ICT behind and getting back to nature, the Northgate team were on hand for duties vital to the upkeep of any garden including weeding, path clearing and hedge clipping.

Commenting on the campaign, Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing, Northgate Managed Services said, "The team from Northgate were delighted to take on the Cares Challenge. It was a hands-on task and they weren’t afraid to roll their sleeves up and get their hands dirty."

"In signing up to Business in the Community’s Cares Challenges, the Northgate team are able to give something back to the local community, benefiting organisations and groups who themselves make such a difference. The Hospice challenge is the third project that we have been involved in this year and is part of the organisation’s ongoing CSR strategy. "

Stefani Butler, regional fundraiser, NI Children’s Hospice praised the team’s efforts, “On behalf of Children’s Hospice I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Northgate volunteers. They put so much effort in over the two days and really must be commended for all their hard work. The garden is a very special place at Children’s Hospice and is used not only by our children but the entire family. It gives our families the opportunity to be in a comfortable and safe environment with their life-limited child along with the help from our specialist nursing team.

Stefani continued, “The garden is paramount to Hospice ethos as it gives that ‘Home from Home’ experience and we are thrilled with what Northgate have achieved. Well done.”

Credit crunch – councils fight back to improve citizens" services

2009-07-07T23:00:00+01:00

Wycombe District Council and Northgate Public Services today announce that they have formed an innovative, incremental partnership which will improve customer services in Wycombe. The agreement will see the establishment of a Regional Shared Services Centre designed to advance and promote transformation of council processes across the South East.

From Monday 6th July 2009 Northgate took over responsibility for the management of Wycombe’s Customer Service Centre. Under Northgate’s leadership, employees will benefit from improved investment and support, as their skills and capabilities are developed to meet changing demand.

The partnership is focused on radically improving customer experience and supporting business processes within the council. It will help to increase residents’ satisfaction at a time when services are under extreme pressure and unprecedented demand. It will enable customers to benefit from service enhancements and the Council to radically improve the way it deals with enquiries with improved response times, better information processing, and customer service.

The partnership will not only deliver immediate efficiencies to the Council, in the longer term, it will proactively seek other public service and not for profit organisations as additional partners to develop the Regional Shared Services Centre. It is anticipated that this could bring in substantial revenues coupled with guaranteed cost savings over the course of the five year partnership. The success of the Regional Shared Services Centre will also help to boost jobs in the town.

This partnership builds upon a successful ICT managed services relationship between Wycombe District Council and Northgate which has already delivered productivity gains from service level consistency. The proposed centre is the first of a number of regional excellence centres planned by Northgate as one of its responses to the challenges faced by the public sector over future years. The centres are aimed at providing public bodies and community organisations with new opportunities to radically overhaul business processes, improve services, and generate cost efficiencies through economies of scale and shared resources.

Councillor Roger Colomb, Wycombe District Council’s cabinet member for procurement and customer services said today: “This partnership is first and foremost about delivering positive outcomes for our residents. Wycombe District Council is committed to providing excellent customer service. We recognise that we have to improve the way that we engage and deliver services to our residents in these difficult economic times. At the heart of what we are doing are major service improvements combined with value for money for our council taxpayers.

“We are delighted to be working with Northgate on this innovative, joint venture, and in the longer term, we are hopeful that ultimately other authorities, public services and community-based organisations in the South East will work with us to make the Regional Shared Services centre a major success.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services, said today: “These are difficult times for councils across the UK. They are faced with increased demand and extreme pressure on resources. People not only want more but better services. We are committed to transforming the way that services relate to people and their needs, and to reaching out to the most disadvantaged in our communities.

“Wycombe Council shares our values and our vision. We are delighted that it has chosen to become part of our South East Regional Service Centre. Over the next year, we aim to establish regional centres of customer excellence throughout the UK. These will help public bodies deliver better services for less and provide guaranteed cashable savings over the lifetime of a contract. So long as councils like Wycombe wake up to the challenge, they can deliver the successful services that their communities have a right to expect.”
[ENDS]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. Wycombe District Council serves an area of approximately 125 square miles and a population of 162,000. The District is situated south west of Buckinghamshire and is linked to the M40 at 3 junctions - 3, 4 and 5, with rail links to Birmingham and London Marylebone via the Chiltern Railways line. The District has three historic town centres - urban High Wycombe, the small town of Princes Risborough and Marlow on the River Thames.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Cobalt takes off with HR support from NorthgateArinso

2009-07-07T23:00:00+01:00

~ HR and outsourced payroll help drive London airport ground services smoothly ~

Cobalt Ground Solutions Ltd <http://www.cobaltgs.com/about_us/> , the airport ground services company, has signed a five -year deal with NorthgateArinso for outsourced payroll <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/content/payroll_outsourcing> and an in-house HR system <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/content/hr_solutions> for its 900 employees. Cobalt was created as the result of a recent merger of KLM Ground Services Ltd (KGS) and Air France Services Ltd (AFSL).

The newly formed organisation will use the latest version of NorthgateArinso’s Empower software <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/content/hr_solutions> for all HR processes and a fully managed outsourced payroll service.

“With an increased workforce resulting from the merger, we knew that administering a larger number of employees could be a real challenge. We needed a service that would be quick and easy to implement, and would help us stay efficient during a time of change,” said Harminder Kullar, IT manager at Cobalt. “We chose NorthgateArinso because it could meet our demanding HR requirements quickly and efficiently.”

Malcolm Aldis, managing director at NorthgateArinso, commented: “Cobalt will have an HR and payroll solution from one provider, which allows its processes to run seamlessly. Integrated services such as this work very well for organisations, improving accuracy and reducing time wasted on basic administrative tasks.”

Cobalt delivers handling services for major international and domestic airlines. It currently operates in London Heathrow <http://www.heathrowairport.com/> and London City Airport <http://www.londoncityairport.com/> .

(227 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso, the HR division of Northgate Information Solutions, was created in 2007 following the acquisition of ARINSO International, thus creating a merged entity with more than half a century of combined HR expertise.

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software and services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune™ 500 companies and many public sector organisations.

Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

NorthgateArinso’s 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, best-of-breed software solutions, outsourcing services and systems integration. NorthgateArinso has offices in 32 countries on 5 continents.

www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com>
Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

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Mycompanyfleet launches multi-lingual and fiscal functionality for pan European fleets

2009-07-01T23:00:00+01:00

Fleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet has launched a new multi-lingual and financial function for its FleetAcumen software system which should prove an ideal solution for pan European fleet operators, leasing companies and service suppliers.

The new functionality provides up to 20 different foreign languages and is language intuitive, switching seamlessly to the host language when it recognises the country of origin.

The new multi-lingual function also provides multiple financial rules for up to 20 different European countries, handling both direct and indirect taxation and other financial regulations.

The enhanced functionality should be a major benefit for pan European fleet operators and leasing companies which operate across national boundaries and work within different national financial regimes.

“This new multi-lingual functionality removes the language barrier and is truly able to operate across national boundaries.
“With its capability to operate in all European countries, and provide the financial framework to work within those countries, it should be of huge interest to pan European fleet operators, leasing companies and service suppliers,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, the automotive division of global HR software provider, NorthgateArinso.

“Most European countries have different national tax regimes with local rates for direct and indirect taxes such as VAT, but now we are providing fleet operators with the ability to cope with this diversity of financial regulations from one central system,” he added.

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets, leasing companies and fleet service providers of whatever nationality. It uses exception reporting methodology within a highly visual dashboard environment to highlight areas of the business that require management attention.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Invest in public trust to create public value

2009-06-30T23:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE1^st July 2009 Invest in public trust to create public value Direct investment in citizen relationship management solutions will help to build trust in hard pressed local authorities, says Northgate Public Services today, as it mounts a drive to encourage greater citizen involvement and engagement in councils’ performance improvement. Over 80 local authorities and housing clients are working in public value partnerships to revolutionise service delivery through using Northgate’s citizen relationship management solutions, says the company. Northgate now serves over 11.6 million citizens in England and Wales – almost one in five of the population. The company believes that many more citizens could benefit if other hard-pressed public services and not-for-profit organisations overhauled their processes and comprehensively re-engineered their services around the sole target of improving public satisfaction and trust in public services. According to its local authority and housing clients, the positive outcomes arising from such partnerships include: · providing one-stop services for citizens, including self service for an extended number of services and online payments services; · joining up front-office and back-office systems to allow staff instant access to citizen information to improve the service they provide; · reducing the time taken to deliver services; · providing citizen-centred services with service delivery built around the needs and choice of the individual citizen and their family;· tracking the progress of customer queries more quickly and effectively; · delivering performance and other management information; · reducing the bureaucratic burden on staff; · and delivering efficiencies whilst improving services. Cont. Northgate believes that the police and social care sector could particularly benefit from engaging in such partnerships and it is mounting a campaign to persuade them of the benefits. Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services said today: “Talking about direct investment in the current economic climate is absolutely necessary. We cannot have more of the same, if the same is characterised by silo mentality, paper processes and outmoded methods of working. “Our local authority clients’ experience is that this is investment well spent, helping to build public satisfaction and create better and more efficient services when the public needs them most. “At a time when social care services are heavily focusing on the personalisation agenda, and the police service has adopted a single customer satisfaction target, we believe the public sector has much to gain from a greater emphasis on building services based on satisfaction.”

[Ends]

For more informationFellows’ AssociatesKathy Sutton +44(0)20 7395 1516;+44(0)7966 890401Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7395 1518; +44(07949 421356 Notes to Editors 1. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities and every police force. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used by over 180 benefits payments authorities which pay out over £6.5 billion per annum in housing benefit; electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; over one hundred housing associations; and to support the national system for reporting police performance. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. 2. ‘Front Office’ is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information.

Mycompanyfleet offers tips for driving abroad

2009-06-27T23:00:00+01:00

With the summer holidays upon us, fleet software specialist Mycompanyfleet is offering advice to drivers taking their company vehicles abroad and also warning of the potential pitfalls.

Andrew Leech, Mycompanyfleet business manager, said: “More and more of us are taking our cars abroad and this summer, with its promise of good weather, looks likely to be no different.

“But there are some definite do’s and don’ts to driving abroad and we thought now would be a great time to remind drivers of some of them.”

Mycompanyfleet tips on safe driving abroad this summer:

1. Get the car checked, especially the filters, belts, fluid levels, wipers, tyres and oil.
Don’t wait until the last minute. It may take time to get an appointment at the garage and parts may need to be ordered. You also want some time to drive around before you go and make sure that whatever they fixed stays fixed.

2. Research the roads you’ll take.
You will especially want to know if you’ll be travelling through areas of major road construction. Ensure the navigation software/maps you are using are up-to-date. Check the roads before you go! You may also want to find out ahead of time, which routes are heavily frequented (especially, when school holidays start or end). Good sources here are the local automobile clubs.

3. Carry a warning triangle, a complete set of spare bulbs, first aid kit and safety jacket.
This should comply with most European laws. In some countries a fire extinguisher must be carried in the vehicle. Also be aware that radar detection devices may be prohibited in some countries.

4. In most European countries it is compulsory to carry a reflective jacket.
This should be worn if the driver or passenger has to exit the car onto a motorway or main road. Please note that in some countries, such as France, the jacket has to be carried in the cabin rather than the boot of a car, and to not do so can result in a fine.

5. Almost all European countries have a blood alcohol limit
The best advice, if you’re driving, is don’t drink any alcohol – at all!

6. Seat belts front and rear are obligatory everywhere
Belt up at all times, applies to the kids as well!

7. Check your plates, registration and insurance information.
Be sure to place your insurance company’s emergency contact number in your car. Make sure the green insurance card is valid (if issued).

8. Check your driving licence is up to date.
You may use your EU licence for driving in other European Community member states. The member states are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Before you head off on your holiday make sure, you have in your possession:

• A spare set of keys.
• A country identifier sticker
• First aid kit, tool kit, spare bulbs, warning triangle, safety jacket and (in some countries) a fire distinguisher. Generally, a torch might be helpful in case of breakdowns at night.
• Registration document, driving licence, passport or ID card.
• Your motor insurance certificate, Green Card (if issued), and details of any breakdown and travel insurance, together with any emergency helpline numbers.

If you are using a leased or rented vehicle the registration certificate will normally be held by the company that supplied the vehicle. When travelling abroad it is important that drivers are able to produce documentation to show they are authorised to be in possession of the vehicle. The vehicle on-hire certificate (VE 103) has been developed to satisfy this requirement. The certificate, which is normally subject to a small administrative fee, is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

The VE103 form can be obtained by contacting your supplying leasing company. The form will be completed over the phone. You will be asked to provide the following information:
• Exact dates the car will be out of the country
• Countries to be visited
• Any additional drivers.

Upon completion, the relevant documentation will be sent to you by post. To make sure you receive this in time for your trip, please allow at least two week’s notice.

Also note that not all lease cars may come with European roadside support as a standard. Please check this either directly with your leasing company. Where additional cover is required, you may be responsible for organising its provision and the associated cost.

“By following this simple advice and sticking to the rules there is no reason why driving abroad should be any trickier than here in the UK,” added Andrew Leech.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Mycompanyfleet launches "unique" CRM module for delivery and service fleets

2009-06-23T23:00:00+01:00

Fleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet has launched a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module primarily for delivery and service fleets to measure customer satisfaction with the service they have supplied.

The new CRM module, called YourAcumen, integrates fully with the company’s FleetAcumen software system, and allows users to capture customer feedback and satisfaction at every point of customer interface.

“We believe this is a unique proposition in the fleet software arena,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, “as there is no other system that allows the seamless integration between fleet user and customer in this way.

“YourAcumen allows the capture of every aspect of interface with the customer to help assess customer satisfaction, productivity, vehicle utilisation and business efficiency.
“Many companies have service standards they want to meet for either new or existing customers. YourAcumen automatically polices those standards to ensure that pre-set levels are being reached.”

The new CRM module allows users to measure every aspect of interface with the customer and, where the vehicle fleet is involved, to feed that back into the main fleet management system.

It includes mapping and help desk functions and has full connectivity through PDAs between delivery drivers and system. Digital signature capture allows delivery times to be logged to ensure they are within pre-set limits and that efficiency levels are being achieved.

It also allows the better monitoring of vehicle utilisation and job planning to ensure that maximum efficiencies are being achieved across the fleet and that downtime is reduced.

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets and fleet service providers. It uses exception reporting methodology within a highly visual dashboard environment to highlight areas of the business that require management attention.

It is designed to integrate with other applications and supplier systems, and provides an unrivalled level of analysis and reporting similar to that of its sister application, FleetHR.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

service@north-herts radically improves services and delivers efficiencies

2009-06-22T23:00:00+01:00

Citizens living in the towns and rural areas served by North Hertfordshire District Council, including Baldock, Hitchin, Royston and Letchworth, have benefited from a public value partnership in which the Council has delivered major service improvements, whilst realising cashable savings of £866,000 per annum, and these are expected to increase further.

In an innovative public-private partnership with Northgate Information Solutions service@north-herts was established to help deliver the council’s change management programme, radically improve service access and to provide public value by delivering more efficient services to the citizens of North Hertfordshire.

In a major programme lasting over three years, six key improvement projects were carried out under the governance of a project board which included representation from all political parties as well as the Chief Executive. Citizen access enhancements included the introduction of a new website, a new Customer Service Centre (CSC), and an e-Payments service.

The number of services provided by the CSC is now fourteen and includes council tax, housing, planning, waste, sports and play bookings, parking, environmental health, bus pass enquiries and elections. The number of interactions with the CSC increased from October 2006 – October 2008 by 43 per cent, as citizens increasingly realise the advantage of using the Council’s CSC service.

Citizens have been able to use the web as an additional channel to access council services. Continuing website development has involved greater interaction and self-service. There are now 27 e-forms on the website, and plans to develop a further ten with built in seamless payment facilities. Website usage has nearly doubled over the year to September 2008, as has the number of e-payments made by citizens. A new e-billing option has provided citizens with the opportunity to view their Council Tax and Business Rate Bills on-line, reducing printing and postage costs to the Council.
A new corporate document management system has also been introduced. This has created additional savings through a reduction in paper and the space required to store it, and enables the council to develop more sustainable methods of working for employees, including moving forward with home and mobile working services. The Revenues and Benefits Service implemented document management in 1997 and this has now been extended firstly to the Planning & Building Control Service, followed by Housing & Environmental Health. The council plans to roll this out through all remaining services. A corporate post and scanning room has been created which addresses citizen concerns over information security. Sensitive documents can be received, scanned, and returned in the post, without leaving the secure area.

Making the most of the capabilities and capacity of Council employees was integral to the development of the strategy, as was the delivery of business improvement through a review of processes. As a result of the joint partnership, the Council’s IT department has been rated within the top third of District Councils for their customer support, technical skills and knowledge.

John Campbell, Chief Executive at North Hertfordshire District Council said today: “Today, in a world of scarce resources, councils have to make a strategic examination of their services and to use technology to enhance service delivery through improving citizen access. This was a major programme which came in under budget, delivered significant improvements to citizen services, and delivered realisable savings. It’s a success that we are rightly proud of, and it’s a sign of how partnership can be used to change the way we do things and improve the way we work for our local communities.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services at Northgate Public Services said today: “In these hard economic times, the role of local councils has never been more important. They need to deliver more in the context of growing need and constrained resources. North Hertfordshire District Council recognised that to reach out to the citizen, including the most vulnerable, there must be a root and branch review of the way that processes are organised and how technology can be used intelligently to improve services. It is this that provided them with the route map to success.”
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For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516 +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518 +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. North Hertfordshire District Council has a population of 116,908 and covers an area of 145 square miles. There are three historic town Baldock, Hitchin and Royston - and Letchworth, the world’s first Garden City. North Hertfordshire consists of over 30 rural parishes with their main villages and hamlets.

2. service@North-Herts was a partnership between the Council and Anite Public Sector which commenced in mid 2005. Anite Public Sector was acquired by Northgate in October 2008. The programme was run on PRINCE2 principles.

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.

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 nearly 8,000 employees. Northgate provides North Hertfordshire District Council with its Revenue & Benefits solution.

PROIV signs new carbon emissions measurement partner

2009-06-18T23:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso's PROIV sales team has signed a new business partner, Green Oak Solutions, to develop the first carbon emissions data gathering platform in the market called Carboncheck, using the latest PROIV technology.

Automated data capture from multiple sources, including smart meters and vehicle telemetry systems, helps government divisions and private companies monitor their carbon footprints. It enables them to identify areas for improvement and then implement robust and highly efficient carbon management systems and strategies.

"We are excited about teaming up with Green Oak to assist them in developing a truly pan-corporate solution for companies struggling with the raft of new environmental and compliance legislation, said Hugh McDaniel, PROIV Business Development Manager.

"When Green Oak suggested that they worked with the PROIV team to develop the first automated carbon measurement solution available anywhere in the world, we recognised immediately that we could jointly take a leadership position in this new market."

Robert McKechnie, Green Oak's Managing Director, has a history of leading companies into new markets and building successful businesses.

Speaking of the new relationship he said, "The strategic partnership agreement with NorthgateArinso's PROIV product for the development and delivery of Carboncheck is hugely important. The combination of Green Oak's environmental expertise and innovation and NorthgateArinso's brand strength and global delivery capability provides customers with a turnkey solution to carbon management."

To discuss measuring your organisation's carbon emissions, please contact Hugh McDaniel (hugh.mcdaniel@northatearinso.com) or call +44 (0)8707 55 25 98.

Electronic documents bring Reading economic and environmental gains

2009-06-16T23:00:00+01:00

Reading Borough Council’s partnership with Northgate Public Services is delivering economic and environmental gains to the council, at a time when local authorities are under increasing pressure to deliver efficient and effective services.

Using Northgate’s electronic document management system (Northgate EDMS), Reading has slashed the time taken to source documents by two thirds, and the time taken to locate an invoice from fifteen minutes to just one minute.

Northgate EDMS enables local authorities to capture, manage, store, deliver and share documents electronically. In a project to free up space, the incremental roll-out of the system targeted paper-heavy departments, including Revenues & Benefits, Housing and the payroll and creditor teams. The space saved as a result of the reduction in storage space is the equivalent to desk space for twelve employees.

The document management system has been well received by council employees. They are benefiting from paper-less offices, the ability to provide more efficient services to Reading’s population of 140,000, and greater access to more flexible forms of working. The system reduces the need to travel into the city centre and opens up the possibility of working from home, satellite and remote offices, reducing the carbon emissions from travel.

The workload on the post room has been significantly reduced. Three hundred and twenty thousand documents per year are now being electronically scanned and imported into the system. Other improvements identified include better sharing of information between employees, greater security of data and information, an enhanced audit trail and a link up with the citizen relationship management system which gives a 360 degree view of both customer data and their related documents and correspondence.

Claire Thompson, IT project manager, Reading Borough Council said: “The project has been a great success. There were no problems during implementation and training has been very straightforward and easy. Staff find it very user-friendly.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services said today: “We are delighted that our work with Reading promotes the triple benefits of electronic documents for citizen-centred services. The council gains from the effective, economic and environmental outcomes of our partnership and it is the people of Reading who are the true winners.”

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; +44 (0) 7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; +44 (0) 7949 421356

Notes to editors

2. Northgate’s EDMS is used by forty per cent of local authorities. Northgate has processed, scanned, delivered and stored more than 50 million pages using this service. Northgate EDMS stores and manages 2 billion documents electronically.

NorthgateArinso provides HR 'as you like it'

2009-06-16T23:00:00+01:00

~ unveils ResourceLink-Aurora for versatile HR solutions delivery ~

NorthgateArinso, the global HR software and solutions provider, has launched ResourceLink-Aurora, the first HR solutions platform that can be delivered
on-demand, on-premise or in combination. The versatile solution puts workforce information at the HR team’s fingertips, delivering all elements of HR and payroll from a single platform.

Unveiled at the HR Software Show 2009, ResourceLink-Aurora is highly configurable and includes the ability to add complementary information – including reference-checking tools, business intelligence data, weather reports and news feeds, both from NorthgateArinso and external sources. It gives organisations the flexibility to choose a zero-footprint, hosted or in-house solution, or to offer different delivery models to different offices.

The versatility is something the industry has been crying out for, according to UK managing director Malcolm Aldis: “The benefits of on-demand during a tough economy have been well touted in the press, but until now it’s been hard to see how this translates to the HR department,” he commented. “Zero-footprint software will be the right choice for some companies, but what people really need is choice, to find the model that suits them, with the right technology that will deliver value to the business quickly.”

The solution was developed based on regular consultation with ResourceLink's already strong customer base of over 400 organisations from both public and private sectors, including some well respected household names. NorthgateArinso not only used its internal specialists, but consultation from worldwide industry analysts to enhance the HR professional's overall experience when using a functionality rich product such as ResourceLink-Aurora.

“ResourceLink-Aurora really is HR ‘as you like it’,” Aldis continued. “It is totally configurable ERP for the HR department, and can be deployed the company needs it. And because it is based on the proven, robust technology behind ResourceLink, there is no trade off between versatility and reliability.”

Available from June 17, ResourceLink-Aurora is fully supported by NorthgateArinso’s technical strength and the HR knowledge and expertise of its people.

(335 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Water Watchdog Awards Contract Extension to Northgate Managed Services

2009-06-15T23:00:00+01:00

Contract Win Further Strengthens Northgate’s Reputation in Utilities Sector

The Consumer Council for Water has awarded a two year contract extension to Newtownabbey-based Northgate Managed Services, on the back of benefits delivered through a previous three year partnership agreement.

The Consumer Council for Water, which is the independent body representing water consumers in England and Wales, first appointed Northgate to manage its entire ICT resources in 2006, with the key objective of improving business processes.

The managed service provided by Northgate includes an ICT infrastructure that offers the organisation’s 88 staff across eight sites a flexible working solution through more efficient access to information. Transferring the hosting of all servers to Northgate’s data centre, and utilising their skilled technical support team, offers both flexible working and disaster recovery options to the Consumer Council for Water.

Tony Smith, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Water said: “Ultimately our priority is to ensure the consumers’ collective voice is heard and that their needs remain at the heart of water industry’s thinking. Northgate’s advice, support and service delivery has impacted on our entire operation, enabling our people to focus their time and efforts on the customer.”

The contract extension marks a significant development for Northgate, further enhancing its reputation within the utilities sector where it already provides services to a number of high profile organisations including Viridian, NI Water and Bord Gais.

Ed Brown, Managing Director, Utilities & Public Sector, Northgate Managed Services said:
“We are delighted to have been awarded this important contract extension which further consolidates our strength within the utilities sector. Having worked with the Consumer Council for Water from the outset, the partnership has evolved and grown with its ever changing business needs, and we look forward to furthering the cost saving and efficiency benefits which our services have delivered to date.”

Ends

For further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 90393837

One Housing Group makes employees at home with integrated HR

2009-06-08T23:00:00+01:00

~ invests in future growth with hosted HR and payroll functions ~

One Housing Group, a leading housing provider, has signed a seven-year deal with NorthgateArinso to implement its fully integrated HR and fully managed payroll service, based on the ResourceLink solution. Working with NorthgateArinso will enable the Group to support its business objectives for growth, while becoming an employer of choice and ensuring effective payroll administration.

NorthgateArinso’s ResourceLink will support the Group as a growing business, through the use of web recruitment, self-service modules and reporting, which were key drivers for the organisation. The new features will make the recruitment process faster, allowing HR staff to focus on strategic duties and enabling cost-savings. The reporting function was previously basic, but will now offer better management information and communication between managers and employees, improving efficiency and providing better services to the Group’s workforce.

Susan Heslop, HR Manager at One Housing Group commented: “We were looking for a provider that understands the public sector and its challenges, while offering innovative solutions. The past 12 months have been a busy period for integration after bringing together three housing associations under a group structure, and NorthgateArinso’s solution will help us move forward and ensure that this transition period runs smoothly.”

NorthgateArinso was chosen through the public sector procurement process Catalist, as an accredited supplier. Further modules will be implemented later on this year, such as online payslips, enabling the Group to reduce costs and paper waste.

“The Group will implement ResourceLink as part of a clear development strategy in its HR department,” said Steve Perkins, Account Manager at NorthgateArinso. “We’re confident that the solution will provide the efficiency that One Housing Group is looking for and we will support the HR Team in partnership as it goes through acquisitions and further growth plans.”

(262 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com> >
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune* 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com <..:Local%20Settings:Temporary%20Internet%20Files:OLK2E:northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com>

Internet: http://www.lewispr.com <http://www.lewispr.com>
Jade Wilkinson
Senior account executive

LEWIS - Global Public Relations
Millbank Tower, Millbank
London, SW1P 4RS

Extend Energy Assessors" role to promote environmental equity

2009-06-07T23:00:00+01:00

Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) have a critical role to play in combating fuel poverty and promoting climate change, says Northgate Public Services on the eve of the Energy Assessor expo at the ICC in Birmingham, and the company is calling on government for their role to be extended.

According to Northgate, the introduction of programmes such as the Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP) and the proposed reform of the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) opens up new opportunities for DEAs.

The company has welcomed the proposal to introduce Home Energy Advisors to encourage behavioural change within disadvantaged households. It agrees that individuals who have received face-to -face energy advice are more likely to implement energy efficiency measures and alter their behaviour. It has told the government that DEAs are ideally suited to take on such a role, so long as they have access to benefits information and are trained in benefits to ensure that individuals who are failing to take up their right to benefits are easily identified. It has also called for community based home energy audits based on a whole house approach in areas of multi-deprivation, and before and after audits to test the efficacy of different measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty. These could be carried out by DEAs suggests the company whose accreditation scheme includes both independents and organisations.

To support energy assessors in delivering citizen based services, the company has developed an innovative online service designed to reduce manual back office administration, improve flexible working and reduce the carbon footprint of energy assessors themselves. This will be demonstrated at the exhibition on June 9th.
Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “These are difficult times for energy assessors particularly for independents. However, the extension of programmes such as CESP and CERT open up new opportunities for assessors to provide quality services to disadvantaged households.

“In all of our responses to the UK government and the devolved nations, we are saying to government that DEAs have a critical role in promoting environmental equity. We believe that in the future there will be increased demand for their services and have developed our online services to support them in their extended role.”

[ENDS]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

3. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, emergency services and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. The company has over fifteen year experience of working in innovative partnerships designed to promote energy efficiency and develop sustainable communities, as well as working with a range of stakeholders in the field of energy efficiency including local authorities, surveyors, architects and most recently domestic energy assessors. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

4. Northgate energyFlow is due to be launched at the Energy Assessor Expo at the ICC in Birmingham on June 9th. It is a powerful online productivity tool that allows both organisations and independent Energy Assessors to manage their work more efficiently and effectively. For more information about Northgate energyFlow contact ++44 (0)870 808 1234

Leicester students set to excel with anytime, anywhere learning as part of Building Schools for the Future programme

2009-06-04T23:00:00+01:00

Opened 1 June 09, Judgemeadow Community College and Soar Valley College have become exceptional centres of learning, providing technology to engage and educate students. Completely remodelled as part of Leicester’s £235 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, both schools have worked closely with ICT specialist Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) to ensure its learners have access to the latest technology.

As the 3rd and 4th BSF schools in Leicester to open their doors, Judgemeadow and Soar Valley aims to create the best possible setting for young people to learn in and meet the educational needs of over 2400 students. Northgate Managed Services has liaised closely with the teachers and Local Education Partnership to tailor and personalise technology. This has ensured that the ICT needs of students are met as well as the education vision of the schools. Also committed to supporting the schools on a day-to-day basis through its managed service, Northgate’s team of ICT experts are on hand to fix any ICT-related problems quickly and efficiently and work remotely to ensure many problems are fixed before they even impact on the schools.

Keen to help students take ownership of their own learning, the common technology vision for both schools is to strongly emphasise personalisation and the provision of anytime, anywhere learning. Working closely with Northgate, both schools are now fully wireless-enabled, allowing students to access their work from different locations throughout the school.. Both schools are also confident that the provision of anytime, anywhere learning will help to break down the barriers which currently exist between Leicester schools and the local community, helping to promote lifelong learning in the area.

Mel Berry, Principal at Soar Valley College, commented: “The ICT infrastructure and facilities will excite and motivate learners of all abilities and make the concept of ‘anytime, anywhere learning’ a reality; it will also support efficient and effective models of working helping to reduce bureaucracy. “

Each student now has access to an online Managed Learning Environment (MLE) called N-able designed by Northgate. N-able provides students with their own personalised learning area with the support and assistance they need to maximise independent study and to progress according to their own individual learning plan. Accessible through the internet from any location, the MLE gives each student their own online space to work on assignments, store work and access emails, enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students. Each teacher has a digital tool box to enable them to continually assess pupils’ work and offer as much or little guidance as they need. N-able also allows the school to incorporate administrative systems such as pupil access and registration, as well as pupil achievements such as exam and homework marks.

The implementation of a Managed Learning Environment allows students and teachers to share and store work and resources that can be securely accessed anywhere and anytime. N-able is part of a wider ICT managed service provided for both schools by Northgate. Ever mindful of school budgetary constraints, Northgate has also looked at efficient ways to reduce the cost of ICT in both schools and so provides a centrally managed printing solution which limits the amount of printers and paper used. Accessed by identity cards this enables the schools to help control paper wastage, maintaining a ‘green’ school environment.

The creation of a safer school environment was an additional key element of Judgemeadow Community College’s vision for technology. To achieve this, Northgate implemented E-registration and cashless payment systems to help make the school a safer place for everyone.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services, commented: “We are extremely proud to be working with Judgemeadow Community College and Soar Valley College to help transform teaching and learning for students. It is an honour to be involved with such forward thinking schools and we feel the benefits to young learners will make both schools best practice models for other BSF projects.”

Under the BSF programme, Leicester City secondary schools will benefit from over £235 million investment making them some of the most advanced schools in the country. Leicester is among the first UK authorities to be part of the Government’s BSF programme which is a new approach to investing in schools to create the best possible setting for young people to learn in and meet their educational needs.

Issued: Ends Ref: NG045

For press enquiries please contact Judith Butcher or Louise Peto at Livewire Public Relations, Tel: +44 (0)20 8339 7440 or e-mail judith.butcher@livewirepr.com or louise.peto@livewirepr.com.

Notes to editor:

Northgate Managed Services’ ICT solution is helping Leicester to:
• Address the language and background divide of their pupils; supporting the diverse needs of a diverse population and bridging the gap between students with disadvantaged backgrounds and language barriers.
• Focus on personalised learning; ensuring that students are provided with an interactive learning environment that is tailored to their specific needs and that encourages them to engage in their own learning.
• Raise attainment levels; embedding innovative ICT into the learning process, therefore engaging and motivating previously switched off students.
• Provide anytime, anywhere learning; offering ICT access for students, teachers and parents anywhere and on any device.
• Offer flexibility; basing the managed ICT environment around the learner so that it can be accessed from a different school if required.
• Reduce bureaucracy; enabling teachers to focus on education rather than paperwork and helping them manage learning by providing a complete overview of each individual pupil.

Back to BSF school for Beaumont Leys

2009-06-04T23:00:00+01:00

Students and Staff at Beaumont Leys School, Leicester, will start the summer term in a transformed learning environment with state-of-the-art facilities as the school opens six weeks ahead of schedule.

Part of Leicester’s £14m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, the project has created an inspiring learning environment for over 1,000 students and 150 staff, with bright colours, light airy comfortable spaces filled with new, modern equipment and furniture. A centre-piece Inclusion Suite increases the provision for students with Special and Additional Educational Needs (SEN & AEN) will further enhance Beaumont Leys’ reputation as a leader in re-engaging vulnerable learners.

The building has also received an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating which recognises its environmental credentials.

Beaumont Leys will not only provide new facilities and resources for students. Members of the community will be able to make use of the new facilities including:
• the Sports Hall;
• Dance and Drama studios;
• A flood-lit games facility , and
• dining facilities suitable for conferences and weddings

Innovative technology is at the heart of this project, and the school’s new Managed Learning Environment, provided by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) specialists Northgate Education, will enable teachers and learners to access resources, information and applications anywhere and anytime. Students and staff have access to 350 computers and laptops and 50 interactive whiteboards through the wireless network which reaches out into the playground. Students will even be able to send their work to the school’s printers from the comfort of their own home.

Leicester Miller Education Company, which has delivered the schools on behalf of Leicester City Council, was able to offer a new build solution following a review of the original designs which planned for a refurbishment for the school.

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, the government agency responsible for delivering the BSF programme, said: “Building Schools for the Future is all about giving young people a better and a brighter future. The investment in Beaumont Leys – the second BSF school to open in the city – will not only give students and teachers a safe, welcoming and inspiring place to learn, but will also be a real asset to its local community.

“With 58 BSF schools now open across the country, including Beaumont Leys which was completed early and on budget, the national programme to rebuild and renew secondary schools is gaining momentum. Building Schools for the Future is about much more than simply bricks and mortar about, it is about improving the life chances of young people and making a positive difference to local communities – I look forward to learning more about the impact of Beaumont Leys for all learners.”
Liz Logie, Headteacher of Beaumont Leys School, said: “We have always been ambitious for our students and are constantly encouraging them to aim high, our school motto is ‘Together We Achieve Success’. We believe we have worked together with all our partners to make this BSF project a real success. We have come far in our old building but in this inspiring new school we will really fly. The school’s role as the hub of its community is where I see the greatest opportunity for the new buildings. The facilities are truly exciting and will be uplifting for students, staff and, the broader community.

“This whole project has been a learning experience for staff and pupils alike and our close relationships with Leicester Miller Education Partnership and Miller Construction, the main contractor, has enabled us to take possession of the school early and begin to reap the benefits that our new surroundings will bring.”

Stephen Trebble, General Manager, Leicester Miller Education Company, said: “Beaumont Leys is the first BSF project to complete significantly early, and this has been made possible due to partnership that has been established with the Council, the school and the main contractor. There is a shared vision for the delivery of first-class education facilities in Leicester and we are all delighted to see the vision come to fruition.

“Leicester is setting a blueprint for the education facilities for future generations.”

Local Ward Councillor and Education Lead, Vi Dempster, expressed her “absolute delight” at this development.

Contact
Sarah Fedorcio/Nicky Old, Partnerships for Schools, 020 7273 0052/0031
Adele Lothian, Leicester Miller Education Company, 0870 336 5141

Notes to editors:

• Beaumont Leys is the second school to open in Leicestershire City under Wave 1 of the BSF scheme. Fulhurst Community College opened its first phase in January 2009.

• Beaumont Leys is one of 24 schools nationally judged to be outstanding in re-engaging vulnerable students in learning

• Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. The aim is to rebuild or renew England’s state secondary schools estate during the lifetime of the programme.

• Partnerships for Schools (PfS) is the delivery organisation for Building Schools for the Future. PfS was established in April 2004 as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), and is operated and funded under a joint venture between DCSF (formerly DfES) and Partnerships UK. PfS is a 100-strong organisation, with specialist expertise including educationalists, designers, ICT specialists, commercial managers and project management. (www.partnershipsforschools.org.uk)

• The National Audit Office report into BSF, published in February 2009, stated that the programme is now being well managed and that PfS is keeping costs under control. It added: “BSF schools have been built to a higher specification and space standards than previous schools”

• Leicester Miller Education Company is the Local Education Partnership (LEP), which was formed to deliver the first wave of BSF projects and consists of a partnership between Miller, G4S, Leicester City Council and BSFI.

• Northgate Information Solutions (www.northgate-is.com/education)

Northgate Education, Northgate’s specialist education division, is a leading provider of managed services and solutions in the UK. It provides technology services to over 1,200 schools, with more than 350,000 teachers and learners successfully supported by the company. Northgate provides services to every school in Northern Ireland through C2k, the largest and most comprehensive e-learning initiative ever implemented in the UK. It also provides Information and Communication Technology (ICT) managed services to Bristol, Leicester and Kent as part of the government's Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF) and to over 150 education sites in Hartlepool, from primary schools through to further education.

ENDS

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES AWARDED FOR EXCELLENCE AT ICT AWARDS

2009-06-04T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) is leading the field for Ireland’s ICT sector after winning an award at the ninth annual Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Excellence awards held in Dublin this month.

Newtownabbey-based Northgate picked up the award for IT Project of the Year (Public sector) for its development of the Driver and Vehicles Agency’s (DVA) booking system, delivering what judges felt to be an outstanding application of business technology.

Managed by a dedicated Northgate team at the organisation’s Newtownabbey base, the operation manages more than 750,000 bookings a year, combining both driver and MOT vehicle tests.

Northgate’s solution of combining telephone and online booking with payment systems has helped to transform the customer experience when dealing with the DVA. The interface employed allows for essential data sharing across government departments, and has resulted in a more efficient system. A fact highlighted by the judging panel who found it to be an excellent example of ‘joined-up’ government.

Commenting on winning the prestigious award, James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure, Northgate Managed Services said, “We are delighted to have been short-listed for this award and even more so to have won it given the calibre of other projects in the category.”

He continued, “We have worked in partnership with the DVA to ensure continuous improvement in both service and system management and are very proud of the system we have established.”

“Through understanding consumer needs we have been able to deploy technology that is geared towards caller convenience- saving the customer time and money. From 2008, the DVA has seen its customer satisfaction score an average of 98.5% with telephone and online bookings rising by 40% and 12% respectively. The success of this project can be credited to the open partnership with our client and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the DVA.”

Northgate was also short-listed for two other awards on the night; Company of the Year and Best use of Technology for Education and Training.
ENDS

Welsh Assembly Government works to progress environmental equity

2009-06-04T23:00:00+01:00

The Welsh Assembly Government has an opportunity to become a global leader in energy efficiency and the fight against fuel poverty so long as it takes a bolder, more radical and innovative approach, asserts Northgate Public Services in a response published today.

Commenting on the proposals outlined in the Welsh Assembly Government’s National Energy Efficiency and Savings Plan consultation, Northgate welcomes the combination of the Assembly Government’s energy efficiency strategy with its target of eradicating fuel poverty by 2018.

In its response, Northgate calls for an alignment between the National Energy Efficiency and Savings Plan with the Westminster Government’s schemes such as the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and the Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP), to allow maximum possible benefit to be obtained for the communities of Wales, and to meet the needs of the most hard pressed households.

To combat the problems of climate change and fuel poverty, Northgate make a number of suggestions to promote effective and efficient delivery including :
• a new statutory role for local authorities to promote climate change in their local areas;
• the development of green mortgages to provide extended financial support for energy efficiency measures;
• regular reporting of initiatives and promoting behavioural change on a geographical basis;
• a voluntary code of practice for private landlords.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “We welcome the ambitious approach outlined in the National Energy Efficiency and Savings Plan consultation. It combines a strong commitment to social justice and combating fuel poverty with the need to tackle climate change and to promote environmental equity.

“The Welsh Assembly Government now has a real opportunity to take a global lead on issues of fuel poverty and energy efficiency. We believe that our recommendations would help to focus measures on those in the greatest need. Only by ensuring the effective delivery of measures can steps be taken to end fuel poverty and create a fairer society for everyone.”

[ENDS]
For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44(0)7949 421356

Argos stocks up on hosted payroll from NorthgateArinso

2009-06-03T23:00:00+01:00

~ eight-year deal enables better allocation of staff between stores ~

Argos has signed a new contract with NorthgateArinso to process payroll for the retailer’s 30,000+ employees. The service will be hosted on NorthgateArinso’s ResourceLink platform, and it will be managed by Argos’ own payroll team.

The eight-year contract also incorporates a self-service interface. The tool will initially enable managers in distribution centres, call centres and the head office to process adjustments to pay, and to monitor absence. The second phase of the project will see the self-service technology deployed to stores, giving store managers the same capabilities.

“Using self-service technology, managers will have the information to help them make decisions about redeploying staff to neighbouring outlets during busy periods.” said Stuart Hassall, Head of Information Systems at Home Retail Group. “The tool will keep track of who is working where, and will give control over budgeting for staff working in different stores on multiple contracts.”

(164 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.
The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
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BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
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Risk-reward partnership benefits people of London Borough of Bexley

2009-06-02T23:00:00+01:00

London Borough of Bexley’ s risk-reward partnership with Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, is all set to deliver over £5 million of efficiencies, whilst significantly improving services for local residents.

London Borough of Bexley now benefits from ongoing annual savings of £3 million. The initial three year partnership concluded on March 31st 2009. Northgate Kendric Ash, the transformation arm of Northgate Public Services, has been awarded a continued partnership to take the service transformation to new levels, with further savings projected over the next 2 years.

Under the performance partnership agreement council employees work alongside Northgate officers to drive through improvement in service delivery. London Borough of Bexley is guaranteed their savings through Northgate’s unique risk and reward model.

With a clear focus on service delivery outcomes the partnership has already delivered:
• improved customer access – 80% of telephone calls are answered within 20 seconds, and 95% of people have said that they found the staff to be helpful, according to the latest survey results;

• enhanced service delivery through the council’s contact centre with increased calls of 25%, reduced overall resources by 28% and by enabling it to become accountable for resolution – 84% of people surveyed found staff to be knowledgeable;
cont.
• improved special educational needs (SEN) transport, where 96% of people surveyed are either satisfied or very satisfied with the service, and where ongoing savings from the transport and maintenance budget have risen beyond £1million;

• waste, where cumulative savings of £3.5 million have already been secured from 2007/8 to 2009/10 through generating additional recycling income, revised street cleaning schedules, rationalising waste collection and reducing standby vehicles;

• Highways, where a new strategic sourcing approach has been created and a competitive procurement process established, resulting in savings and improved relationships with suppliers.

Mike Ellsmore, Director of Finance, London Borough of Bexley Council, said today: “In these difficult economic times, people expect that their councils will deliver high performing services which are efficiently delivered. That’s what our partnership with Northgate is all about. Northgate employees work alongside council employees; they are dedicated to the public ethos and to improving services for local people. We are harnessing their expertise to build and develop the skills and capacities of our employees, so that together we are able to drive home significant improvements in service delivery, whilst benefiting from the financial efficiencies.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the London Borough of Bexley. This is a council that is firmly focused on improving citizen outcomes in service delivery and delivering efficiencies. We believe that risk-reward partnerships can help steer councils through the economic difficulties of today. They can help them provide a better future for their citizens, and to reach out to those most in need. We have already achieved much, and we are committed to achieving even more over the coming years.”

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356

Notes to editors

2. London Borough of Bexley employs over 5,000 people. It is responsible for a wide range of services and plays a key role in championing the interests of the local community. It works with, amongst others, the local police and NHS to improve the quality of life, well-being and safety of its residents.

New deal supports emergency services

2009-06-01T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, and Cubicspace, a leading technology developer specialising in 3D interactive real-time solutions and services, today announce that they have joined forces to deliver a leading-edge solution for the emergency services when dealing with critical incidents and major events.

Under a rolling framework agreement, the partnership will provide emergency services with a unique 3D real time interactive information management solution to support the Gold and Silver Command Functions set up for critical or major incidents and events.

Running alongside existing systems used by the emergency services - including Command and Control, HOLMES2, and communications infrastructure –Northgate’s EIMS (Event and Incident Management System) brings critical information together and presents it to emergency services planners in a concise, relevant and consistent way. This can be easily interpreted by Incident Commanders when under pressure managing an incident or planning for a major event. Information and decisions taken at Gold Command are immediately available to the Silver Commands and vice-versa. EIMS draws information directly from in-house IT systems such as Command and Control, Mobile Data, Human Resources, as well as manually entered information.

The new partnership will enable emergency services to have state-of-the-art optimised and, if required, locally verified digital 3D models built to work within EIMS. Using the new system:
• users are able to convey complex instructions and briefings visually to everyone involved by interactively moving around within the lifelike model;

• potential problems and possible solutions can be tested during the planning stage of an event without affecting the safety of the public and emergency services workers;
cont.
• more can be achieved within a shorter timeframe through interactive collaboration either locally or online with specialist colleagues and the community.

The system enables emergency services not only to plan more effectively and efficiently, but also helps them to significantly reduce their carbon footprint, as users no longer need to travel as often to event sites in the planning stages.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Northgate Public Services said today: “The challenges and pressures on our emergency services are unprecedented. We are committed to working with them to develop effective and efficient solutions at a time of economic constraint. We are delighted to be working with Cubicspace and believe that this partnership will provide an essential service to emergency services in years to come.”

Steven Markham, CEO Cubicspace, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Northgate. The company has both depth and breadth in working with the emergency services and is committed to innovative solutions in public safety. We believe that this a perfect match for our core specialism in 3D interactive realtime and model development services, and that the emergency services will reap the benefits in improved planning and communications.”
-Ends-

For more information contact
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401 (m)
Konstaninos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356 (m)

Notes to editors
1. Northgate Public Services is an innovative 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. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. In the UK, Northgate Public Services 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 the management of over 40 per cent of local authority social care records; 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.

2. Founded in 1997, Cubicspace continues to be a leading technology developer, specialising in 3D and real-time solutions and services for Public Safety, Architecture and Retail. A certified Autodesk developer and partner, their rtre™ solution for 3ds max was awarded a perfect review score of 10/10. Cubicspace and London’s Metropolitan Police Service worked together to develop an innovative 3D real-time software solution used in the Inquest into the Death of Diana, Princess of Wales at Royal Courts of Justice, London, UK,

3. In a first for Cubicspace, their latest tools and services are being made available through Northgate Public Services, both directly and via Catalist. Cubicspace realtime, an enhanced and optimised extension to their award-winning 3D interactive real-time solutions is to be licensed and embedded within Northgate’s solutions. Cubicspace Visualisation Services will also be available through Northgate.

Northgate Information Solutions Statement: 29th May 2009

2009-05-28T23:00:00+01:00

In response to recent press reports, Northgate Arinso confirms that a laptop computer was stolen earlier this year from a secure computer room in our Marlow offices. The password-protected laptop contained data belonging to
The Pensions Trust, who we have kept fully informed of the situation. No
data from any other Northgate Arinso or Northgate customers was involved.

The view of the police is that this was an opportunistic theft and there is
no evidence that any of the data on the laptop has been used or accessed.

Northgate Arinso is working closely with The Pensions Trust and with the
police in their ongoing investigations. We immediately instituted an
internal investigation and have hired independent specialists to carry out a
review.

Any Northgate Arinso or Northgate clients who would like more details on the
theft and the company's response to it should contact their customer service
representatives.

STRANDTOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL LIFTS THE 2009 PRIMARY SCHOOLS' MINI RUGBY CUP

2009-05-26T23:00:00+01:00

Strandtown Primary School turned on the style and displayed fantastic skill and team work to steal the show at the finals of Ulster’s premiere primary schools’ mini rugby tournament at Ravenhill, lifting the prestigious Primary Schools’ Mini Rugby Cup 2009.

Supported by education ICT specialist, Northgate Managed Services, for a fourth consecutive year, the tournament that has been a key fixture on the school rugby calendars for more than 35 years, is an excellent way of encouraging children to become more active and to develop their rugby skills.

To reach the finals over 1,000 children from primary schools across Northern Ireland took part in eight qualifying tournaments, with 34 teams progressing to Ravenhill to battle it out for the 2009 Primary Schools’ Mini Rugby title.

There were four separate finals for the Bowl, Plate, Shield and Cup. Strandtown Primary School fought off stiff competition on the final day from Campbell College Junior School to take home the coveted rugby Cup in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Commenting on the tournament, Simon Wallace, Commercial Manager with Ulster Rugby said, “Mini rugby is an exciting way for kids to play and enjoy rugby. The tournament has proved to be a hugely successful feature of the primary schools’ mini rugby calendar, and continues to play an important role in nurturing young sporting talent in Ulster. The added element of competing on the historic Ravenhill pitch is something that the kids are sure to remember long after the final whistle.”
Stuart Gunning, Regional Director, Education with Northgate Managed Services added “We are delighted to continue our support for this excellent tournament for a fourth consecutive year. The standard of play was incredibly high and the children, their parents and teachers are to be congratulated on making this year’s event a huge success.”

Please find details of all participants and winners
Bowl Final
Downshire PS (Won)
Connor House (Runner Up)
Wallace Prep. (Fair Play)
Portadown Integrated PS
Markethill PS
Enniskillen Model
Sullivan Prep.
Moorfields
Eglinton
Fairview PS

Plate Final
Stranmillis PS (Won)
Limavady Central PS (Runner Up)
Gracehill PS (Fair Play)

Rockport
Irvinestown PS
Hardy Memorial

Shield Final
Dromore Central (Won)
Andrew’s Memorial (Runner Up)
Clough PS (Fair Play)
Drumachose PS
Omagh County PS
Edenderry PS
Richmount PS.

CUP Final
Strandtown PS (Won)
Campbell College Junior School (Runner Up)
Buick Memorial (Fair Play)
Armstrong PS
Harmony Hill
Fullerton Prep
Gibson PS
Downey House
Hezlett PS
Inchmarlo
-Ends-

ADASS and Northgate forge social care partnership

2009-05-21T23:00:00+01:00

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and Northgate Public Services have signed a new three-year innovation partnership aimed at promoting and encouraging information exchange between the public and private sectors to deliver positive social care outcomes.

The agreement was officially recognised at the ADASS annual spring seminar in Surrey last month. It enhances the close relationship between the body that represents the top tier of adult social care and a leading provider of health and social care solutions during a period of major change - in practice, in process and mind-set.

The two organisations at the forefront of the Transforming Social Care agenda will coordinate their activities at a time when the implications of self-directed support have created significant changes for all those who work in adult social care. Under the terms of the agreement, ADASS and Northgate will work together to provide complementary support including policy exchange, business planning development and website support. The partnership is set to run until 2011.

Jenny Owen, President of ADASS and executive director for adults, health and community wellbeing with Essex County Council said: “Putting People First is a wide and challenging agenda which requires a coordinated approach from all those working in social care. This partnership confirms our commitment to working innovatively to help deliver community-based options for people receiving publicly funded care and support. Northgate will work with our members to reinforce the significant moves towards personal budgets and direct payments which can support all people in need and those with complex and many needs.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services added: “We are committed to citizen-based social services which focus on positive health outcomes and citizen satisfaction. We are delighted that we have formed this partnership with ADASS. The challenges for the social care community over the next years are enormous. We believe that our work with ADASS will help us to innovate and to ensure that our services support effective and efficient social care and reach out to all those in our communities who have need.”

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
ADASS
Drew Clode 020 8348 5023; 07976 837755

Notes to editors

1. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) represents all the directors of adult social services in England and Northern Ireland. It evolved from the former ADSS (Association of Directors of Social Services) when responsibilities for adults and children’s services within top tier local authorities were split between two new departments - the one for adults and the other for children. ADASS brings together the accumulated wisdom and understanding of the way services for adults are managed and financed as well as inputs from a widening responsibility for housing, leisure, library, culture and, in some case, arts and sports facilities. Its members are responsible for providing or commissioning, through the activities of their departments, the wellbeing, protection and care of hundreds of thousands of elderly and disabled people, as well as for the promotion of that wellbeing and protection wherever it is needed.

2. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. In social care, Northgate works with forty per cent of local authorities supporting adult social care and children’s services.

Partnership essential to combat climate change and fight fuel poverty

2009-05-10T23:00:00+01:00

A partnership approach between energy suppliers and generators and local agencies is essential to combat climate change and attack fuel poverty, asserts Northgate Public Services in a response published today.

Welcoming the government’s approach to reducing domestic carbon emissions outlined in the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP), Northgate argues that the overall success of the scheme depends on clarifying roles and responsibilities to ensure a collaborative approach between energy providers, local authorities and community based organisations. It recommends that, in the short term, the parties draw up a memorandum of understanding and, in the long term, local authorities are given a statutory duty to promote climate change.

In its response, Northgate also calls for the roll out of Home Energy Audits and the use of ‘before’ and ‘after’ audits, carried out by Domestic Energy Assessors at a community level. It suggests that these should be used to assess the effectiveness of the measures carried out, and this information could then be used to attribute an appropriate bonus to the energy supplier or generator. It also says that the proposed new body of Home Energy Assessors should have DEA accreditation, to ensure quality of service and gain consumer trust.

Northgate argues that the government should actively encourage the implementation of free measures, and where charging is necessary, it must ensure that charges are fair and reasonable. It also says that to encourage intensive action at a community level, work should be targeted at all households in the area regardless of tenure. This will ensure that both private and social housing will benefit from CESP measures.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We warmly welcome the overall strategy outlined in the consultation. CESP tackles climate change and focuses support on low income households.

“Given the scale of the challenge that we face, we believe that the government needs to adopt a bolder approach in relation to local partnerships. It also needs to be more innovative in the way it uses Home Energy Audits as a catalyst for altering opinion and changing behaviour.

“We believe that our recommended measures would not only take further steps towards building a low carbon future, but also help to eradicate fuel poverty sooner rather than later, ensuring a fairer society for all.”

-Ends-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356

Notes to editors

Businesses have 'nothing to fear' from Equality Bill, claims NorthgateArinso

2009-05-10T23:00:00+01:00

~ launches Equal Pay Health Check to help companies avoid
‘accidental discrimination’ ~

The demands of the new Equality Bill shouldn’t cause panic and fear of litigation, despite recent claims by industry bodies, according to NorthgateArinso’s reward specialists.

Tim Medcalf, consultant at NorthgateArinso Reward Solutions, has been monitoring the Bill closely since its inception and believes that panic about the costs involved with implementing the demands of the Bill have been over-hyped. “It’s vital that the UK’s gender pay gap is addressed, and the Equality Bill is an essential part of achieving this,” commented Medcalf. “Critics of the Bill seem to have forgotten this. In short, there’s nothing to fear for companies who are prepared.”

To help companies meet the expected demands of the Equality Bill, the HR solutions supplier has launched Equal Pay Health Check – a reporting tool that will measure the gender pay gap in an organisation from a number of angles, highlight potential causes and assess the overall level of risk. The reports are carried out in one day, and based on the results NorthgateArinso’s consultants can advise on the best way to handle any potential pay discrepancies.

“Gender pay differences are rarely deliberate – in a large organisation it can be incredibly difficult to monitor like-for-like pay across different departments and accidental discrimination can easily happen,” Medcalf continued. “What’s essential is that organisations know what’s going on within their payroll and, once they have the data, are prepared to tackle any discrepancies.”

The Equality Bill receives its second reading in Parliament on Monday, May 11. It will call for greater transparency in the Public Sector, as well as in those Private Sector firms supplying the Public Sector. By 2013, it will require all organisations with more than 250 employees to report on the gender pay gap.

“Audits are looking increasingly likely, and companies have to be ready for this,” continued Medcalf. “In a large organisation the problem is how to go about ensuring you are addressing any pay equality issues before the auditors arrive, without spending a huge amount of time and money on it. As transparency becomes the law, we would recommend that organisations look to address potential issues immediately, so that they don’t get caught out.”

(381 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso, the HR division of Northgate Information Solutions, was created in 2007 following the acquisition of ARINSO International, thus creating a merged entity with more than half a century of combined HR expertise.
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software and services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune™ 500 companies and many public sector organisations.
Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
NorthgateArinso’s 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, best-of-breed software solutions, outsourcing services and systems integration. NorthgateArinso has offices in 32 countries on 5 continents.
www.northgatearinso-reward.co.uk http://www.northgatearinso-reward.co.uk

For further information, please contact:
Ellen Spenceley or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 117 315 8584
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com <..:Local%20Settings:Temporary%20Internet%20Files:Content.Outlook:VOFX7OF5:northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com>
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com <http://www.lewispr.com>

Fleet software should empower managers to manage by exception, says Mycompanyfleet

2009-05-10T23:00:00+01:00

Fleet software should empower fleet managers to make management decisions based on essential information that is triggered when an event happens and delivered in the form of exception reports, says Mycompanyfleet, automotive division of HR specialists, NorthgateArinso.

However, that is not the case with all systems available in the market. Many current fleet software systems provide huge amounts of data, but little usable management information upon which managers can make relevant, effective and rapid business decisions.

Mycompanyfleet advises fleet managers to be very selective in their choice of fleet software supplier and insist on the ability to produce information by exception, delivered as soon as the event occurs, and presented in an easy, understandable and highly visual manner.

Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, said: “Fleet managers should be empowered by their fleet software to take rapid and effective business decisions as soon as an event occurs. This should be presented and flagged up in a way that is highly visual and delivered at a time during the business day when it is most appropriate.

“This can be first thing in the morning when the manager gets into the office so that all of the available information is there ready and waiting for a decision to be made instantly as soon as he or she arrives.

“The information should also be easily delivered to other department heads and decision makers in the organisation at an appropriate time so that they can see events that need their input and take the appropriate action.

“The fleet manager should be also able to set alerts when certain pre-set KPIs are reached, such as a vehicle incurring excessive expenditure or a licence check being overdue, for example.

“The use of exception reports in this way allows fleet managers and other system users to manage by exception, and to cut straight to the key nuggets of management information, allowing rapid and effective business decisions to be made,” he said.

The Mycompanyfleet mainstream fleet software solution, FleetHR, is presented around a highly visual dashboard display that shows the key management information and flags up, by exception reporting, any that require immediate management attention.

"This ability to access accurate and meaningful information in a timely manner means our fleet customers are able to react quickly and effectively as soon as an event occurs," added Andrew Leech.
Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060

NorthgateArinso wins two prestigious HR outsourcing awards in New York

2009-05-06T23:00:00+01:00

~ HROA ‘thought leader of the year’ for top executive, Eric Delafortrie and
‘technology relationship of the year’ with SAP ~

NorthgateArinso, a leading global HR services provider, has won two accolades for its achievements in delivering HR OnDemand from the Human Resources Outsourcing Association (HROA), the leading global organization for HR Transformation and Outsourcing customers, suppliers and advisors.

It has been awarded the ‘best technology relationship of the year’ for its partnership with SAP, and Eric Delafortrie, Global Director of euHReka® at NorthgateArinso, was announced as the ‘thought leader of the year’.

Denis Tournesac, EVP euHReka OnDemand at NorthgateArinso, accepted the awards on behalf of Eric and the wider team. The ceremony took place on May 5, 2009, in New York at the Russian Tea Rooms, next to Carnegie Hall, in front of an audience of over 200 people, including the leadership of the HROA.

Richard Crespin, executive director at the HROA, commented: “These awards recognize not only the successful launch of euHReka OnDemand and NorthgateArinso’s strong relationship with SAP, but also the whole of euHReka’s history over the last nine years – a history of constant innovation and exceptional customer service.”

Eric Delafortrie at NorthgateArinso commented: “We are extremely pleased to have received these awards from the HROA, acknowledging our ongoing support of nearly a million employees in over 50 organizations worldwide. They are also a strong endorsement for our recent innovation with the launch of euHReka OnDemand.”

euHReka OnDemand is the first OnDemand HR platform to deliver full integration between administrative HR processes and talent management processes, based on the SAP ERP HCM platform. It is also the first time a single technology platform has supported three deployment models – On Premise, Business Process Outsourcing and Software-as-a-Service – giving customers the breadth of services and flexibility of delivery needed to meet the challenges of the current economic climate.

Eric Delafortrie joined NorthgateArinso in early 1999 as a project director, and has been responsible for the delivery of some of the company’s biggest projects. In early 2000 he became Director of Innovation, looking after the company’s diversification in service offerings from SAP HCM implementations to a wide variety of consulting services including e-HR, Employee Benefits and Strategic HR Consulting. Since 2000, Eric has led the development of euHReka, NorthgateArinso HR services platform powered by SAP.

(397 words)

About the HROA
The HROA is the definitive independent organisation for all those who purchase, provide, or participate in HR transformation and outsourcing. Our membership encompasses over 7,500 HR executives, including the largest 50 buyers, the top 30 providers, the leading sourcing advisors and attorneys, and the best thought leaders in HR Transformation. The HROA brings its diverse membership together to set standards and practices, provide peer networking, and maintain a robust curriculum.

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

NorthgateArinso to support councils in long term HR investment

2009-05-05T23:00:00+01:00

East Dorset District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and Gosport Borough Council have re-signed their contracts with NorthgateArinso to continue using their fully integrated HR and payroll solution, ResourceLink. The councils will be using the solution in-house, investing further in the services they offer to their employees.

All three councils have used ResourceLink for the past five years. The key benefit has been the quality of services delivered in payroll, employee self-service and other HR functions. NorthgateArinso has worked closely with each council to ensure the solution continues to meet their long-term business objectives.

‘We’ve been very satisfied with the solution’s functionality. It ensures accuracy and punctuality in the payroll, and we’re really keen to continue delivering this level of service to our staff,” said Val Hunt, payroll manager at East Dorset District Council.

Wayne Channon, HR & Payroll systems manager at Huntingdonshire District Council said: “The council is planning the next stages of growth in the next few years, and facilitating a larger number of employees can be a real challenge. We have worked with NorthgateArinso for quite some time now, so we are confident that ResourceLink will help us match expectations and meet plans for future growth.”

“This year we decided to update our HR system, as we’re keen to invest more in the services we offer to our employees. We see our workforce as our most valuable resource, and modules like ResourceLink’s self-service help us to enrich and better manage our services for them. Through HR self-service, employees can manage some of their own affairs, such as booking holidays online and choosing flexible benefits,” said Phillip Reynolds, head of pay and administration, at Gosport Borough Council.

(268 words)

Mycompanyfleet launches new fuel cost module to tackle rising costs

2009-05-05T23:00:00+01:00

Mycompanyfleet, the automotive division of HR solutions provider, NorthgateArinso, has launched a new fuel cost management module within its mainstream FleetHR software solution to help fleet managers tackle the problem of rising fuel costs.

The latest rises in fuel prices, courtesy of Chancellor Alistair Darling’s April Budget Statement, have reinforced the need for fleet managers to keep a tight rein on fuel costs. And with the fuel price ‘accelerator’ set to continue the upward trend for the foreseeable future, now is not the time to relax those controls.

The tight management of fuel costs should now be a priority for fleets to avoid them spiraling out of control, says Mycompanyfleet business manager, Andrew Leech.

“We have deliberately launched our new fuel cost management module at this time, to provide fleet managers with the means to keep rising costs in check,” he said.

Called ‘Fuel Optimiser’, the new fuel management module enables fleet managers to identify the most fuel competitive vehicles in the market by comparing and contrasting different models from all major motor manufacturers.

By selecting the most fuel efficient and ‘steering’ company car drivers towards the most frugal, perhaps by the use of incentives, fleet managers can play a key role in helping keep fuel costs under control and make a serious contribution to the corporate profit performance.

At the same time, ‘Fuel Optimiser’ produces fuel cost reports of existing models on the fleet to flag up the best and worst performers, showing which models and drivers are the most expensive for the company to operate.

These reports can then be sent directly to respective cost centre managers to show how their departments are performing against others in the business, and allowing them to take or suggest remedial action where necessary.

“The time to tackle the issue of rising fuel costs is now, before they get out of control, says Andrew Leech. “Our fuel management module empowers fleet managers to take decisions to help change the fuel cost profiles of their fleets.

“It enables side-by-side comparison of all the major models on the market so that the best and worst performers are easily identifiable. Drivers can then be encouraged or perhaps rewarded for selecting the most fuel efficient models. And it allows company managers to identify where within their businesses the most is being spent on fuel.

“This is powerful information at a time when fleet managers need it most,” he added.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservi

Insolvency service forms transformation partnership with Northgate

2009-05-04T23:00:00+01:00

Insolvency service forms transformation partnership with Northgate

Northgate Public Services today announce they have formed a five year partnership with The Insolvency Service designed to transform services and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the redundancy payments service, as part of The Insolvency Service’s Enabling the Future programme.

In a contract worth £2.8 million over five years, Northgate will support the Redundancy Payments Service (RPS) in providing citizen-focused services to employees who have been made redundant and whose employers are unable or unwilling to make redundancy payment. This project is a core element of the transformational Claims Handling and Making Payments (CHAMP) project. In the last twelve months, over 165,000 workers made claims to the RPS, and the total amount paid out to redundant workers was over £350 million.

Under the terms of the agreement, Northgate will replace The Insolvency Services’ current system for redundancy claim and payment processing, removing the dependency on outmoded technology which requires specialist support. By the end of the project the partnership will have delivered:
• accessible service through on-line, self-service facilities for claimants and insolvency practitioners;
• faster processes and thereby reducing the time taken to process claims.
• joined up working through a single national database, allowing cases and claims to be accessed remotely and encouraging greater flexibility of work for RPS employees, including homeworking;
• improved accuracy of payments using integrated task management and rules based solutions, thereby reducing manual intervention and calculation errors;
• sustainable working through an electronic document management system, reducing the use of space and paper:
• improved detection and prevention of fraud through integration with the HMRC National Insurance Recording System (NIRS) for validation of NI numbers and employment details.

The system will also support the RPS in dealing with solvent claims, in facilitating redundancy payments awarded by Employment Tribunals, and in its debt recovery work.

Graham Horne, Deputy Chief Executive of the Insolvency Service says:
“We are committed to transforming our services to provide excellent customer care and value for money. In these difficult economic times, it is vital that we provide a fast and effective service for people who face redundancy .We look forward to working with Northgate and providing an improved service to our customers.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services at Northgate Public Services, added: “In these difficult economic times, the work of the Redundancy Payments Service has never been so vital in meeting the needs of citizens at times of great stress. Citizens want and need a redundancy payments service which is right first time, every time and which deals with their claims quickly and effectively. We are delighted to be working in partnership with The Insolvency Service to provide this vital service.”

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7385 1518; 07949 421356

Notes to Editors

2. The Insolvency Service is an Executive Agency of the Department of Business, Enterprise, and Regulatory Reform (BERR). It operates principally in England and Wales under the Enterprise Act 2002, Insolvency Acts 1986 and 2000, the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986, the Companies Act 1985 and the Employment Rights Act 1996.

3. The Redundancy Payments Service (RPS) is responsible for statutory redundancy payments and other statutory guaranteed debts payable from the National Insurance Fund under provisions contained in Parts XI and XII of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

ULSTER PRIMARY SCHOOLS 'LINEOUT' IN THE CHASE FOR PRESTIGIOUS MINI RUGBY TITLE

2009-04-29T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services encourages local school talent in quest for top rugby title

With Ireland’s first Grand Slam success in 61 years still the talk in many a primary school playgrounds, the next generation of rugby stars have all the encouragement and confidence they need for success ahead of this year’s Primary Schools Mini Rugby tournament. Supported by Newtownabbey based education ICT specialist, Northgate Managed Services, the four tournament finals (Bowl, Cup Plate and Shield) will be decided at the famous Ravenhill Rugby ground from 12-15 May.

The tournament has been a constant fixture on school rugby calendars for over 35 years and during this time it has done much to encourage children to become more active and to develop their rugby skills through the game of mini rugby.

To reach the finals over 1000 children from Primary Schools throughout Ulster will be taking part in eight pre-qualifying tournaments, resulting in 34 teams progressing to the Ravenhill finals to battle it out for the 2009 titles.

Commenting on the upcoming tournament, Simon Wallace, Commercial Manager at Ulster Rugby said: “Mini Rugby is a great way for children to play and enjoy rugby. The annual primary schools’ mini rugby tournament is a much loved and eagerly anticipated event in the primary schools’ calendar, and plays an important role in developing future sporting success within the province. With interest in Rugby at an all time high following Ireland’s recent Grand Slam victory, we hope that for some of this year’s participants, the honour of playing at Ravenhill may not be just a one-off experience, but rather, the start of a successful career in rugby. Our relationship with Northgate continues to be a very successful one, and I look forward to working with them for another year of Mini Rugby.”

Eleanor Lee, Marketing Manager, Northgate, added “By working with Classroom 2000 (C2K), Northgate are playing a pivotal role in transforming education in every school in Northern Ireland through ICT. We understand the importance of creating links between school and communities to promote lifelong learning and Mini rugby is a great way to provide high-quality physical education whilst promoting physical activity as part of a lifelong healthy lifestyle.

Northgate firmly believes in investing in tomorrow’s sporting stars, and I have no doubt that we will see a few talented kids that one day may represent Ulster and Ireland. We are delighted to continue our support for the competition and wish all the participating teams the very best of luck.”
Pre-Qualifying Matches

Belfast & District Prep Schools  Fri 24th April @ Campbell College Belfast, 1.30-4pm
South Antrim-    Tues 28th April @Academy RFC, Mallusk, 1pm
West Down on     Thurs 30th April at Lisburn RFC; 1PM
Armagh     Fri 1st May @ Portadown RFC, 1.30pm
East Down    Fri 1st May at Bangor RFC, 12-3pm
Derry     Fri 1st May at Limavady Grammar School playing fields, 10.30am
North Antrim    Wed 6th May at Ballymena RFC, 1.15pm
Fermanagh & Tyrone    Fri 8th May at Omagh RFC, 1.30pm

Mycompanyfleet brands Budget "fleet inflationary"

2009-04-22T23:00:00+01:00

The 2009 Budget has been branded as ‘fleet inflationary’ by fleet software provider, Mycompanyfleet, with increases in BIK taxation, Vehicle Excise Duty and fuel excise duty all set to increase cost pressures on beleaguered fleet operators.

The increases, allied to the changes in the capital allowances system for company cars that were confirmed in the Budget Statement, will elevate the need for tighter fleet control by fleet managers and make the choice of vehicle for the next three years and beyond of even greater importance.

“There is little doubt that this Budget adds to the inflationary pressures that fleets are facing. And that tighter control of fleet costs and better vehicle acquisition and model planning are set to achieve even greater significance,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, the newly launched automotive and fleet division of HR solutions provider, NorthgateArinso.

“With the new ‘green accelerator’ reforms to the BIK company car tax system clearly signaling the way the Government wants fleet buyers to go - towards ever ‘greener’ and cleaner vehicles - selecting the right vehicles is going to be crucial,” he said.
“Fleet management solutions, like our own Fleet HR, which rate each model on the fleet policy list by its carbon emissions can provide powerful assistance to fleet operators, for whom the correct vehicle choices across the fleet will allow them to make substantial savings, but the wrong ones could cost their companies thousands in extra costs,” he added.

In the light of the new tax and duty increases, selecting as many vehicles as possible with emissions in the 120g/km 160g/km range will not only offer clear financial cost benefits, but also fuel consumption and NIC benefits, driver BIK benefits, and a reduction in a fleet’s carbon footprint, says Mycompanyfleet.

“Fleet managers need to act now to ensure they are not storing up an extra cost burden for their companies over the next three years,” said Andrew Leech.

“We have designed our Fleet HR system to allow fleet managers to select the most tax and cost efficient vehicles for their fleet policies and then to manage them as cost effectively and efficiently as possible,” he added.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

NorthgateArinso empowers employees in consumer diagnostics sector

2009-04-21T23:00:00+01:00

“We have a very good relationship with NorthgateArinso. They understand our business and our goals and they have tailored the system’s modules to our needs, wherever that is possible,” continued Alix .

Malcolm Aldis, managing director at NorthgateArinso said: “Now more than ever, HR teams need to do their best for employees, by delivering an excellent service. To do that, they can’t be wasting time on administration tasks, and SPD has recognised this. We’re glad to be working with companies willing to invest in their workforce development during these turbulent times.”

(307 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com/>
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

About SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH & SPD Development Company Ltd (SPD)
www.swissprecisiondiagnostics.com <http://www.swissprecisiondiagnostics.com/>
SPD was formed in 2007 as a joint venture between Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Inverness Medical Innovations (IMI). We are a leading supplier of home diagnostics in pregnancy, fertility/ovulation and contraception, globally. Our research interests are in the broad application of innovative technologies for use by the consumer at home in formats which are accurate, sensitive, simple and affordable. We have our headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and an R&D centre in Bedford, UK and employ more than 160 people.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com <file://localhost/C/alix.denton/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/OLK47B/northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com>

Internet: http://www.lewispr.com <http://www.lewispr.com>

Protect personal budget from postcode lottery

2009-04-19T23:00:00+01:00

Personal budgets (PBs) must be protected from postcode lottery if the public is to have faith in them, says Northgate Public Services in a response to the Department of Health’s (DH) consultation on the Fairer Contributions Guidance.

Welcoming the wider introduction of PBs, Northgate Public Services argues that they have the potential to engage service users to a greater extent in both needs assessment and in planned outcomes with enhanced social care outcomes and improved well-being for users.

Northgate warns the government, however, that their success is conditional upon building up public trust and ensuring that they are not perceived as a mechanism to cut costs rather than improve services.

Northgate calls on the government to introduce stronger safeguards to ensure that service users are protected from excessive charge increases including:

• introducing a statutory transitional period during which councils will be required to operate their Personal Budget charges on a cost neutral basis;
• capping individual increases in charges for service users over a period of time;
• making efficiencies through streamlining processes and reducing back office administration.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today:
“We believe passionately that personal budgets can empower individual citizens and their families through greater direction and control of their social care needs and outcomes. It is crucial to their successful implementation that they are not perceived by service users or the wider public as a cost saving exercise in these difficult economic times.

“Our proposals to strengthen the guidelines are sensible and proportionate. They will help to balance the needs of service users within the context of local authorities needing to provide efficient and effective services. They will promote social care efficiency in its richest sense, clearly linked to positive social outcomes and well-being that will add to public value, rather than diminish it.”

-Ends-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.
2. Three of the local authority-based winners of additional financial government support under the government’s Common Assessment Framework (CAF) for Adults Demonstrator Site Programme (DSP).- Hampshire and Lincolnshire County Councils and Westminster City Council will be working in innovative partnerships with Northgate Public Services.
3. Northgate has identified seven key areas where improvement will be made as a result of the programme. These include:
• Personalising budgets – achieving personal outcomes and ensuring transparent resource allocation according to personal needs and resources;
• Streamlining assessments - starting with self-assessments and building into professional multidisciplinary assessment only where necessary, ensuring early financial assessment and collection of contributions;
• Supporting citizen self service - enabling access to secure processes for Self-Directed Support including self-funders; enabling self assessment; modelling a support plan; commissioning services and equipment and providing consumer feedback .

Transform adult care services through improving information

2009-04-16T23:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE17 April 2009 Transform adult care services through improving information Improving the use and sharing of information during adult social care and health assessment and care and support planning is essential to the further development of personalised services, says Northgate Public Services in a response published today. Welcoming the government’s plans for the Common Assessment Framework for Adults (CAF), Northgate calls on the government to extend the CAF to all services and agencies involved in the social care of adults and says that the engagement of employees and service users is critical to its success. Northgate believes that the CAF should enable better coordinated support, prevent unnecessary duplication of information collected by agencies, and support resources at a time when increasing demand for adult care and health services places enormous pressure on budgets. It welcomes the incremental approach which builds upon local systems and best practice to develop a national framework. Northgate warns the government, however, that success is conditional upon avoiding a fragmented approach, building up public trust in the use and security of data, and engaging employees in the development of the system. Northgate’s recommendations include: · introducing national minimum standards for the CAF to avoid postcode lottery; · extending CAF to housing, benefits and education services from its commencement; · ensuring that employees are fully engaged and involved in the introduction of new technology;· using anonymised individualised data to support national service delivery improvement. Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We believe passionately that CAF could help to transform the adult social care experience not only for individuals themselves but for communities as a whole. The effective use of information to plan, buy, deliver and review services is a fundamental part of providing personalised services which places individual-well being at their heart. “We warmly welcome the government’s approach and look forward to working with our partners to help deliver a robust framework which secures public trust and delivers public value.” -Ends-
For more informationFellows’ AssociatesKathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356
Notes to editors

2. Three of the local authority-based winners of additional financial government support under the government’s Common Assessment Framework (CAF) for Adults Demonstrator Site Programme (DSP).- Hampshire and Lincolnshire County Councils and Westminster City Council will be working in innovative partnerships with Northgate Public Services. 3. Northgate has identified seven key areas where improvement will be made as a result of the programme. These include:• Personalising budgets – achieving personal outcomes and ensuring transparent resource allocation according to personal needs and resources;• Streamlining assessments - starting with self-assessments and building into professional multidisciplinary assessment only where necessary, ensuring early financial assessment and collection of contributions;• Supporting citizen self service - enabling access to secure processes for Self-Directed Support including self-funders; enabling self assessment; modelling a support plan; commissioning services and equipment and providing consumer feedback .

Mycompanyfleet wants BIK concessions

2009-04-16T23:00:00+01:00

Andrew Leech, business manager atfleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet, the newly launched fleet and automotive division of HR solutions provider, NorthgateArinso, would like to see the introduction of concessions on benefit in kind tax if drivers car share with colleagues on way to the office.

“This would help reduce congestion and pollution, especially in urban areas, and is definitely worth investigating,” he said.

“What we don’t need are any gimmicks relating to electric vehicles. These vehicles still rely ultimately on fossil fuels for their production and power, so until we address that core problem, the latest incentives can be little more than a gimmick.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Combat fuel poverty to cut carbon emissions

2009-04-14T23:00:00+01:00

A radical approach to tackling the fuel poverty that is increasingly blighting the lives of millions of citizens is necessary to combat climate change asserts Northgate Public Services in a response published today.

Welcoming the government’s approach to fuel poverty outlined in its consultation document, Amendments to the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, Northgate points out that the average home in the UK today has a SAP rating of 48, whereas the average home in fuel poverty has a SAP rating of 33 . It strongly supports the view that promoting energy efficiency and combating fuel poverty are inextricably entwined and that strategies must be aligned to reflect this.

The company believe that the consultation is not bold enough in its approach towards fuel poverty. It argues that there is a strong case for extending help to the most disadvantaged households through the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) which currently ensures that at least 40 per cent of the benefits will go to people over 70 and households on low income – the ‘Priority Group’.

Northgate suggests that additional assistance could be provided through one of two ways:
• increasing the overall target of the priority group – for example, to ensure that 50% of the Priority Group receives the benefits of the CERT obligation;
• extending the benefits of initiatives which promote change in consumer behaviour - such as the provision of Home Energy Advice and real time display devices which encourage households to save electricity through monitoring their use of it within the household.

Northgate also calls for enhanced reporting and information management concerning the delivery of CERT. It recommends that information should be drilled down to local government areas so that the impact of CERT can be assessed in the light of other place shaping agendas. This would support further targeting based on the SAP assessment of the property.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We wholeheartedly support the government’s overall strategy of combining strategies to promote energy efficiency and fight fuel poverty. We believe, however, that the government is not being bold enough in its approach as ever increasing numbers of our citizens in local communities are being affected by fuel poverty. Tackling fuel poverty by bold and radical measures is not only integral to building a zero carbon future, it will also help to create a dynamic and innovative energy efficiency market which will provide jobs and a sustainable future for our local communities. “

-Ends-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356

Notes to editors

NI Water Awards Major IT Contract to Northgate Managed Services

2009-04-08T23:00:00+01:00

NI Water, the sole provider of water and sewerage services in NI, has formed a Strategic IT Delivery Partnership with leading ICT company, Northgate Managed Services as part of its cost saving and efficiency drive.

The three year IT managed service contract, which is worth £2.8 million will result in Newtownabbey-based Northgate taking responsibility for NI Water’s entire IT infrastructure and the delivery of fully integrated IT services across its sites province-wide.

In addition to delivering year–on-year cost savings for NI Water, the contract is intended to deliver significantly improved services to over 1500 IT users. The new contract will result in the creation of 22 new roles at Northgate – including eight staff who will transfer from NI Water. Together the individuals will form a specialist NI Water delivery team, ensuring the highest levels of expertise and consistency of service across the contract.

The contract win is an important development for Northgate and further consolidates its position as a leading provider of ICT Managed Services in Ireland, where it already provides services to a number of high profile organisations including Viridian, Bord Gais, Waterways Ireland, SHS Group, DVA and C2K.

According to Colin Daysh, Acting Head of ICT for NI Water, the new partnership will deliver positive benefits for the organisation and its stakeholders by making more effective use of key resources:
“With over 790,000 domestic, agricultural, commercial and business customers, it is essential that our focus is on delivering the very best and most effective public service to our end users. Technology is key to achieving this goal and it is important that we work in partnership with a company which has a proven track record and can provide us with the service and support required to enable us to work to maximum efficiency.”

From April 2009 onwards, the Northgate Service Desk will be the first point of contact for all NI Water’s ICT related issues and services including: the management of desktop devices and servers; applications management; mobile devices and IT asset management.

A key feature of the service will be the use of Northgate’s local ISO-accredited ITIL-based Shared Service Centre from where personnel can identify and resolve IT issues centrally, resulting in faster resolution times and increased productivity for NI Water staff. This is backed up by one of the largest field engineering teams in the country to provide full on-site coverage across NI when required.

Ed Brown, Managing Director, Utilities for Northgate added:

“As with any managed service, reliability, cost reduction, flexibility and customer focus are the main benefits and our priorities for this contract are to offer a hands-on service which will make a genuine difference to the way in which NI Water delivers its services. By removing the responsibility for IT management from the utility, its staff can focus their attentions of delivering a first-class product and service which will benefit their customers throughout Northern Ireland. “

Ends

For further information contact Claire Bonner/Gareth Colhoun, Morrow Communications, Tel: 028 9039 3837

Notes to Editor:
Northern Ireland-based Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices), which is a division of Northgate Information Solutions, is headquartered in Newtownabbey and has additional offices in Dungannon and Derry.

Northgate Managed Services is a leading supplier of specialist ICT and managed services, to the public sector, education, utilities, and private sectors. Its areas of expertise include:

• Education – enabling transformation in learning and teaching. Today thousands of learners and teachers in hundreds of schools and colleges throughout the UK are benefiting from the services and support that Northgate provides to education.
• Utilities – enabling customer service excellence and improved efficiency. Northgate’s outsourced customer services include Billing & Revenue collection services, while IT services include managed desktop services, application and hosting services, infrastructure management, business continuity and disaster recovery.
• Infrastructure Solutions – supplying a range of specialist ICT services and solutions focusing on harnessing technology to improve business outcomes. This includes mobility and access services and solutions, storage and protection of information, and providing effective services and solutions to reduce carbon footprint, waste and energy costs.

Employing 500 staff throughout Northern Ireland, Northgate Managed Services works with a wide range of public and private sector organisations including C2k, Viridian, Waterways Ireland, Bord Gais, DVA NI, SHS Group, and the Department of Finance & Personnel.

Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the human resources, local government, education and public safety markets.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Northgate has approximately 4,500 large/medium customers and approximately 10,500 small to medium enterprise (SME) customers world wide. Northgate works closely with over 20% of the Fortune 500 leading US companies, 90% of the UK local authorities and all of the UK’s police forces.

NorthgateArinso moves to the top of the class in further education

2009-04-08T23:00:00+01:00

~ Hastings College chooses ResourceLink for HR and payroll ~

As part of a drive to improve HR efficiency, Hastings College <http://www.hastings.ac.uk/> has signed a five-year contract with NorthgateArinso. The HR and payroll provider will offer an integrated system to manage the College’s human resources and payroll processes on its ResourceLink platform.

The College was already using NorthgateArinso systems to manage its payroll for an employee base of 550, but was using manual processes and spreadsheets for HR. The further education provider now plans to use ResourceLink <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/content/resourcelink_enterprise> to additionally manage training, recruitment, expenses and P11D. It will also use the system to monitor ‘multi-post’ absence, for employees who have multiple jobs working for the College.

Stephen Hagues, director of HR at Hastings College commented: “NorthgateArinso has already proved the effectiveness of its payroll systems, so it was a logical progression to move the HR function on to ResourceLink. The change has given us a good opportunity to review and update our HR processes across the board.”

The portal is self-service <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/content/benefits_of_investing_in_intranet_self_service> , meaning employees can enter their own HR requests around absence, expenses, and changes in personal details, cutting admin and increasing efficiency for HR. The self-service functionality also offers employees the option to view payslips online instead of receiving printed versions, allowing the College to reduce its carbon footprint.

ResourceLink will replace the existing systems, enabling more transparent reporting between the two departments. NorthgateArinso won the deal following a tender process, and the system is expected to go live in July 2008.

“The College has moved on to the ResourceLink platform as part of a clear development strategy in its HR and Finance departments,” said Jonathan Ellard, account development manager at NorthgateArinso. “We’re expecting the College to make a quick and smooth transition on to ResourceLink, which will deliver the huge cost and time benefits that come with using an in-house solution for HR.”

(330 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com>
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com

Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

Local authority planning expert joins Northgate Public Services

2009-04-02T23:00:00+01:00

Local authority planning expert joins Northgate Public Services

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Sue Rice to its planning team, as the company gears up its activities to deliver innovative and sustainable planning services in the light of the government’s response to the Killian Pretty Review last month.

Sue, who has been appointed as Strategic Planning Manager, joins from Camden Council where she was responsible for leading the Planning Service’s strategic development of IT, focused on simplifying and streamlining procedures and ensuring that the system operated efficiently and effectively for all stakeholders, including the public as well as employees.

A highly experienced professional, Sue also represented the council on a range of high profile projects for planning, including PARSOL (Planning and Regulatory Services Online), and a number of local government initiatives. Her work has involved reviewing the Expert Planning system on behalf of PAS (Planning Advisory Service). She has also been a Board member of the “fast track” and eConsultation projects. Most recently, she worked directly with the Killian Pretty Review on the validation of applications, pre-application advice and councillor involvement in the planning process.

At Northgate, Sue will be responsible for the future development of the company’s planning, building control and land charges systems. In the context of the future stages of planning reform, Northgate is aiming to support stakeholders in delivering a planning process which is more proportionate, that operates more efficiently and effectively and is more easily understood by all involved. In January 2009, Northgate became the first commercial company to announce its participation in the development of the national e-Consultation Hub in partnership with the Planning Portal.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director, Citizen Solutions, Northgate Public Services, said today: “Never before has the need to ensure that planning supports rather than inhibits sustainable growth been greater. It is crucial to future economic growth. We are fully committed to working collaboratively to deliver a more effective planning system for all of the stakeholders within the planning system – including Government, local government and the planning profession. We are delighted that Sue has decided to join us. Her appointment is pivotal in ensuring that we are able to respond quickly and effectively to their needs. Her track record includes work within local authorities as well as high quality commercial experience. This will ensure that our innovation is informed by evidence-based insight and that we use technology intelligently in promoting reform.”

Sue Rice added: "Now is the right time to be with Northgate. The next stage of planning reform is both the most exciting and the most challenging. I am determined that I will combine my experience with Northgate’s innovation to ensure that we provide our local authority customers with an effective route map through reform.”

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356

Notes to Editors

2. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities and every police force. Northgate software manages over 40% of the country’s social care records. Northgate’s solution for document management is used from 44% of local authorities and is currently managing 487 million documents. Northgate Public Services supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; by over one hundred housing associations; and to support the national system for reporting police performance. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8000 employees.

3. Sue was previously Planning IT Consultant at Camden Council for over five years. She also has extensive experience of land and property software systems, having worked with a number

Rentshield Direct turns to NorthgateArinso for tenant checking

2009-04-01T23:00:00+01:00

~ combines PeopleChecking and insurance services
to cope with CCJ increase ~

Rentshield Direct, the tenant checking company, has signed a five-year deal with NorthgateArinso PeopleChecking. The new service will provide an instant financial assessment of potential tenants and will flag any county court judgements (CCJs) to landlords before contracts are signed.

According to Tim Rooney, commercial director at NorthgateArinso PeopleChecking, there has been a substantial rise in CCJs over recent months as tenants struggle to meet rent deadlines.

“Just because a tenant has a CCJ doesn’t mean they should automatically be discounted,” said Rooney. “However, it’s important that landlords are aware of any potential problems and past financial history – no one can afford to lose out in the current housing market.”

The new service will halve the time the Rentshield Direct team spends checking tenant history and producing reports. PeopleChecking will be combined with online insurance services to help landlords find the most suitable tenants.

“All our team are based in the UK, rather than off-shore, and they need to spend their time as efficiently as possible,” said Gary Abrahams at Rentshield Direct. “Automating these processes will help us work much more efficiently, enabling the team to spend their time doing what they do best – helping landlords, agents and tenants get the best possible deal in a difficult market.”
(228 words)
NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

Locally based organisations create partnership to improve housing services

2009-03-27T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE
27^th March 2009 Locally based organisations create partnership to improve housing services Bracknell Forest Homes and Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities market, today announce they have joined forces in a five year partnership. The new partnership will help transform the housing management and repairs services Bracknell Forest Homes provides to put the needs of tenants first in Bracknell Forest.
In contracts worth over £600,000, Bracknell Forest Homes and Northgate Public Services, which together employ about 340 people locally, will work together as part of Bracknell Forest Homes’ £61 million package of improvements to homes and the housing service taking place in Bracknell up to 2012. Over five and a half thousand tenants in Bracknell Forest are set to benefit from the new arrangement designed to provide significant service improvements for tenants, and also major efficiency gains through innovation and enhanced working conditions for employees. The main improvements will be for rents, property and estate management providing tenants with up-to-date and relevant information. The project to design and implement the new system will start in April 2009 with developments coming in the next 18 months. By the end of 2012 all homes are intended to meet the Bracknell Forest Standard of repair, exceeding the Government’s basic Decent Homes programme, to provide communities with high-quality housing. In tough economic times the public private partnership will deliver substantial improvement to tenants through: · providing personalised service for tenants through improved information so that tenants are provided with the right information and services at the right time; · a major overhaul in managing repairs and contractors to ensure that tenants get an efficient and effective repairs service; · raising employee morale by introducing best practice working conditions which reduce travel, promote safety and reduce the carbon footprint;· reaching tenants who are traditionally ‘hard to reach’ with face-to-face doorstep delivery, including the introduction of palm tops for many of the staff;· helping identify tenancy or estates issues and dealing effectively with them. Caroline Titley, Chief Executive at Bracknell Forest Homes, said today: “This partnership helps us deliver part of our promise to our tenants to radically improve services and will mean we have the foundations for excellent and effective services. We are confident that this new system will help deliver the services our customers want and support employees in their jobs. Northgate’s commitment to placing the citizen at the heart of social housing, combined with its technical expertise and a track record second to none, make it the ideal partner for us. Now more than ever it is important for us to be innovative to find improvements throughout our service for the benefit of our tenants and for our employees.” Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services at Northgate Public Services, added: “We are committed to affordable housing for all who need it. The role of social housing in helping our communities in the current economic climate is vitally important. We are proud to have entered this unique relationship with Bracknell Forest Homes, the first of its kind in the country. Bracknell Forest Homes has an ambitious plan to deliver for its tenants and we will do everything in our power to help them achieve it.”
[Ends] For more information:Fellows’ Associates:Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7385 1518; 07949 421356 Or visit www.bracknellforesthomes.org.uk

HARTLEPOOL BOROUGH COUNCIL CONTINUES WITH ITS SERVICE TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME THROUGH PARTNERSHIP EXTENSION WITH NORTHGATE

2009-03-27T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services secures two year contract extension worth £7m with Hartlepool Council to further support ICT within the Borough

Hartlepool Borough Council have agreed a two-year contract extension, worth more than £7m with Northgate Information Solutions (Northgate) for the provision of ICT Managed services for more than 2,500 users across its 124 sites. A key objective of the new agreement will be to support the Council in carrying forward its Transformation Programme which is the cornerstone of the Councils drive towards improved services to the public. Hartlepool Borough Council are a 4* rated council who are not content to rest on their previous successes but are constantly seeking to improve efficiency and services to their clients.

Northgate has been the Council’s preferred strategic ICT partner since 2001 and this extension is a clear endorsement of the success of that partnership and the company’s added value and professional capabilities. The Northgate partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council provides a key enabler to underpin the Council’s technology and efficiency strategy.

The extension clearly signals Hartlepool Council’s continued confidence in Northgate’s ability and in its capability to deliver innovative and target driven ICT solutions. Under the new contract, Northgate has been challenged to provide a more mobile, greener ICT programme, which still supports the Council in its drive towards Government’s efficiency targets.

In response to this new direction, Northgate are working closely with the Council to introduce innovative solutions such as flexible and mobile working, Server and Desktop Virtualisation and a Wireless ‘Cloud’ throughout the borough. The use of virtualisation technology also supports the Council’s Green agenda and Northgate have also instituted an ICT Power Savings initiative in the Northgate data centre located on client premises, through a programme of server consolidation and virtualisation. Northgate also proposed to the Council that excess estate equipment, such as PCs and other mobile devices should be redeployed throughout the council and that a product lifecycle plan be introduced to more efficiently manage the timely purchase of new hardware.

The 360-degree ICT Managed Service solution centres on a comprehensive ICT support function. Managed by a dedicated, on-site service team, Northgate has responsibility for the Council’s PC estate, networks, servers, emails and mobile technology.

Commenting on the contract extension, Andrew Atkin, Assistant Chief Executive with Hartlepool Borough Council, stated: "The decision taken in 2001 to select Northgate as our ICT strategic partner has been very successful. There has been a notable increase in user satisfaction and, by establishing a solid business relationship with Northgate based on a common understanding, we have been able to work together to improve ICT utilisation, and the way ICT supports effective service provision, across our whole range of services, improving customer access and moving forward with a range of new initiatives.
He continued, "The decision to extend Northgate's existing contract is based on the successes to date and predicated on a joint commitment from Northgate and HBC to work together to address the efficiency agenda and environmental policies. We look forward to continued successes for the Partnership during the remainder of the contract.”
James Turnbull, Managing Director of Northgate’s Infrastructure Solutions division added, “I am delighted that Hartlepool Borough Council has taken the decision to extend its partnership with us. The decision is a strong endorsement of the company and of the staff involved in the project. We have been working with the Council since 2001 in support of its diverse and developing business requirements. We remain dedicated to ensuring that our ICT solutions work to provide the Council with the flexibility and enhanced service capabilities needed to provide quality services to its ratepayers and to meet the efficiency targets set by Government. We look forward to advancing this relationship and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Council on its many successes to date.”
-ENDS-

Northgate Information Solutions - 6 months trading update May-October 2008

2009-03-26T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions - 6 months trading update May-October 2008

I am pleased to report that, in the face of increasingly difficult world market conditions, the Northgate Information Solutions group of businesses has performed well in the first six months of the current financial year.

In line with the announcement made in December 2007, we completed our planned delisting from the London Stock Exchange in March 2008. The period under review is therefore the first for Northgate as a private company. We are very grateful to KKR, our major shareholder, for the support they have given us during this period which has allowed us to continue to grow every one of our businesses.

NorthgateArinso, our global HR systems and services business, continued its journey towards market leadership. Customers continue to choose our unique portfolio of consulting services, software applications and outsourcing services to help them deliver better HR services. The investments that we continue to make in our application portfolio and in building a low cost, high quality global delivery network are delivering benefits to clients and helping us to gain market share.

Northgate Public Services, the UK market leader in the local authority and public safety software markets, has enjoyed a record period of sales and profits. With the support of further funding from KKR and our loan funding partners we were able to complete the acquisition of Anite Public Services in October 2008. This acquisition further strengthens our leadership in this market.

Northgate Managed Services has enjoyed a period of strong revenue growth as our education business started to see the benefits of customers going live from our successful contract wins in the large BSF programme in England. We have also benefited from significant investment in an innovative portfolio of solutions and services that address our customer real issues ranging from a “Green computing” agenda to reducing the total cost of technology ownership.

Clearly, the market conditions in which we are operating are more difficult than they have recently been. However, the products and services that we offer our clients, from payroll management to council tax administration, emergency call handling to running ICT infrastructure for schools, and from administering benefits payments to processing penalty notices, tend to be fairly resilient. We help our clients with essential, mission critical activities. We are therefore confident that we are well placed to deal with the difficult times ahead.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our employees for their continued dedication and outstanding work, but above all I would like to thank our clients for continuing to trust us with such important work on their behalf.

Chris Stone
Group Chief Executive

Ideal time for "sensible" choice lists, says Mycompanyfleet

2009-03-23T00:00:00+01:00

There has never been a better time, with employees more concerned about job prospects than car choice, for fleet managers to re-introduce ‘sensible’ choice lists on their fleets. So says fleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet, the automotive division of HR solutions provider, NorthgateArinso.

Many companies are laying off staff and making compulsory redundancies as the credit crunch continues to bite, with unemployment now over the 2m mark for the first time since 1997.

As a result, employees are far less concerned about the type and choice of cars they are allowed within the company car scheme than they are in hanging on to valuable, and potentially scarce, employment.

And while there may have been a move in recent years to widening choice lists to attract and recruit the right calibre of employee - with a resultant increase in fleet operating costs - now may be the ideal time for fleet managers to look at changing the emphasis.

The timing is also perfect from a taxation point of view to look at introducing choice lists that actively promote cars that emit less than 160gm/km of carbon dioxide, as these are the most financially attractive under the new capital allowance rules that come in from the start of April.

“Recruitment and retention of staff may have moved down the corporate priority lists, to be replaced by cost-cutting and consolidation,” said Mycompanyfleet business manager, Andrew Leech.

“That gives fleet managers the opportunity to again look at tightening choice lists, and removing exotica, such as two-seater sports cars, that may have become more commonplace in times of plenty.

“While we are not necessarily advocating a hair shirt approach, now is an the ideal time for fleet managers to take a more pragmatic view, and look at introducing choice lists that cut costs and reduce the corporate carbon footprint at the same time.

“Moving as many cars as possible into the 160g/km or less category will not only offer clear financial cost benefits, but also fuel consumption and NIC savings, driver P11D benefits, and a reduction in a fleet’s carbon footprint – and this in the perfect time to do it,” he added.

Mycompanyfleet’s FleetHR solution is designed to help fleet managers set the right model choices within its fleet policy to take maximum advantage of the new rules and to keep fleet operating costs under control.
The solution uses a traffic light system to rank each car on the policy list with an environmental rating, with the cleanest cars given a ‘green’ carbon rating and the most polluting, a ‘red’ one.

If the particular model is in the ‘red’, then it is above the 160g/km limit and the fleet manager has the option of introducing a financial penalty for choosing such vehicles, or insisting that drivers have to make a personal contribution towards its cost.

Similarly, financial incentives can be offered to drivers to choose those cars that fall within the ‘green’ zone, as there are both financial and environmental benefits for the company.

“We have designed our FleetHR system to allow fleet managers to help set fleet policy that cuts costs and rewards environmental initiative at the same time,” said Andrew Leech.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@m

Innovative partnerships can build zero carbon future

2009-03-19T00:00:00+01:00

The economic situation could create new opportunities to promote a low carbon economy and fight fuel poverty within local communities according to Northgate Public Services in a response published today.

In answer to the government’s consultation on the Definition of zero carbon homes and
non-domestic buildings issued by Communities and Local Government (CLG), Northgate argues that new forms of collaboration between the public, private and not-for-profit sectors are vital to reaching the government’s ambitious targets.

The report welcomes the principles and approach but highlights the need to tackle some of the barriers to change through:

• the development of new financial models to promote collaborative working
• aligning strategies and policies to simplify implementation
• promoting the leading role of local authorities and the social housing sector in place- shaping and promoting energy efficient buildings
• providing open competition in developing sustainable tool models

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today:

“We wholeheartedly support the government’s ambitions and its overall approach in promoting zero carbon buildings. It is critical that the battle against fuel poverty is integral to building a zero carbon future and that we seize the opportunity to build a dynamic and flourishing energy efficiency market which will provide jobs and a sustainable future for our local communities.

“To achieve this we need to develop innovative partnerships. These should involve energy companies, developers, local authorities and the social housing sector, supported by the voluntary and private sectors. They should be focused on the twin goals of reducing inequality and promoting community well-being, whilst tackling climate change through promoting energy efficiency in our homes, our public buildings and our commercial buildings.”

-ENDS-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356

Notes to editors

Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Rewards-based partnerships reap tax benefits for local communities

2009-03-19T00:00:00+01:00

According to the Audit Commission, up to £200 million of single person discounts (SPD) may be being claimed ineligibly every year, increasing the pressures on hard pressed local authorities to meet the diverse needs of vulnerable communities.
Figures released by Northgate today indicate that the median average of ineligible discounts for local authorities for whom they have provided their unique review services in England in 2008 was six percent, resulting in a millions of pounds increase in the tax base for a growing number of local authorities who are participating in the scheme.

In unique public private partnerships that link fees to performance, offering councils a self-financing approach to sharing risk with the private sector, Northgate provides local authorities with a fully managed SPD review service. This helps to promote revenue assurance as an integral part of transforming revenue and benefits services based upon citizen need. Local authorities who sign up only pay up when cancellations have generated a direct cashable saving. Councils who have benefited from the service include Kirklees and Walsall.

Graham Beckett, Divisional Manager, Revenues, Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council, said today: “With the help of Northgate we ensured that people were paying the right amount of council tax and generated nearly £1 million in additional council tax.
cont.
“Effective data matching narrowed down the number of customers needing to be
contacted directly, then a fully-managed service from Northgate, including dealing with all customer contact, ensured those discounts no longer applicable were removed and customers advised accordingly.”

Sharon Tait, Head of Revenues, Walsall Council said: “Following vigorous validation checks, 7.5% of our Single Person Discount claims were cancelled as a direct result of this exercise, combating fraud, reducing errors and saving valuable time. The relationship with Northgate has been exceptional with deadlines and deliverables consistently met. This exercise has been one which I would be more than happy to repeat."

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services for Northgate Public Services, added: “Modernised revenues and benefits services must be built around individual citizen need. In these hard economic times we must make sure that the most vulnerable of our communities receive their proper entitlements. This requires proactive campaigns to increase take up of benefits where this is low. It also means
making sure that people pay the right amount of council tax to meet the needs of our communities.”

“Our performance partnerships offer local authorities the means by which they can transform revenues and benefits services, helping them to increase their tax base and to reach out to those most disadvantaged. Our track record in delivering excellence in managed services, in developing best practice in the use of third party data and in data protection, provides local authorities with a unique no risk partnership in which payment is made only on the basis of saving accrued. This guarantees the best possible outcome for the local authorities and the communities that they serve.”

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356

Notes to editors

2. Over seven million householders are currently claiming SPDs for council tax and councils pay out over £2 billion every year. The full council tax bill assumes two adults living in a property; where only there is only one adult living in a property they can claim a council tax single person’s discount of 25 per cent. Northgate offers a fully managed SPD services to all local authorities in the UK. In 2008 local authorities fifteen local authorities have used this service.

Kent students help to create innovative schools of the future!

2009-03-11T00:00:00+01:00

Charles Dickens School announced winner of the
Northgate Education’s “Innovate my school” competition

School students from Charles Dickens School, Broadstairs, have been announced winners of the Northgate Education “Innovate my school” competition. Northgate Education invited students from the 11 Kent secondary schools involved in the first phase of Kent’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme to take part in a competition investigating new technologies they would like to see implemented in their school.

Thamesview School, Northfleet School for Girls and Charles Dickens School visited BETT 2009 in January at Olympia in London, the largest education resource event in the world. Students were asked to explore the exhibition and investigate new learning technologies and resources. Once back at school they were challenged to design a presentation detailing why they chose particular technologies and how they will benefit the students and their school.

Competition entries were judged by Northgate Education and Kent County Council. The students worked really hard on identifying resources which have real educational value as well as being fun and engaging such as mobile technology, application software, compact computer desks, interactive voting systems and biometric lockers.

The judges looked at how the students addressed issues such as the application of the technology in their school, how the technology would work in practice, what problems, issues or opportunities it would address and the overall benefits to the school and students.

Charles Dickens School will be receiving an Apple Macintosh Notebook as a prize with the four students involved receiving an iPod Nano each. Northgate Education will be reviewing all the ICT that each school demonstrated in their presentation to see if it can fit as part of their solution.

David Hyland, managing director of Northgate Education: “All three schools that presented showed a confident approach to planning their presentation and evaluating their choices. Charles Dickens was chosen as the overall winning school because they demonstrated clearly the reasons for their choice, the applications and value to their education. They chose the Nokia N810 smart phone and the compact computer desk. It was the smart phone that won it for them as they gave specific examples on how they could use the smart phone as part of their classes. They also were able to give cost and operational benefits for the school. ”
Northgate Education is Kent County Council’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provider as part of the Kent Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme. Northgate Education is a leading provider of ICT managed services and solutions to schools, academies and local authorities throughout the UK, and will be working closely with Kent County Council, Land Securities Trillium and Partnerships for Schools (PfS) to provide Kent schools with ICT which supports each school’s education vision.

Cabinet Member for Education Operations, Resources and Skills Mark Dance said: “Equipping our BSF schools with state of the art ICT facilities not only improves the business of education through more efficient school management process, greater collaboration and the sharing of resources, but will raise attainment and transform the educational opportunities available for young people. Involving students in the BSF process enables them to have a say in what resources are implemented in their schools. Kent’s vision is to work with schools to create a culture of participation that gets students involved in their own learning and encourages them to influence their school’s development.”

Eleven schools across Kent will benefit from the first initial £29 million investment in ICT as part of BSF. With ICT firmly embedded in the education vision of Kent schools, BSF will allow for even more innovative ICT to be used in classrooms as well as providing tools to help teachers improve the delivery of education. Committed to ‘anytime-anywhere learning’, schools will be working closely with Northgate Education to provide learners, parents and teachers with access to education resources via any internet enabled device.

-Ends-

For press enquiries please contact Judith Castle at Livewire Public Relations, tel: +44 (0)20 8339 7440 or e-mail judith.castle@livewirepr.com.

Notes to editors:

About Northgate Education (www.northgate-is.com/education)

Northgate Education, Northgate Information Solutions’ specialist education division, is a leading provider of managed services and solutions in the UK. It provides technology services to more than 1,200 schools, with more than 350,000 teachers and learners successfully supported by the company. Northgate provides services to every school in Northern Ireland through C2k, the largest and most comprehensive e-learning initiative ever implemented in the UK. It also provides Information and Communication Technology (ICT) managed services to Bristol City Council and Leicester City Council as part of the government's Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF) and to more than 150 education sites in Hartlepool, from primary schools through to further education. In January 2007, Northgate was awarded an ISO 20000-1 accreditation by the British Standards Institution, for provision of IT service management activities.

Globally, Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the human resources, local government, education and public safety markets.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs more than 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across five continents.

About BSF (www.bsf.gov.uk)

BSF is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. BSF will provide world-class teaching and learning environments for all pupils, teachers and communities in England.

MOMENTUM"S NEW SCHOOLS INITIATIVE GIVES PUPILS INSIGHT INTO ICT

2009-03-11T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions first to sign up for Momentum’s Career Connections Programme

An innovative new schools programme designed to encourage schoolchildren to consider a career in ICT has been officially launched by Momentum, Northern Ireland’s ICT Federation. The Career Connections programme offers pupils and teachers the opportunity to visit leading ICT organisations and to learn firsthand how ICT works in industry. The overall aim of the programme is to redress the current employee shortfall and to build a sustained workforce for the industry.

Designed and developed by Foyle School and Employer Connections (FOSEC), a North-West ‘broker’ organisation established to facilitate engagement between education and business sectors, the Career Connections Programme is supported by Invest Northern Ireland, the Department for Employment and Learning and e-skills UK. It is part of the successful ‘BringITon’ brand and it is hoped to bridge the gap between education and industry by establishing effective partnerships between local companies and secondary schools.

The half-day visits have been designed to allow pupils and teachers to gain a more detailed insight into the businesses that operate within the ICT sector, the types of careers that the industry can offer and the qualifications that are required to maximise their potential as an IT professional.

Newtownabbey-based Northgate Information Solutions (Northgate), a leading supplier of specialist ICT services and solutions, is the first company to sign up to this innovative programme and will initially host four schools as part of the initiative. The first school to visit Northgate was Belfast Royal Academy (BRA), with pupils and teachers given a tour of the facility and having the opportunity to listen to a number of staff explain their roles and their interaction with ICT and solution development.

Commenting on the programme, Dr Ian Graham, Chief Executive of Momentum said,
“The Career Connections Programme is an important initiative for Momentum. It provides us with the opportunity to develop key partnerships between the ICT industry and schools but also to showcase the wide variety of career opportunities that exist within the sector to the next generation of ICT professionals as well as provide additional resources to their teachers.”

Dr Graham continued, “I am delighted that Northgate has decided to be part of this programme given its standing in the sector. It is only with this level of external support that the programme can be a success. By giving pupils insight into ‘real’ company life and showing them the options that exist, we make it possible for them to make informed decisions about their futures.”

Commenting at the launch of the Career Connections Programme, Ed Brown, Managing Director of Northgate and Chairman of Momentum said “We are delighted to be working with Momentum as part of the Bring IT on Campaign. As a leading IT company working with every school in Northern Ireland, we feel it is important to encourage young people into the industry. This has been an opportunity for us to promote ICT as a career choice and is important both for Northgate and all other organizations within the sector to attract talent into the industry to support continued growth in NI. This first visit has been very successful and we look forward to working with other partner schools involved in the programme.”

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor
• The ‘BringITon’ campaign aims to encourage pupils aged 14-17 to study subjects such as maths and science at A-level with a view to pursuing a career in what has proven to be one of Northern Ireland’s most productive sectors. The campaign is supported by Invest Northern Ireland, the Department for Employment and Learning and e-Skills UK.

• The ICT organisations taking part in the Career Connections programme include:

Northgate Information Solutions EG Consulting
ICS Computing   Media Lightbox
Citi     Blueprint Appointments
Allstate    SAP Research
Liberty IT    Texthelp Systems
Kainos

• The ICT industry continues to thrive in Northern Ireland and is one which has experienced substantial local growth in recent years. It is estimated that more than 2,000 new employees are needed each year to join the local IT workforce and to sustain this growth, it is vital that future generations of suitably educated and skilled graduates enter the sector.

euHReka delivers HCM OnDemand

2009-03-11T00:00:00+01:00

~ NorthgateArinso launches euHReka OnDemand, the first software-as-a-service solution, based on SAP® ERP HCM, for comprehensive HCM

London, UK – March 11, 2009 – NorthgateArinso, a leading global HR services provider, today announced the availability of euHReka OnDemand, the first Human Capital Management (HCM) solution to be delivered ‘as a service’, based on the SAP® ERP HCM solution. Targeted at large enterprise companies, euHReka OnDemand enables organisations to build a global HR service delivery organisation using the full value of the latest web-enabled HR and Talent Management technology delivered in the service model of their choice.

euHReka OnDemand allows HR Directors to drive down time-to-benefit and cost, increase standardisation and quality, improve HR analytics and organise their services in a more agile way. It brings the power of integrated and global human capital management capabilities into the hands of managers and line of business owners to drive higher levels of organisational performance.

The Internet-based on-demand delivery model of euHReka offers flexible deployment, improved scalability, a highly intuitive user interface, rapid time to value and a wide range of integration options. euHReka OnDemand complements the well-established on-premise and fully outsourced deployment options for SAP’s HCM solutions with all choices leveraging a common solution platform, enabling customers to design and evolve hybrid delivery models as needed for their unique business requirements.

“It’s all about choice. Customers now have the ability to pick and choose how they want to manage their HR processes based on the needs of their business,” said Mike Ettling, chief executive of NorthgateArinso. “As those business needs evolve, the deployment models can change as well – for example from accessing workforce management technologies in an on-demand model to embracing full workforce management BPO – all without the typical disruption of changes in technology and accompanying user experience. Since all deployment models leverage a common underpinning solution foundation, data and process flow integrity can be preserved at all times.”

“Organisations that have been deploying niche talent management solutions have struggled to attain the expected improvements in business performance,” said Denis Tournesac, executive vice-president of OnDemand at NorthgateArinso. “The gap has been lack of integration – across all talent management processes, with related HR processes, and with underlying ERP solutions.”

euHReka OnDemand is the first on-demand HR platform to deliver not only the full integration between administrative HR processes and talent management processes, but also full, native integration to SAP Business Suite software. Leveraging the proven and functionally rich global solutions of SAP ERP HCM, euHReka OnDemand will support HR and talent management processes other than payroll, which will continue to be supported through the company’s existing BPO business.

euHReka OnDemand draws together talent management processes including recruitment, performance management, succession planning, compensation and learning & development, with HR administrative processes such as personnel administration and organisational management. The solution is available over the Internet, with no hardware or software footprint at the user’s organisation. It uses preconfigured multi-tenant functionality so that every organisation’s information is held in isolation, assuring users of the security and privacy of their data.

“HR directors are no longer forced to choose between local expertise and global excellence, between fast delivery and cheaper operating costs, or even between different technology options. With euHReka OnDemand, they can have the best of all worlds, on the basis of a single solution,” added NorthgateArinso’s Denis Tournesac. “Not only does it look great, but for the first time it brings together a fully-functional HR administration suite with fully-fledged talent management capabilities, delivered through a Software-as-a-Service model.”

“We are pleased that NorthgateArinso is capitalising on the strength of our solutions to extend its current euHReka outsourcing capabilities and related collaboration with SAP,” said Bernd-Uwe Pagel, senior vice-president of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) at SAP. “The new offering will enable companies to leverage on-demand services complementary to BPO on the basis of a single solution. Customers will be able to choose the mix of deployment models that makes most sense for their business, thereby accelerating business innovation and responding flexibly to changing business needs."

Available since the beginning of March, euHReka OnDemand will be brought to market through a pilot programme, which focuses first on SAP Business Suite customers who are looking to on-board HR capabilities in a rapid, on-demand model. It will also be offered to SAP ERP HCM customers who have been seeking an on-demand solution delivering the benefits of a fully integrated and global talent management suite that leverages inherent integration to underlying SAP applications.

(725 words in body; 746 words with heading)

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

NorthgateArinso appoints Denis Tournesac to drive HR OnDemand

2009-03-05T00:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso, the leading global human resources software and services provider, has appointed Denis Tournesac to lead its OnDemand business.

After successfully introducing a standardised HR BPO solution, powered by SAP, NorthgateArinso is now evaluating how it can help HR managers deliver HR services more efficiently through the use of an OnDemand model.

OnDemand HR solutions have the potential of giving HR personnel and managers integrated control and insight into all of their HR processes, from workforce administration to talent management. The ‘pay as you use’ model has already proven popular in areas such as CRM, in part because of the attractive financial model, the fast implementation and fact that the supplier manages the IT back end, including version upgrades.

Formerly executive regional director for Southern Europe and Canada, Tournesac has been selected to investigate the market potential and drive the roll-out of NorthgateArinso’s OnDemand offering around the world. As Executive Vice-President OnDemand, he will report directly to Mike Ettling, CEO at NorthgateArinso.

(180 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations.

We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 8,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Scarborough takes further step to service transformation with strategic partnership

2009-03-03T00:00:00+01:00

Scarborough takes further step to service transformation with strategic partnership

Enterprising Scarborough Borough Council today announces that it has strengthened its strategic partnership with a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, Northgate Public Services, in a contract worth more than £500,000.

Over 100,000 residents in the Borough of Scarborough will benefit from the introduction of a new combined state of the art citizenship relationship management and enterprise electronic document management system designed to transform services under the council’s Customer First programme.

The partnership is committed to building sustainable and secure services around the needs of its citizens. It guarantees to improve the accuracy and consistency of information and enforce rigorous standards in the handling of information for security and audit purposes.

Residents are set to benefit from improved performance in the council’s Customer First programme including:

• personalised one-stop services providing citizens with the right service at the right time;
• joined up front-office and back-office systems to allow citizens instant access to electronic council information;
• further development of proactive service delivery, anticipating people’s needs rather than reacting to them.

continued
The investment is set to provide the Council with more effective and efficient ways of flexible working, offering council employees:

• allowing employees to be more efficient by giving them one place to view, search for and retrieve information;
• enabling employees to access information electronically wherever they are working;
• reducing bureaucracy by getting rid of unnecessary paper filing systems and time-consuming paperwork;
• empowering employees to share information and transform services through reengineering business processes around the needs of the individual citizen.

Jim Dillon, Chief Executive of Scarborough Borough Council, said today:
“We are committed to an ambitious programme of transformation and need a partner to support our vision. We are delighted to be working with Northgate Public Services who have a great track record in developing strategic partnerships which promote effective and efficient services. This is a win-win situation for us all – for our residents who will see improvements in services, for our employees who will gain greater satisfaction in their work, and for the Council in providing improved performance and greater cost-efficiencies.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services added:
“We are delighted to be strengthening our relationship with Scarborough. In these difficult economic times, councils need a partner that they can trust. Our partnership with Scarborough has developed in incrementally over a number of years. We are committed to service transformation through revolutionising the way that councils deliver front office services and handle information throughout their organisations. We look forward to delivering further improvements for the benefit of the residents of Scarborough. The Council will see a rapid return on its investment in which staff time can be rechanneled into front line service improvement.”
[Ends]
For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356
Notes to Editors

1. Northgate Public Service is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used in the administration of over £21 billion in tax and benefits, in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; for council front office systems serving over 8 million people; in the management of over 40% of council social care records and in the logging of 50 million hospital records; in running national enforcement systems covering 1 million crimes and to support the national system for reporting police performance; in storing and managing 2 billion documents and records electronically; and in the management of over 3 million properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees

3. Front Office is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information. Northgate’s systems now serve over 8 million citizens in England – one in seven of the population.
Northgate’s information@work solution for document management is used by 44 per cent of local authorities and currently manages 1.95 billion pages of information on behalf of 195 clients.

4. Scarborough is a non-metropolitan district and borough of North Yorkshire, England. In addition to the towns of Scarborough Whitby and Filey, it also covers many rural villages and a large stretch of the coast of Yorkshire. The Borough has a population of 106,243 and covers an area of 315 sq miles.

Mycompanyfleet uses "traffic lights" to tackle 160g/km issue

2009-03-03T00:00:00+01:00

Companies can make significant cost savings by switching as many cars as possible to those emitting less than 160g/km because of the new tax rules that come into force from April, says fleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet, the newly launched division of HR solutions giant, NorthgateArinso, but selecting the right vehicles is crucial.

To make sure fleet managers and their drivers make the right choices for themselves and their company in the light of the new rules, Mycompanyfleet has introduced a ‘traffic light’ system within its primary fleet management solution, Fleet HR, which helps rate each model on the fleet policy and its carbon emissions.
Due to the new tax rules that govern the treatment of capital allowances for company owned vehicles, moving as many cars as possible into the 160g/km or less category will not only offer clear financial cost benefits, but also fuel consumption and NIC benefits, driver P11D benefits, and a reduction in a fleet’s carbon footprint.

Those companies that haven’t reacted in time and made changes to their fleets in terms of model mix now look set to suffer higher fleet running costs than those that have planned for the changes.

Mycompanyfleet’s Fleet HR solution is designed to help fleet managers set the right model choices within its fleet policy to take maximum advantage of the new rules.
The system’s fleet policy file shows the different fleet models available, the staff grades to which they apply, the minimum and maximum values allowed and perhaps most importantly of all, their carbon dioxide emissions.

Each vehicle within the fleet policy is then rated via a ‘traffic light’ system with the carbon emissions either given ‘red’, ‘amber’ or ‘green’ values.

If the particular model is in the ‘red’, then it is above the 160g/km limit and managers and drivers should realise that adding that to the fleet comes at an additional on-cost to the company and to the driver.

But if it’s on ‘amber ‘or in the ’green’ then it’s on or below the limit and all the additional financial benefits for both company and driver alike, including corporation tax, P11D and NIC benefits, plus a reduction in carbon footprint, are available.
The warning light system is an integral part of the Fleet HR system which uses exception reporting to highlight unusual and unwarranted exceptions to the standard fleet policy.

It allows fleet managers to restrict choice to only those vehicles given a ‘safe’ green rating and to see at a glance on a single screen how many vehicles on the fleet fall within the green rating and how many are outside. The appropriate advice and guidance can then be given to drivers to persuade them to move into the green zone with their next vehicle.

For those who still want to pursue ‘red light’ vehicles, then the fleet manager has the option of introducing a financial penalty for choosing such vehicles, or insisting that drivers have to make a personal contribution towards its cost.

Similarly, financial incentives can be offered to drivers who choose those cars that fall within the green zone, as there are both financial and environmental benefits for the company.

“We have designed our Fleet HR system to allow fleet managers to set fleet policy with the new 160g/km limit very much in mind,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet.

“The system allows them to set fleet policy to only allow drivers a choice of vehicles with a safe ‘green’ rating, being at or below 160g/km. Or if they prefer, then can charge an additional personal contribution, for vehicles that go into the ‘red’ rating. For planning fleet model mix and setting fleet policy, we believe it offers a significant advantage,” he said.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Managing demand will save NHS money

2009-02-26T00:00:00+01:00

Managing demand will save NHS money

Unnecessary referrals cost the NHS £1 billion a year and could be significantly reduced with the introduction of a new demand management service, Demand Manager, launched today by Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative solutions to the public sector and utilities markets.

Demand Manager supports world class commissioning. It aims to help PCTs (Primary Care Trusts) deliver outstanding performance in the way that they commission health and care services, and work with providers through enhanced analysis of referral practices and trends.

The innovative service provides commissioners and providers with easy on-line access to national performance information. Commissioners gain access to all referrals for which they are responsible and can also compare their performance with those of others with similar catchment populations. Providers can access information on all the referrals they have treated as well as those that were treated elsewhere. The hosted, web-based system provides information in tabular, graphical and map-based formats enabling investigation of important questions such as:

• could savings be made by commissioning care in alternative settings?
• are referral rates above or below the norm?
• what sort of referrals are providers getting?
• where are the opportunities to attract additional referrals from local practices?

Andy Gordon-Jones, Director of Health at Northgate Public Services said today:

“World class commissioning has placed the spotlight on the need for informed decision-making to deliver healthy outcomes. We have designed this easy to use referral management system to enable commissioners and providers to plan, commission and deliver services more effectively and efficiently.

“Better health and well being, better care and better value for all rely on making better use of the wealth of data that exists in the NHS in an informed and intelligent way. Our service supports cost-effective referral practices. It also gives professionals the information they need to make investment choices wisely - to enhance service design, drive through continuous improvement and promote innovation in local well being services for the benefit of us all.”

[Ends]

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356

Local citizens in Wokingham to benefit from revolutionised services

2009-02-25T00:00:00+01:00

Local citizens in Wokingham to benefit from revolutionised services

Over 152,000 citizens in Wokingham will benefit from a new partnership between the council and Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. The partnership is designed to revolutionise local services by transforming council performance and delivering efficiencies to the local community.

In an agreement worth £450,000 over five years, Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system will be introduced at Wokingham council in January 2009.

This innovative service will enable the council to improve public services for local citizens and businesses by:

• resolving at least 80% of customer queries at the first point of contact;
• equipping staff with instant access to all the information they need to answer multiple service enquiries;
• understanding customer needs through continuously monitoring citizens’ requests, responses and satisfaction levels;
• providing increased opportunities for flexible and mobile working and reducing the administrative burden on staff;
• delivering efficiency savings across the council’s services.

The new partnership is part of a wider transformation programme to change the way the council and its partners deliver public services.

Susan Law, Chief Executive of Wokingham Borough Council, said today:
“Our Wokingham Direct contact centre is very important to us as it will revolutionise the council's customer care, whilst providing much-needed cost savings over the coming years. Northgate's system will be a key part of Wokingham Direct's success, under-pinning efficient service delivery and helping to meet our customers’ needs. Northgate has a shared commitment to delivering first class public services and I'm very pleased to be working with them.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, added:
“In these challenging economic times it is imperative that local authorities meet the increasing needs and expectations of their community. Sustainable and efficient services must be available to all, especially to the most disadvantaged citizens. Northgate is proud to be working in partnership with Wokingham in order to deliver the best public services for the local community, and we are looking forward to supporting the council in this innovative programme.”

[Ends]

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401;
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356;

Notes to Editors:

3. ‘Front Office’ is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information. Northgate’s CRM systems now serve over 8 million citizens in England – one in seven of the population. Northgate will provide Wigan with Full integration between ‘Front Office’ and a range of other council systems, including Northgate’s housing system.

4. Wokingham is a local government district in Berkshire. The district was formed under the Local Government Act in 1972 and was granted borough status in 2007, following a petition to the Queen. Wokingham is governed by the Wokingham Borough Council, which has been a unitary authority since 1998. The Borough has a population on over 152,000.

Derbyshire Constabulary puts public protection at the heart of policing

2009-02-24T00:00:00+01:00

Derbyshire Constabulary puts public protection at the heart of policing

Effective public protection rests on information management services which help engage with the public and build up trust through enhancing police processes and promoting business change, according to Derbyshire Constabulary.

The Force has used its innovative partnership with Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector, to successfully deliver additional protection and support for vulnerable people over the past year, whilst streamlining its information provision and standardising its procedures.

In a move which ensured compliance with the Management of Police Information (MOPI) guidelines, the Constabulary extended its work with Northgate to transform the management of public protection information using Northgate’s Guardian system. Its unique public protection system provides for the recording and management of reports and referrals on such matters as hate crimes, child and domestic abuse and issues relating to vulnerable adults.

The Force has benefited from enhanced and strengthened risk assessment through the improved collection, linkage and evaluation of information on vulnerable individuals and their known associates, and the fact that the system proactively supports timely intervention directing activity where and when it is needed. Realisable benefits include:
• providing specialist teams and partner agencies with accurate and joined up information - a single view of an individual or a household and their involvement with the police leads to better management of risk and supports proactive intervention;
• enhanced communications with Neighbourhood Policing Teams - enabling them to be more aware of what is happening in their areas and helping them to evaluate current situations and required actions;
• increased visibility of victims and repeat offenders;
• greater security for front-line officers through the ability to warn officers about dangerous people in their area and those situations where sensitivity is paramount;
• improved performance information to support the requirement of the Force and its partners for improved visibility and accountability.

Driving home its commitment to public protection, the Force has recruited an additional fifty extra officers and staff to manage its public protection campaign and to address the needs of high risk public protection areas.

Four public protection teams have been established – one in each division. These
multi-skilled officers can use Guardian to help them deliver victim-led and offender-focused strategies, designed to reduce the risk of harm and serious crime through preventative action.

[Derbyshire Constabulary Assistant Chief Constable, Peter Goodman] said today:
”We are wholly committed to providing a high-quality policing service to everyone in Derbyshire. Our investment in public protection systems and people is critical to this. By minimising risk and promoting public engagement, we are reducing the serious crime that destroys the lives of individuals and costs the police millions to investigate.

“Innovation and change which focuses on a proactive approach to public protection gives the public greater peace of mind and provides more efficient and effective services. Our incremental partnership with Northgate is helping us in our battle to fight crime. It is built upon a joint commitment to promote transformation in our operations and business processes, and to build police services which put the needs of communities at their heart”.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety, Northgate Public Services added: “We are delighted that our work with Derbyshire Police is helping to achieve the service transformation public services need to rebuild public trust. Information is at the heart of effective, proactive and preventative policing. And people are key to delivering it. Our services have been designed to ensure that the police are fully engaged in their development. They are led by the day-to-day operational requirements of public safety organisations. It is this involvement that is integral to our success.”
[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401 (m)
Konstaninos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356 (m)

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. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

2. In the UK, Northgate Public Services 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 the management of over 40 per cent of local authority social care records; in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; to support the national system for reporting police performance; in the management of over three million local authority and housing association properties worldwide

3. Northgate’s Guardian system provides for the efficient collection, recording, evaluation, sharing, reviewing, storing and disposal of information. It encompasses the management of intelligence, crime and disorder, public protection, arrest and case and custody. It provides police officers with a single inter-linked view of information from a number of key policing business areas. Information is managed flexibly around police processes to meet the requirements of individual forces as well as to meet national standards.

4. Northgate has worked with Derbyshire since 2006 to provide a complete picture of crime and intelligence information held across the force. Northgate’s public protection solution replaced Derbyshire’s previous referral enquiry system in June 2008.

5. Derbyshire Constabulary is committed to reducing and investigating crime, protecting people and promoting law and order across the county of Derbyshire. It works in partnership with local agencies across the county to help achieve its goals and in Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) to protect individuals and communities from the risks posed by dangerous offenders. The Constabulary serves a region of over 1,000 square miles, with a population approaching 1 million.

Telford & Wrekin to deliver £3 million in efficiency savings through radical transformation of council services

2009-02-17T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE17 February 2009 Telford & Wrekin to deliver £3 million in efficiency savings through radical transformation of council services 164,600 citizens across Telford & Wrekin are set to benefit from a new partnership between Telford & Wrekin Council and Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities market. The new partnership is just one of the initiatives the Council is pursuing in order to deliver £3 million business transformation and efficiency savings in the year 2008/9. Working alongside Northgate Public Services, Telford & Wrekin Council will introduce a state of the art document and records management solution to improve the efficiency and performance of council services by joining up disparate data held by the council and cutting down on excessive paperwork. The new solution will enable significant transformation by improving efficiency and service performance and will give substantial opportunity for cashable savings both in accommodation and staffing costs.

Under the agreement the new service will offer benefits to council officers and citizens including:

reduction in paper dependency and related costs;
automation of tasks using workflow that will enable processes to be delivered in a more predictable manner and with less demand on resources;
organisation wide remote access to all documents and records;
joined up processes to support a more effective delivery of services;
a single corporate repository of information.

Adrian Lawrence, Portfolio Cabinet Member for Resources of Telford & Wrekin Council, said today: “This new service will cut down bureaucracy, deliver greater efficiencies and save valuable officer time enabling them to focus on delivering safe and sustainable communities. We are confident that our partnership with Northgate will provide effective and efficient council services which meet the needs of today and the challenges of tomorrow. We are determined to improve our frontline services for citizens and further foster cultural change in the way in which the council is managed.” Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services said today: “Delivering efficient public services is crucial in these tough economic times. We are proud to be working alongside Telford & Wrekin Council to transform essential services for citizens across the region and make a real difference to local communities. Northgate is committed to delivering first class public services that focus on the needs of citizens. Effective information management is key to building public trust and the new partnership is committed to driving performance improvement by reducing paperwork and making better use of the information held by the council.”[Ends]For more information:Fellows’ Associates:Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356 Notes to Editors: 1. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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.

In the UK, Northgate works with 95 per cent of local authorities and every police force and manages over 40 per cent of the country’s social care records. Northgate’s information@work solution for document management is used from 44 per cent of local authorities and currently stores and manages 2 billion documents and records of information on behalf of 195 clients per year. Northgate Public Services supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; by over one hundred housing associations; and to support the national system for reporting police performance. Founded in 1969, the company has over 7,500 employees.

Telford & Wrekin Borough Council has a population of 164,600 and 67,093 households. There are 82,200 employee jobs located in Telford & Wrekin. The Borough became a Unitary Authority on 1^st April 1998, providing the services that were previously the responsibility of Wrekin Council and Shropshire County Council. The Borough’s Council has 54 Councillors.

Patient reports get official go ahead

2009-02-17T00:00:00+01:00

17 February 2009

For immediate release Patient reports get official go aheadNorthgate Public Services has today signed a three year contract with the Department of Health (DH) to promote the patient’s perspective in the quality of care received from the NHS. In an innovative three year contract where risk is transferred to the contractor, Northgate will be responsible for administering and aggregating the data obtained from Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) questionnaires. PROMs are an important part of the government’s strategy to improve the quality of care in the NHS. The improvement of clinical quality and outcomes are at the heart of NHS reforms. Making quality of care the key organising principle of the NHS was a key recommendation of High Quality Care for All, the NHS Next Stage Review Final Report – an extensive review of the health service which reported last year.Northgate is working in partnership with Quality Health and CHKS to provide the PROMs services to the DH. Quality Health are the market leaders in patient and staff surveys across the NHS and CHKS are widely regarded as the industry experts in risk analysis and case-mix adjustment methodologies and the presentation of health data. From April 2009, patients who undergo hip replacements, knee replacements, groin hernia surgery and varicose vein surgery will be invited to complete a short questionnaire about their health status prior to undergoing treatment. Northgate will be working with Quality Health in partnership with the health providers in the NHS to ensure that there is minimal administrative burden on hospital staff. Filling in the questionnaire will be voluntary and patients who fill in the first questionnaire will be sent a follow-up questionnaire by Northgate, three to six months later (depending on the type of procedure). The results will make it possible to assess how successful the procedure was in improving the patient’s health from the patient’s perspective. It will also improve commissioners’ and clinicians’ ability to assess how effective procedures have been. Northgate in partnership with CHKS will also be responsible for carrying out part of the statistical aggregation and adjustments of the data for presentation to the NHS, patients and the public. The award of the contract builds upon the work that Northgate currently carries out for the NHS Information Centre on Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and for Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) in delivery of the National Joint Registry. David Meaden. Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services said today: “Putting the public first is critical to the quality of public services. We are delighted to have been awarded this contract to measure the success of operations as reported by patients themselves. “The information collected will empower patients and commissioners and enable clinicians to assess the success of various methods of treatment for patients. We are committed to this programme and to putting the patient at the heart of quality health and social care. We look forward to working with patients and their providers to make this a world class success.”-Ends- For more information                                                              Fellows’Associates
Kathy Sutton                                                        020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis                                           020 7395 1518; 07949 421356Notes to editors1.      Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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.      Northgate Health works with organisations across the country to improve health outcomes. We support commissioners in effective decision-making; enable doctors to monitor and improve their performance; and provide patients with the information they need to exercise meaningful choice. Whether supporting world-leading screening programmes, managing national health registries or delivering state-of-the-art information systems for NHS Trusts, Northgate puts the patient at the heart of health services. 3.      In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used in the administration of over £21 billion in tax and benefits, in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; for council front office systems serving over 8 million people; in the management of over 40% of council social care records and in the logging of 50 million hospital records; in running national enforcement systems covering 1 million crimes and to support the national system for reporting police performance; by 44% of local authorities for enterprise document management; and in the management of over 3 million properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. 4.      Quality Health works only in the NHS and is one of the biggest providers of patient and staff surveys in Britain. CHKS Ltd is the UK’s leading independent provider of healthcare intelligence to the NHS and independent healthcare sector.

Why do SMEs need FM systems?

2009-02-13T00:00:00+01:00

By Andy Leech, Business Manager at Mycompanyfleet

SMEs regularly ask the question ‘How can we justify the expenditure on a fleet management system to our directors?

Our answer is invariably the same. The company fleet is usually the second largest cost a company faces after salaries and, while nobody suggests that payroll systems should be run manually, we often see companies without any automated ways of managing their fleet.

Modern fleet management systems provide the end user with greater control over all aspects of fleet operation. For example, they can provide quotations and locate vehicles online through supplying dealerships or leasing companies, thus helping control the acquisition process. They also provide the means to thoroughly monitor all running costs including fuel, which represents a substantial proportion of total costs.

They can also manage duty of care responsibilities and provide a driver management system to identify those drivers most at risk. A typical system allows complete driver records to be kept and readily identifies those drivers requiring some form of intervention.

The best systems provide management by exception reporting, flagging up those exceptions that require management action, thus helping avoid information overload. To help smooth out corporate cash flows, they typically require no initial up-front payment, just regular monthly payments which clearly help the budgeting process.

Given the complexity of modern fleet management, the question isn’t really ‘how can we afford to have a fleet management system’, but rather ‘how can we afford not to?’

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk
Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

New partnership tackles information overload facing fleets

2009-02-13T00:00:00+01:00

Fleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet has announced a new strategic partnership aimed at tackling the information overload problem faced by many fleet operators from current fleet management information systems.

Many current systems provide fleet managers with huge amounts of data, but little usable management information upon which relevant, effective and rapid business decisions can be made that add real value to the organisation.

Now, Mycompanyfleet, the recently-launched automotive division of HR specialists, NorthgateArinso, has entered into partnership with BOARD, the global leader in the provision of Business Intelligence (BI) and Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solutions, with the stated intention of tackling the problem head-on.
By deploying BOARD’S BI and CPM solutions across its range of fleet relevant management information systems, Mycompanyfleet will allow fleet managers to manage by exception, using pre-set KPIs and others measurements to cut through the masses of data produced to the key management information, allowing rapid and effective business decisions to be made.

The new solutions also have the ability to process data from a huge variety of different systems and different technologies in a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional solutions in one totally accurate, corporate view of company information.

“For too long, fleet management information suppliers have bombarded fleet professionals with data, but without providing effective solutions that add value and provide a competitive edge,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet.

“This new partnership means we can help cut through the data overload to present just the key measures, exceptions and anomalies in a way that the fleet user can quickly and easily understand, and make effective decisions from.

“Practical applications could include linking the fleet management system to service delivery or to telematics systems, for example. Whether one, all or none of these solutions are currently provided by Mycompanyfleet makes no difference, as we can still help customers quickly and simply gain control of their data by bringing together key information from a huge variety of different systems and different technologies,” he said.

"This ability to access accurate and meaningful data in a timely manner means our fleet customers will be able to spend far more of their time focused on the key aspects of their business. We are delighted to partner with such a high-quality organisation as BOARD and look forward to further strengthening our relationship," added Mr Leech.

Dominic Policella, Managing Director of BOARD UK said, "We are particularly pleased to work with an organisation with the track record and reputation of Mycompanyfleet and are delighted that they have chosen BOARD as their BI and CPM solution of choice for their platform. It demonstrates once again how more and more organizations are selecting BOARD to unlock the value of their data across all areas of the business and delivering one version of the truth."

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

About BOARD International
BOARD International is a global leader in the BI and CPM Toolkit space. BOARD has enabled over 1,800 companies worldwide to rapidly deploy BI and CPM applications in a single integrated environment completely programming-free and in a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional solutions. Board provides one accurate, corporate view of company information, fully integrated with its BI and CPM processes and therefore uniquely linking performance to strategic vision at all levels.
www.board.com

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Local communities to benefit from innovation in service delivery

2009-02-11T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE 05 February 2009 Local communities to benefit from innovation in service delivery The LHA-ASRA group, a leading housing association and regeneration agency, and Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, have confirmed a new partnership which is set to benefit the group’s residents across the Midlands and Greater London. In an agreement worth £125,900, the Group is to introduce Northgate’s citizenship relationship management solution as part of its commitment to delivering excellent service to customers. The investment will deliver continuous improvements in customer service for the residents of the 11,500 properties managed by LHA-ASRA. It will enable staff to provide a more proactive and customer-led service, with better access to information when responding to customer enquiries. The system will inform the group of customer needs, through continuous monitoring of enquiry trends and responses. Anil Majevadia, Group Director of Customer Care and IT, said: “Our ambition is to provide our customers with a service which deals with their enquiry at first point of contact. A key ingredient to this is the use of effective information and communication systems, which will enable us to meet this objective. We expect to reduce the administrative burden of front line staff enabling them to deliver services on the ground.” Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, added: “LHA-ASRA is one of the most innovative and dynamic social housing organisations. It provides excellent services to customers – whether they live in rented accommodation, shared ownership or residential care. We are delighted to be working in partnership with the group. We are committed to providing continuous innovation in customer service delivery and to reaching out to all customers, particularly those from disadvantaged communities.”
[Ends]For more information about Northgate:Fellows’ Associates:Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07949 421356 For more information about LHA-ASRA:Quicksilver PRJeremy Kemp 01564 77 33 66Notes to Editors 1. Northgate Public Service is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used in the administration of over £21 billion in tax and benefits, in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; for council front office systems serving over 8 million people; in the management of over 40% of council social care records and in the logging of 50 million hospital records; in running national enforcement systems covering 1 million crimes and to support the national system for reporting police performance; by 44% of local authorities for enterprise document management; and in the management of over 3 million properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. 3. Front Office is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information. Northgate’s systems now serve over 8 million citizens in England – one in seven of the population.4. The £600 million LHA-ASRA Group, founded by LHA and ASRA Greater London HA, was launched in 2006 and includes the Nottingham charity Family First. With offices in Leicester, Nottingham, Northampton and London, it owns and manages 11,500 homes across an area extending from Nottinghamshire across Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, to London and the Home Counties, with 500 staff. It is an approved Investment Partner of the Housing Corporation, and has a joint capital programme worth over £150 million gross. LHA-ASRA works with 37 local authorities and 20 London boroughs. Group member Family First provides community services (including recycling), housing services, care services and children/family services. 5. The Group provides a mixture of general needs accommodation for all communities and stock with an Asian specialism. It also has a substantial portfolio of care and supported housing (managed by Group members ASRA and LHA Support Services). LHA-ASRA partners with an arms-length social enterprise group, TREES, which comprises four self-contained businesses with a joint turnover of £9m, employing over 150 people. www.lha-asra.org.uk

Radical plan to transform housing in Ipswich

2009-02-11T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE10 February 2009 Radical plan to transform housing in Ipswich A better service for Ipswich council tenants and a more flexible approach from staff are just two of the advantages contained in details of a new housing partnership unveiled today. The Borough Council is working with Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities market, to transform its housing services and strengthen community well-being for tenants living in 8,000 homes across the town. The council will be working in partnership with Northgate Public Services in a radical three year plan which will deliver £1.8 million in efficiencies that will be redirected into improving the council’s housing stock. Under the agreement, the partnership delivers: - greater empowerment of local tenants and landlords through improved communications with housing employees;- a proven knowledge and skills transfer process, enabling the council to sustain improvements beyond the end of the contract period;- hands-on operational management and support, rather than just advice;- innovations to support flexible working from council staff;- a clear understanding of the relationship between budgets, available resources and the needs of service users, supporting effective planning for the future. 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. Services are expected to be self-financing and the three year partnership will focus on achieving the Decent Homes Standard by 2014. Northgate Public Services has worked successfully with Ipswich Borough Council in the past delivering more than £1 million in efficiencies in Benefits through the implementation of better ways of working and drastically reducing waiting times for new claimants to 27 days. As a result the Council has moved from being in the worst performing quarter of local council to the top quarter. Councillor Steven Wells, Housing Portfolio Holder of Ipswich Borough Council said today: “We are proud of our new partnership with Northgate as the council is determined to deliver first class housing services that focus on the needs of Ipswich citizens. Northgate is a trusted pair of hands. They have a proven track record in identifying better ways to work within local councils. This radical plan will bring better services and greater efficiencies to the citizen. Over the next three years we will cut bureaucracy and invest in even better homes for our tenants.” Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services for Northgate Public Services, added: “Northgate fully supports Ipswich Borough Council’s objective of providing high-quality homes to social housing tenants, especially those in the most vulnerable communities. Our performance partnerships offer clients guaranteed outcomes, lower risk and heightened rewards, helping to make a real difference to people’s lives. We will work to ensure that tenants will be provided with sustainable housing that addresses on their needs, delivering stronger and more cohesive neighborhoods.” [Ends] For more information:Fellows’ Associates:Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7385 1518; 07949 421356 Ipswich Borough Council:Councillor Stephen Wells, Housing Portfolio Holder 01473 748468 Notes to editors: 1. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities and every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used in the administration of over £21 billion in tax and benefits, in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; for council front office systems serving over 8 million people; in the management of over 40% of social care records and in the logging of 50 million hospital records; in running national enforcement systems covering 1 million crimes and to support the national system for reporting police performance; by 44% of local authorities for enterprise document management; and in the management of over 3 million properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. 3. Ipswich is a multi-cultural centre for business, culture, entertainment and sport. With more than 130,000 residents from many communities, the county town of Suffolk is the fastest growing regional centre in the East of England. Ipswich Borough Council has a joint administration made up by Conservative and Liberal Democrat members. Service delivery in Ipswich is currently shared between Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk County Council. Last year Ipswich Borough Council submitted a bid to government to become a unitary authority.

Innovative authorities with exciting plans win adult care government support

2009-02-11T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE 11 February 2009 Innovative authorities with exciting plans win adult care government support Three of the local authority-based winners of additional financial government support - Hampshire and Lincolnshire County Councils and Westminster City Council - will be working in innovative partnerships with Northgate Public Services to ensure that citizens receive the best personal support and care through enhanced information sharing, it was revealed today. It is expected that the authorities will receive significant funding from the £33 million of additional government funding under the government’s Common Assessment Framework (CAF) for Adults Demonstrator Site Programme (DSP). Working with their PCT partners, the authorities will test and develop information technology solutions that will enable health and social care professionals to share assessment and care and support planning information between social services, the NHS, the wider council and other local partner agencies including user-led organisations and citizens themselves. Northgate has identified seven key areas where improvement will be made as a result of the programme. These include:

Personalising budgets – achieving personal outcomes and ensuring transparent resource allocation according to personal needs and resources;
Streamlining assessments - starting with self-assessments and building into professional multidisciplinary assessment only where necessary, ensuring early financial assessment and collection of contributions;

Supporting citizen self service - enabling access to secure processes for Self-Directed Support including self-funders; enabling self assessment; modelling a support plan; commissioning services and equipment and providing consumer feedback .

Cont.                                                                                                                         Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, added: “There has never been a more important time for us to develop and deliver effective and efficient solutions which support the personalised services that citizens expect. The right information given at the right time in the right way can dramatically affect the quality of adult care. We are committed to using technology intelligently to developing solutions which place the needs of service users and their carers at the heart of an effective health and social care system. We are delighted that these bids have been successful. We look forward to sharing our solutions with the wider health and social care community including our clients as the projects roll out.” [Ends] For more informationFellows’ AssociatesKathy Sutton                        020 7395 1516; 07966 890401Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7385 1518; 07949 421356
Notes to editors 1.      Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used in the administration of over £21 billion in tax and benefits, in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; for council front office systems serving over 8 million people; in the management of over 40% of council social care records and in the logging of 50 million hospital records; in running national enforcement systems covering 1 million crimes and to support the national system for reporting police performance; by 44% of local authorities for enterprise document management; and in the management of over 3 million properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

3.      Additional capital funding of £11m per year has been provided through the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) 2007 to support a number of Councils with Social Services Responsibilities (CSSR) led partnerships to implement CAF proposals, to provide practical evidence of effectiveness, costs and cost-effectiveness. The work of these local sites will be the subject of detailed and in-depth evaluation that will test evidence and provide potential options for wider rollout and use. This is expected to form the basis for negotiation within future spending rounds.

Bad weather improves prospects for home working

2009-02-06T00:00:00+01:00

The severe winter weather, which has so far cost British several billion pounds in lost productivity, looks set to renew the debate about the merits of home working. So says Andrew Leech, business manager of newly launched Mycompanyfleet, the automotive division of HR specialists, NorthgateArinso.

This year’s winter, the most severe in a generation, with prolonged snowfalls, blocked roads and hazardous driving conditions, has meant that many workers have not been able to get to work or move around the road network to business meetings.

The Centre for Economic and Business Research estimates that UK economic output or gross domestic product per day is about £4.5bn and says several days productivity many have been lost, adding that an additional 2,000 to 3,000 businesses may fail as a result of the bad weather.

However, with the latest technological developments such as high-speed broadband, many workers are able to connect comfortably to central computer systems and work effectively while away from the office.

A recent study by BT has shown that home working can bring an average of 15% and up to 31% in productivity gains, with absence due to sickness reduced to 1% on average and staff retention significantly improved.

Andrew Leech at Mycompanyfleet, said: “With the latest technologies, employees can be as productive at home as at the office, perhaps even more so with the time they save and the stress they avoid by not having to deal with the current Arctic driving conditions and hazardous roads.

“To facilitate more widespread home working, the latest generation of fleet software is adaptable and portable and allows managers to access systems remotely using a variety of devices, such as the web, PDA or smart phone. This means they can be just as effective working from home in many cases and when circumstances dictate,” he said.

Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet
Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. As part of NorthgateArinso, we pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7000 staff and operates in 46 countries across five continents. For more information please email: marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Citizens in Hammersmith and Fulham to benefit from housing transformation

2009-01-26T00:00:00+01:00

Citizens in Hammersmith and Fulham to benefit from housing transformation

Over 10,000 homes in Hammersmith and Fulham are set to benefit from a new efficiency partnership designed to radically transform the lives of social housing tenants and local leaseholders, and successfully address the needs of the city’s most vulnerable communities.

Hammersmith and Fulham Homes (H&FH) is working alongside Northgate Public Services, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, to ensure that local people benefit from the Government’s Decent Homes programme to provide communities with high-quality, sustainable housing.

At a tough economic time for citizens throughout the area, Hammersmith and Fulham Homes is able to radically improve its housing services in areas including refurbishment and repairs of homes, leaseholder management and customer services, whilst delivering sustainable efficiencies.

Through unique public-private partnership arrangements linking fees to performance and prioritising the transfer of skills to employees, the initiative offers an innovative approach to sharing risk with the private sector. Services are expected to be self-financing and the partnership will deliver £4.7 million in efficiencies until 2010.

The partnership encourages greater involvement and empowerment of local tenants and leaseholders, and delivers:
- a proven knowledge and skills transfer process, enabling the organisation to sustain improvements beyond the end of the contract period;
- staff benefits from new programmes of training and empowerment
- 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.

Nick Johnson, Chief Executive at Hammersmith and Fulham Homes, said today: “We are committed to providing citizens throughout Hammersmith and Fulham with the first class housing that they deserve. Our partnership with Northgate will ensure effective and efficient use of resources, realise efficiencies until 2010 and beyond, and actively support and train our staff with strong programmes of involvement and empowerment.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services at Northgate Public Services, added: “Northgate is passionate about delivering first-class housing that focuses on the needs of all tenants, including those in the most vulnerable communities. The new partnership will strive to deliver stronger and more cohesive neighbourhoods by ensuring that all citizens can gain full access to housing that they deserve. We are proud to be working alongside Hammersmith and Fulham Homes to transform the lives of social housing tenants across the borough and make a real difference to local communities now and in the future.”

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401;
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7385 1517; 07930 566291;
Notes to Editors:

2. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities and every police force. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; by over one hundred housing associations; and to support the national system for reporting police performance. Founded in 1969, the company has over 7,500 employees.

3. Hammersmith and Fulham Homes (H&FH) is an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) working in partnership with the local authority. H&FH has an estate of some 18,000 homes, 13,000 of which are tenanted and the rest have been purchased by leaseholders. The organisation is in the process of refurbishing 10,000 homes to the Government’s Decent Homes standard by December 2010. These homes are both tenanted and leasehold.

Public private partnership pioneers National planning e-Consultation service

2009-01-14T00:00:00+01:00

Public private partnership pioneers National planning e-Consultation service

Northgate Public Services today announces its participation in the development of the national e-Consultation Hub in partnership with the Planning Portal.

Following a successful three month pilot with a number of local authorities, Northgate Public Services is building a connector linking Northgate’s local authority planning systems to the national e-Consultation hub. The connector will be available in Spring 2009 and will provide the missing piece in the end to end e-planning process.

Every year over a million consultations are carried out by Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) following planning application submissions. A third of these are with Statutory consultees, many of whom have agreed to adopt the national hub as their preferred method of consultation. Currently, applicants must submit paper copies of their applications and LPAs forward a copy to every consultee.

Local authority clients who implement the new Northgate e-Consultation Connector will gain a range of benefits including:
• consultation request and responses automatically sent to and received from the hub into the back office system;
• saving of staff time and cost in loading consultation requests on to the hub and downloading responses, including attachments;
• saving of time in sending and receiving consultation requests and responses;
• automatic notification of decisions to consultees.

Chris Kendall, Director of the Planning Portal, said today: “I am delighted that Northgate are firmly committed to the development of an e-Consultation Hub connector which will provide a fully integrated online consultation solution for their Local Planning Authority (LPA) clients. Currently many LPA staff spend considerable time, effort and money printing and circulating paper application files to consultees. Through e-enabling this process, the e-Consultation hub revolutionises the way local authorities and consultees interact, providing a more effective service and significant efficiencies for all participants.

“I anticipate Northgate will be the first technology provider to deliver an operational connector and I look forward to working closely with them and other ICT suppliers on their connector development in the near future. This is an excellent example of the public and private sectors working together to improve services for clients and I am particularly pleased at the vision and leadership shown by the Northgate team on this project.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director, Citizen Solutions, Northgate Public Services added: “We are committed to working in innovative partnerships to deliver benefits to local communities. Whilst the efficient use of technology will meet the needs of the planning industry, we are committed to working with our partners to use the potential benefits from the system to generate higher degrees of informed public participation from individual citizens and communities affected by the planning system.”

[Ends]
For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; 07930 566291
Notes to Editors

1. Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its 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. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

2. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities and every police force. Northgate Public Services supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used to provide environmental and energy solutions; in electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; by over one hundred housing associations; and to support the national system for reporting police performance.

3. The Planning Portal is the first port of call for anyone wanting to find out about the planning system in England and Wales. Its aim is to provide a one-stop-shop supplying answers, services and information to anyone involved in the planning process - from home owners and businesses to planning professionals and Government officials. The Planning Portal is delivered by Communities and Local Government (CLG).

4. The E-consultation Hub is being developed by the Planning Portal and is funded by CLG. The internet-based service was launched in Spring 2008 and manages the exchange of documents and messages about planning consultations between participants in the planning process. October 2008 saw the successful completion of the official trial of the live e-Consultation hub. It is anticipated that the first back office ICT connector developed by Northgate will be available from April 2009.

5. The consultation process is still very much a paper process. The bulk of consultations are with local Consultees, primarily citizens, local residents and amenity and parish and town councils outside the metropolitan area, Highway authorities and national agencies such as the Environment Agency and English Heritage. In total there are:

• 34 highway authorities
• around 10,000 community, parish and town councils in England and Wales
• 850 other consultees that look at consultations regionally or nationally
• more than 50 Statutory consultees
• individual citizens

NorthgateArinso warns HR of middle management mishaps

2008-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso warns HR of middle management mishaps
~ redundancy helpline enquiries double in one year ~
~ warns of inexperienced bosses costing businesses £££ ~

NorthgateArinso has reported that enquiries from business owners about redundancy protocol have doubled since the start of the year. Calls to its Employer Services HR advice line about redundancies averaged 400 per month at the start of the year, and are now topping 900 per month.

According to the HR software and services supplier, rapidly promoted and inexperienced managers are being left to deal with redundancies without the right level of support. Middle management errors during the redundancy process can cost business thousands of pounds in legal fees and industrial tribunals. Instead of freeing up the HR department’s time to deal with other problems, it risks becoming the root of senior HR bosses’ biggest problem during the financial crisis.

“Giving line managers the power to make decisions about people is, in principle, the right thing to do,” said Steve Foster, HR strategist at NorthgateArinso. “However, we’re increasingly seeing junior managers stumbling their way through redundancy processes, leaving HR and senior management to pick up the pieces later. In many cases, even if acting within the boundaries of the law, they often lack sensitivity to the longer term employee relations issues bought on by a recession, such as the impact on other employees. In trying to step away from the detail, HR professionals may be causing bigger problems for themselves.”

NorthgateArinso is advising its customers that while line managers have the discretion to carry out administrative processes, they must also have supportive HR and legal advice available to them at all times. “Management and employees alike would feel more confident with an expert available at the end of the phone for help and advice,” continued Foster. “Otherwise businesses will continue to risk their management strategies going badly wrong.”
(312 words)
NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.
The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Northgate champions innovation with major new appointment

2008-12-05T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Peter Rottier as Innovation Director as the company strengthens its drive to place innovation at the heart of public service delivery.

With over fifteen years’ experience of managing transformational programmes for large-scale organisations, Peter will focus on accelerating the development of innovative services and solutions for the UK public services market.

Peter’s appointment is further evidence of Northgate’s commitment to supporting the public sector to innovate and experiment, to maximise the benefit of existing resources and to develop new responses to current and future challenges.

The strategic appointments of Peter, and also of Ian Noble as Chief Operating Officer, follow the recent acquisition of Anite Public Sector. This confirms Northgate’s position as a leading partner for UK public services and provides the company with enhanced capacity to invest in research and development in support of public service excellence.

David Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services, said today:
“We are fully committed to supporting public service transformation through innovation. Peter’s appointment as Innovation Director for Northgate Public Services will considerably strengthen our work in this key strategic area.

“Northgate works in innovative partnerships with the public sector to develop sustainable and citizen-focused services. Peter’s role will be critical in enabling us to harness the benefits of innovation across our newly-strengthened company. He will also ensure that we continue to deliver high-quality services that meet the changing needs of public sector organisations during these challenging times.”

Peter Rottier added: “Innovation is critical to the long-term success of both Northgate Public Services and its clients. This is a challenging time for public services and it calls for new thinking and a different approach. Northgate is ideally placed to assist the public sector in meeting the challenges that arise during this difficult period. I am looking forward to accelerating the development of new services and solutions in order to transform the way in which public services are delivered to citizens.”

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1519; 07930 566291; kmakrygiannis@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to editors

3. Peter Rottier joined Northgate in 2003 following the acquisition of Hays Consulting and Solutions Group, where he was consultancy practice manager. With eighteen years’ experience in ICT, Peter has worked with a range of major clients including the Medical Research Council, Department of Health, Cadbury Schweppes, Sainsbury’s and WH Smith. As Innovation Director, Peter will retain responsibility as Managing Director for the Catalist Framework Agreements. In addition, he will continue to work as Programme Director for the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP) with the MRC Hearing & Communications Group, with which he has been involved since 2002.

NEW TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT ASSISTS KELVIN KBB TO GROW ITS BUSINESS OPERATIONS

2008-12-01T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions delivers new £100,000 ICT infrastructure to allow Kelvin kbb to realise business growth plans

An investment in the latest IT infrastructure solutions, implemented and managed by Northgate Information Solutions (Northgate) is enabling Cumbernauld based manufacturing company Kelvin kbb to expand its business operation following a move to a new state of the art purpose built office and manufacturing site located in Hunt Hill, Cumbernauld

Established in 1986 and based in Cumbernauld, Glasgow, Kelvin kbb now employs 250 staff, and has a reputation for quality design, manufacture, delivery and installation of kitchens, bathroom vanity furniture, a variety of wardrobe systems and freestanding bedroom furniture sold nationally to house builders and developers.

With the organisation’s decision to move to a new purpose built site, there was a need to review its existing ICT suite. Working in partnership with Northgate a more modern and robust infrastructure was implemented. The new system has allowed for the standardisation of user desktop PCs, a full upgrade to Microsoft Office and the introduction of Microsoft Exchange.

Commenting on the new system, Dean Snell, Head of IT with Kelvin kbb stated, “The company’s new ICT infrastructure is not only more suitable for our needs but it has also helped to deliver greater efficiencies, in that the network is now easier to manage and maintain across our divisions. This has meant that we have been able to realise a number of cost savings but more importantly the new infrastructure has helped to drive the organisation to the forefront of our industry.”

He continued, “Northgate’s expertise has been invaluable throughout this process. The new systems now in place were set up and installed quickly with a minimum amount of fuss and disruption. The team from Northgate have added real value to our operations and I look forward to continuing our relationship in the future.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Northgate’s Infrastructure Solutions division added, “We are delighted to support Kelvin kbb move to its new premises. We remain dedicated to ensuring that our robust solutions provide the organisation with the flexibility and enhanced customer service capabilities to continue to grow and develop its business. We look forward to continuing to support Kelvin kbb and I would like to take this opportunity to wish the company every success in the future.”

Blackburn with Darwen citizens benefit from major transport transformation programme

2008-11-27T00:00:00+01:00

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s innovative performance partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of services to the public sector and utilities markets, has radically improved transport services for citizens across the borough whilst delivering £600,000 of savings.

The far-reaching change programme to improve transport management and realise efficiencies across a range of council departments provides further opportunities for high-quality transport services for local communities, as councils throughout the country experience tough economic times.

Through a unique public-private partnership that links fees to performance and prioritises the transfer of skills to employees, the council is working with Northgate to transform a wide range of transport services for all citizens especially vulnerable adults, people with disabilities and children getting to and from school.

The programme has delivered considerable benefits for citizens and council employees in the first 12 months including:

- reduced reliance on taxis for adult day care passengers through improving the routing of existing vehicles, saving taxpayers £236,000;
- radically improved services for children with special educational needs and continued provision of transport to schools, through amalgamating existing services and delivering savings of £50,000;
- a full restructuring of regeneration and environmental services, and delivering citizens enhanced fleet management maintenance, garaging, spares and accidental damage claims, giving savings of £286,000;
- hands-on operational management and support to council employees, 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.

The three-year agreement between Blackburn with Darwen and Northgate aims to build on its successes and deliver savings of around £2.3 million by April 2010.

Graham Burgess, Chief Executive of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said today: “We are delighted that our partnership with Northgate has transformed transport services for the benefit of the residents and staff at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Through the effective and efficient use of resources, the council has radically improved services and will realise efficiencies across council departments until 2010 and beyond. Sustainable transformation is at the heart of our change programme, and our close collaboration with Northgate has delivered first-class services for citizens across the borough.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services for Northgate Public Services, added: “Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is committed to a programme of continuous improvement that puts the needs of local citizens at its heart. In challenging economic times for local authorities, our performance partnerships deliver guaranteed outcomes at lower risk, enabling significant savings whilst radically improving services. Northgate is passionate about supporting the council to make a real difference to people’s lives, especially those in the most vulnerable communities.”
[Ends]
For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7395 1517; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

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 services are 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 now has over 7,500 employees.

NORTHGATE ANSWERS LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL'S DIY SOS

2008-11-24T00:00:00+01:00

NORTHGATE ANSWERS LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL’S DIY SOS
Northgate Information Solutions signals its commitment to continued community involvement

A team from Northgate Information Solutions (Northgate) swapped their PCs for paintbrushes and rollers to help transform a classroom for local primary school, St. Mary’s Star of the Sea.

Earlier this month, a group of volunteers from Northgate visited the school on Belfast’s Shore Road as part of Business in the Community’s Cares Campaign that promotes employee volunteering in the community.

Having signed the Business in the Community charter; designed to help companies engage in responsible business practice, Northgate has given its commitment to become more involved with the local community.

The benefits of joining Business in the Community are far reaching – not only do local communities gain access to a range of skills and resources not previously available but companies also benefit from the opportunity to address social issues in disadvantaged communities.

Commenting on Northgate’s participation, Eleanor Lee, Marketing Manager with Northgate said, “We have always been committed to the local community and in fact each of our 3500 UK employees has the opportunity to take time away from the office to participate in community-based activities. Becoming members of Business in the Community and signing up to its charter has added real focus to our corporate social responsibility plan. We are very much dedicated to participating fully with the local community and will work to utilise our employee skill base in ways that can add real benefit and value to the community we work in. This initial campaign is by no means the last we will work on.”

“The next stage for our company is participating in Business in the Community’s award winning Time to read and Time to compute, mentoring programmes. Our employees will individually assist eighteen 8-11 year olds from three schools with literacy or ICT skills, providing support to the teaching staff but also impacting positively on the child’s overall confidence and abilities.”
Business in the Community Director Martin Howell commented, "In the past, employers might have organised teambuilding days which may, for example, have simply been leisure activities.
“More and more employers now look for challenges with added value that help develop people while leaving lasting impacts on the community.
“My congratulations to all those at Northgate Information Solutions. The company has shown real leadership and commitment to developing staff while making a positive community impact.”
For more information the Cares programme please contact Hilary Dickson on Tel: (028) 9046 0606 or e-mail hilary.dickson@bitcni.org.uk.

For more information on Business in the Community, visit www.bitcni.org.uk.

-ENDS-

Northgate unveils new strategic appointment to strengthen public services drive

2008-11-20T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate unveils new strategic appointment to strengthen public services drive

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Ian Noble as Chief Operating Officer, as the company drives to expand its programme in supporting public service transformation.

A highly skilled professional with over thirty years’ expertise, Ian brings with him formidable experience of organisational transformation following a distinguished career in operational management.

In his new role, Ian will focus on promoting a performance culture, driving through innovation and putting quality at the heart of the organisation. He will spearhead Northgate’s work to further expand its service capabilities following the recent acquisition of Anite Public Sector.

His appointment strengthens the company’s leading position in delivering continuously improving services to its clients and underlines its commitment to working in partnership with the public sector to provide modern public services which fully engage the citizen.

David Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services, said today: “I am delighted to welcome Ian as the new Chief Operating Officer for Northgate Public Services. His appointment represents the company’s commitment to delivering radical and rapid improvements to our public services strategy at an exciting period of growth following the recent acquisition of Anite Public Sector.

“Ian is the ideal choice to help us continue to deliver services which meet our clients’ changing needs at this crucial time for public sector organisations. Northgate is fully committed to supporting public service transformation through innovation and the development of new forms of performance partnerships. Ian’s appointment will considerably strengthen our work in this strategic area.”

Ian Noble added: “I am proud that we are developing new and innovative services at a time when public sector organisations are experiencing the toughest of economic times. The most vulnerable citizens need the most effective public services underpinned by targeted public investment to promote the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of their areas. I believe that Northgate’s track record in delivering public service transformation is unrivalled as we uniquely position ourselves to help organisations better meet the complex needs of the citizen and deliver sustainable communities.”

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7395 1517; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to editors

3. Ian Noble was formerly Operations Director for Northgate Public Services, having worked for the company since 1995. A skilled professional with extensive experience in business development, Ian has driven business transformation across the Public Services division, having worked as General Manager and Director of Programmes both for the UK and internationally. Prior to joining Northgate, he was Project Director for East Anglian HISS Consortium, responsible for implementing hospital information support systems for four major hospitals in East Anglia. Ian has also worked for the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS), leading the creation and implementation planning of the UK Finance Industry’s £500 million strategy for card fraud prevention.

Sovereign Housing Group to achieve strategic growth with NorthgateArinso

2008-11-18T00:00:00+01:00

Sovereign Housing Group, a leading provider of affordable housing in the South of England, has appointed NorthgateArinso to deliver a new HR and payroll solution over the next five years. The fully-integrated solution, ResourceLink, will be implemented by September 2009, to cater for around 600 employees.

NorthgateArinso’s ResourceLink will provide the Group with one single HR database, consolidating multiple systems. This will improve the efficiency and quality of services provided.

The project will run in two phases – the first covers HR, payroll and self-service, including online expenses, and will go live by April next year. The second encompasses recruitment, training and personal development; it is scheduled for completion by September 2009.

Lynn Hanford-Day, group HR director at Sovereign Housing Group, said: “NorthgateArinso’s solution can be scaled to our projected growth. It will help us meet key business objectives.”

“NorthgateArinso will facilitate our expansion, providing the ideal support as we work together on this project. Having worked with other groups in the housing sector, we’re confident the company knows our business well and will work to our specifications,” she concluded.

Malcolm Aldis, managing director at NorthgateArinso, said: “The integrated HR and payroll solution will allow the HR team to focus on its strategy and goals, while helping the whole group achieve its growth objective.”

(234 words)
NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk

Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

About Sovereign Housing Group

Sovereign Housing Group includes four charitable associations: Sovereign Housing Group Limited, Sovereign Housing Association Limited, Twynham Housing Association Limited, and The Vale Housing Association Limited – plus their subsidiaries.

Sovereign Housing Association is the 27th largest registered social landlord in the country, with 13,600 homes and more than 20,000 tenants from Oxfordshire to Devon.
It is one of the best-run housing associations in the country, according to the Audit Commission, which awarded the organisation two stars out of three for its services, and excellent prospects for improvement. Sovereign is leading a consortium of twelve housing associations with a target to build over 1,000 extra affordable homes across the south each year.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: kellyd / lisag@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

Northgate completes acquisition of Anite Public Sector

2008-11-03T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE

3^rd November 2008
Northgate completes acquisition of Anite Public Sector

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces that it has completed the £54.3m purchase of Anite Public Sector Holdings Ltd as part of its long term strategic expansion programme in supporting public service transformation.

The deal confirms Northgate’s position as the UK’s leading player in the local government, social housing and criminal justice public services markets. It comes seven months after the acquisition of Northgate Information Solutions plc by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR).

The acquisition is part of a long term strategy to broaden and strengthen Northgate’s capacity to meet its clients’ changing needs for citizen-centred services. It builds on the Northgate Public Service strong track record of successfully integrating seven acquisitions in the last five years.

The acquisition strategy has generated profitable growth through promoting a performance culture, driving through innovation and putting quality at the heart of everything the company does. Northgate’s clients are set to benefit from continuously improving services as a result of enhanced investment, economies of scale and the combination of the organisations’ key strengths. The new organisation will have an unrivalled capability to deliver business-focused change programmes and integrated services to the local government, social housing and police and criminal justice public services markets. Northgate will add to its leading position in revenues and benefits and housing by providing a comprehensive range of services including social care and enhanced document management services.

David Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services, said today: “I am delighted that we have completed the deal which will bring real benefits to our clients, our employees and to our company as a whole. It marks an exciting new stage in our development and we look forward to the opportunities that will come as a result.

“Our ambition for our company is matched by our ambition for public services. We are fully committed to supporting public service transformation through innovation and the development of new forms of performance partnerships. “This acquisition broadens and strengthens our capacity and our capability to successfully respond to large scale, strategic and complex procurements and deliver realisable outcomes. Successful transformation requires services which place citizens’ needs at their heart. This deal enhances and extends our ability to support our clients in achieving this crucial change.” -Ends-

David Meaden is available for interview

For more informationFellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton
020 7395 1516; 07966 890401;
ksutton@fellowsassociates.com

Kuntal Biswas
020 7395 1517; 07930 566291;
kbiswas@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 services are 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 now has over 7,500 employees.

3. Anite is a market leader in software and solutions whose primary business is the provision of industry-specific solutions based on its deep sector knowledge of the wireless telecoms, public sector, and travel markets. It is a market leader in software and solutions to key parts of local government, such as social care solutions - as well as an important supplier of secure information solutions (SIS) to the criminal justice markets. Anite Public Sector comprises two businesses: Anite Public Sector Limited (the Anite local government business) and Anite Secure Information Solutions Limited (the SIS business).

4. The deal was completed for a total cash consideration of £54.3 million, subject to the settlement of a £3.8 million receivable owed by Anite to Anite Public Sector and a working capital adjustment following completion. The Board of Anite announced that the resolution to approve the disposal of Anite Public Sector Holdings Limited, as detailed in the circular sent to shareholders dated 1 August 2008, was passed at a General Meeting on 29 August 2008. The OFT cleared the acquisition on 27^th October 2008.

Scottish Government leads the battle against climate change but greater collaboration is required, urges Northgate

2008-10-31T00:00:00+01:00

Scottish Government leads the battle against climate change but greater collaboration is required, urges Northgate

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today welcomes the Scottish Government plan to tackle climate change as “one of the most ambitious in the world”, but calls for closer partnership working between citizens, public authorities and the private sector.

In a response to Managing Scotland’s Climate Risk, Northgate argues that strong leadership in the current economic climate will ensure the long-term prosperity of Scotland’s communities and economy, whilst protecting the natural environment.

The response welcomes the strong stance taken by the Scottish Government to combat climate change, but calls for further action to be taken, including:

• developing local authority-led energy service partnerships designed to eradicate energy inequalities and encourage consumer and corporate action in local communities;
• giving local authorities full access to information contained in energy performance certificates – this will enable them to promote energy efficiency and alleviate fuel poverty by developing local climate change profiles and taking targeted action through initiatives such as the Central Heating and Warm Deal programmes.

Northgate anticipates that public sector bodies involved in tackling climate change must engage with responsible organisations in the private sector through innovative performance partnerships. These would ensure challenging yet achievable energy efficiency targets, taking account of local circumstances and providing for the genuine engagement of all key stakeholders.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property for Northgate Public Services, said today: “The fight against climate change will only be won by an innovative and collaborative response involving all of us. We strongly support the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling growing climate change by harnessing the power of society to drive forward positive change.

“New forms of collaboration between citizens, public authorities, the not-for-profit and private sector are vital to encouraging greater energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Energy service partnerships and joint ventures can empower the public and encourage innovation in the private sector.

“In a tough economic climate, there must be an emphasis on all parties working in partnership to promote energy efficiency and bring about a sea-change in organisational and personal attitudes towards more sustainable living.”

-ENDS-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7395 1517; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

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 and services are used in the energy efficiency assessment of Scottish dwellings and buildings. Scottish Building Standards has entered into protocols with Northgate to deliver services in relation to Energy Performance Certificates. Northgate’s services are used in the management of over three million local authority and housing association properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has over 7,000 employees.

3. In June 2008, the Scottish Government published Adapting Our Ways: Managing Scotland's Climate Risk: Consultation to inform Scotland's Climate Change Adaptation Framework.

Northgate’s response can be found at:
http://www.northgate-ispublicservices.com/page/view/public_policy

Kent Secondary School Students to Benefit from a £29 Million Investment in ICT

2008-10-27T00:00:00+01:00

*** NEWS RELEASE***
Kent Secondary School Students to Benefit from a £29 Million Investment in ICT Northgate Education (www.northgate-is.com/education) has been appointed as Kent County Council’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provider as part of the Kent Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme. Northgate Education is a leading provider of ICT managed services, solutions and software to schools throughout the UK, and will be working closely with Kent County Council, Land Securities Trillium and Partnerships for Schools (PfS) to provide Kent schools with innovative ICT which supports each school’s education vision. The announcement represents the launch of the £600 million project to refurbish or rebuild and transform the delivery of education in secondary schools in Gravesham, Swale and Thanet. Eleven schools will be benefit from the initial £29 million investment in ICT provided by Northgate Education. Once completed, Northgate Education will begin work on the remaining 25 schools in these districts. With ICT firmly embedded in the education vision of Kent schools, BSF will allow for even more innovative ICT to be used in classrooms as well as providing tools to help teachers improve the delivery of education. Committed to ‘anytime-anywhere learning’, schools will be working closely with Northgate Education to provide learners, parents and teachers with access to education resources via any internet enabled device. As part of the innovative ICT available, each learner will have access to “N-able”, Northgate’s online Managed Learning Environment (MLE), N-able provides students with their own personalised learning area with the support and assistance they need to maximise independent study and to progress in line with their own individual learning plan. Accessible via the internet from any location, N-able gives each learner their own online space to work on assignments, store work and access emails allowing them to communicate with teachers and fellow students. Each teacher has a digital toolbox providing them with resources to continually assess pupil's work and offer as much or as little guidance as they might need. N-able also allows the school to incorporate management and administration systems in one place, for example pupil attendance, as well as achievements in coursework and exams which can be provided to parents. Working with Kent County Council and Land Securities Trillium, Northgate Education has embarked on a substantial engagement programme with the schools in Kent to fully understand their vision for education. By collaborating closely, Northgate has developed a strategy that provides flexible ICT which meets Kent’s BSF objectives and each of the school’s needs. Desktops, laptops, networked projectors, interactive whiteboards, handheld devices as well as full wireless coverage are the tools which enable students to be independent and skilled learners with as much or as little teacher assistance as they require. Grahame Ward, Kent BSF Programme Director, said: “ICT is central to KCC's vision for Building Schools for the Future and by working very closely with Northgate Education we are turning our plans into reality. By equipping our BSF schools with state of the art ICT facilities we will not only improve the business of education through more efficient school management process, greater collaboration and the sharing of resources, but also raise attainment and transform the educational opportunities available for young people.” By working alongside the design and build teams, including architects and construction companies, Northgate continues to work hard to ensure ICT is embedded into the design process of each school at every stage. Kent schools will no longer have traditional classrooms but ‘learning spaces’ - ICT rich environments which allow learners to make full use of ICT to enhance their education experience and to engage in their own learning. Encouraging extended community interaction, the new ICT provision will also support Kent’s vision to provide a range of services and facilities for children, adults and the local community throughout and beyond the school day. David Hyland, Managing Director of Northgate Education, commented: “We are extremely proud to be involved in Kent’s BSF project which will transform learning and teaching across the region’s schools. By installing innovative technology schools are exceeding Government requirements to ensure that students have the best possible educational resources available. Each school will have not only a building designed to optimise education but significant technology resources which can be used by the teachers and learners to make education really engaging. Learning resources will be accessible via the Internet from any location at any time of day. We are delighted to be involved with such a forward thinking BSF project and feel the benefits to young learners will make Kent a model of best practice for BSF projects in other areas.” Kent’s overall Building Schools for the Future Programme, the largest school building scheme in Europe, is worth as estimated £1.8 billion. Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, the government agency responsible for delivery of the BSF programme across England, commented: “As the largest BSF scheme to reach financial close to date, this marks an important milestone not just for Kent, but for the national BSF programme. At its heart, BSF is about transforming education and improving the life chances for all young people, and I look forward to charting the progress of this first phase of Kent’s ambitious scheme.” For more information about the Kent's BSF programme, log on to www.kent.gov.uk/bsf -Ends- For press enquiries please contact Judith Castle at Livewire Public Relations, tel: +44 (0)20 8339 7440 or e-mail judith.castle@livewirepr.com. Notes to editors: About Northgate Education (www.northgate-is.com/education) Northgate Education, Northgate Information Solutions’ specialist education division, is a leading provider of managed services and solutions in the UK. It provides technology services to over 1,200 schools, with more than 350,000 teachers and learners successfully supported by the company. Northgate provides services to every school in Northern Ireland through C2k, the largest and most comprehensive e-learning initiative ever implemented in the UK. It also provides Information and Communication Technology (ICT) managed services to Bristol City Council and Leicester City Council as part of the government's Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF) and to over 150 education sites in Hartlepool, from primary schools through to further education. In January 2007, Northgate was awarded an ISO 20000-1 accreditation by the British Standards Institution, for provision of IT service management activities. Globally, Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the human resources, local government, education and public safety markets. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. About BSF (www.bsf.gov.uk)
BSF is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. BSF will provide world-class teaching and learning environments for all pupils, teachers and communities in England.

Northgate receives OFT clearance for acquisition of Anite Public Sector Holdings Limited

2008-10-27T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE
27^th October 2008

Northgate receives OFT clearance for acquisition of Anite Public Sector Holdings Limited

Northgate Information Solutions today announces that it has received OFT clearance for the acquisition of Anite Public Sector Holdings Limited. The OFT has decided on the information available to it not to refer the offer to the Competition Commission under the provisions of the Enterprise Act. The decision paves the way for the completion of the deal and confirms Northgate’s position as the UK’s leading player in the local government, social housing and criminal justice public services markets. The deal builds on Northgate Public Services’ highly successful track record of delivering value through strategic acquisition. This success lies in promoting a performance culture, driving through product innovation and embedding quality through the process of integration. David Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted that the OFT has cleared this deal and we anticipate completion later this month. We have an excellent operational management team and a strong track record of successfully integrating eleven acquisitions in the last five years. “This deal expands our public services business and extends our commitment to support excellence in the public sector at a time when the economic challenges our clients face have never been greater.” -ENDS- For more information Fellows’ Associates:Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.comKuntal Biswas 020 7395 1517; 07930 566291; kbiswas@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 services are 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 7,000 employees. 3. Anite is a market leader in software and solutions whose primary business is the provision of industry-specific solutions based on its deep sector knowledge of the wireless telecoms, public sector, and travel markets. It is a market leader in software and solutions to key parts of local government, such as social care solutions - as well as an important supplier of secure information solutions (SIS) to the criminal justice markets. Anite Public Sector comprises two businesses: Anite Public Sector Limited (the Anite local government business) and Anite Secure Information Solutions Limited (the SIS business). 4. The Board of Anite announced that the resolution to approve the disposal of Anite Public Sector Holdings Limited, as detailed in the circular sent to shareholders dated 1 August 2008, was passed at a General Meeting on 29 August 2008. The deal is expected to be completed later this month.

NorthgateArinso “empowers” businesses to reduce carbon footprints

2008-10-16T23:00:00+01:00

~ adds CO2 calculator to its online expenses system ~

NorthgateArinso has teamed up with Carbon Footprint, the leading environmental consultancy, to launch a new CO2 calculator in its Empower HR and payroll solution. The online tool offers employees the option to calculate their CO2 emissions for business travel when submitting expenses. It was launched to help businesses comply with The Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme by enabling reporting of carbon emissions from travel, and will also help organisations to save costs.

The Carbon Reduction Commitment is being introduced under The Climate Change Bill and is a new mandatory scheme to reduce carbon emissions set to affect large non-energy intensive organisations.

Empower, NorthgateArinso’s HR management solution, is now able to help businesses comply with the new legislation and manage their impact on the environment. Empower’s CO2 calculator is based on data entered via self-service, when employees submit their expenses. The data saved is sent to www.carbonfootprint.com, which automatically calculates the
CO2 figure and sends it back to the Empower application.

The new module is easy to use, and as well as helping businesses achieve compliance, it will also allow them to stand out as environmentally responsible and save energy costs. The module will also allow HR teams to run detailed reports on the company’s carbon footprint, based on data from the calculator. By helping companies take the first step and measure their carbon footprint, targeted reduction measures can follow.

Anthony Brassington, product strategy manager at NorthgateArinso, said:
"By using Carbon Footprint’s knowledge and expertise we’re happy to be able to help employers achieve compliance with the new regulations. Company directors are not the only ones to benefit, as HR departments will be able to report on the company's carbon footprint and add vital input in to the carbon emission strategy."

“Via our partnership, NorthgateArinso’s Empower will become a socially responsible, innovative HR system,” said John Buckley, managing director at Carbon Footprint. “Businesses implementing Empower with this new module will be able to manage their carbon footprint and bring energy and significant cost savings to their organisations."

(353 words)

About NorthgateArinso
Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the human resources, local government, education and public safety markets.

Northgate, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, currently employs over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Northgate has approximately 4,500 large/medium customers and approximately 10,500 small to medium enterprise (SME) customers world wide. The many corporate organisations Northgate works closely with include over 20% of fortune 500 clients ,90% of the UK local authorities and all of the UK’s police forces.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: kellyd / lisag@lewispr.com
Internet: www.lewispr.com

“Knowledge crunch” set to hit after credit crunch, warns NorthgateArinso

2008-10-16T23:00:00+01:00

~ NorthgateArinso urges UK Plc not to let baby boomers take company wisdom to retirement ~

NorthgateArinso is urging businesses to act quickly to avoid losing vast amounts of company wisdom as the post-war ‘baby boomer’ generation retires over the next 5-10 years. The effect of this ‘knowledge crunch’ is set to hit just as the UK recovers from the credit crunch, and will compound the impact of a recession if not handled well.

NorthgateArinso believes the financial and competitive advantage risks of not building a strategy for knowledge transfer into talent management plans could have a debilitating impact on many companies, which in some cases may never be fully recovered. Organisations must not only retain the knowledge held by the aging workforce, but ensure that the new generation of workers benefits from the years of expertise and skills acquired by previous generations.

“Losing the baby boomers is potentially a greater challenge than taking on generation ‘Y’ for many companies,” said Steve Foster, HR strategist at NorthgateArinso. “While a lot of attention has been given to coping with the Internet generation, very little is being done to assimilate the knowledge of the generation that built today’s businesses. Their business acumen, industry know-how and experience they have needs to be passed on now, before it’s too late.”

NorthgateArinso recommends that organisations take a ‘stop, look, listen’ approach to give this issue proper consideration:

STOP: Don’t progress with a talent management strategy until you’ve assessed the risks of losing baby boomers: who is leaving, which departments will have gaps, which core areas of expertise are leaving the company?
LOOK: At the expertise who will be leaving your company in the next 5-10 years, and assess what stage you are at with succession planning. How will you capture the knowledge of retiring staff, as well as taking on new people?
LISTEN: Listen to the insight from the baby boomers: do you need to integrate your knowledge management systems with HR processes? Can you develop formal and informal knowledge transfer processes, led by senior staff? Or can you be creative in the way you capture their know-how, perhaps recording webcasts of their advice for sharing with new staff?

Technology has a key role to play in harnessing company wisdom, to capture information and make it readily available to those who need – becoming the corporate ‘archive’.

“Capturing the insight from the baby boomers needs to be holistic and effective, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be complicated,” said Foster. “HR platforms can be extended to store valuable information, and it can be created in a format that’s easy to share with those who need it – whether that’s new starters in the UK or team leads around the world.”

NorthgateArinso has also provided a guide to managing talent before it leaves the company, available at: [URL]

(481 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Police forces across the UK to benefit from innovative new intelligence service

2008-10-14T23:00:00+01:00

Police forces across the UK to benefit from innovative new intelligence service

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces an innovative new service designed to promote radical improvements in policing and contribute to safer communities throughout the country.

Northgate has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Lothian & Borders Police to market their widely acclaimed automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) analysis system. The new initiative will provide UK forces with enhanced intelligence gathering through closely tracking the movements of vehicles believed to be involved in criminal activities.

Citizens will benefit from faster incident response times, with forces able to prevent and predict crime and to bring more offenders to justice. The innovative service will deliver:

• an enhanced ability to identify criminal activity that is associated with a vehicle or group of vehicles through hot spotting and trend analysis of vehicle information;
• closer analysis of high crime areas of interest to police forces;
• comprehensive and up to date police intelligence through joined-up vehicle information and integration with third party information;
• increased public safety through closely monitoring vehicle movements, protecting both police staff and the wider community.

This deal follows the recommendation by Sir Ronnie Flanagan in his final report that police forces should ensure they are taking an entrepreneurial approach to policing in ethical income generation and in creating and exploiting business opportunities.

Examples of how the new service can be used include –

• Several robberies have occurred in a region – the services can be used to establish what vehicles were in the vicinity, allowing further investigations to be undertaken including direct access to the regional force crime and intelligence systems to establish what is known about these vehicles;

• An incident involving a vehicle has occurred and the police have nothing to go on other than the make, model and colour of the vehicle. Using the services the police can establish which registrations match with this make, model and colour and which of these have been spotted in the vicinity of the incident.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety at Northgate Public Services, said: “We want to give citizens and officers in the field the confidence that challenging incidents will be dealt with effectively and efficiently. The new service supports our total commitment to public safety and helps us meet the policing needs of our neighbourhoods. We look forward to working with organisations across the country to provide protection for police and citizens, building safer communities and strengthening trust in the criminal justice system.”
- Ends -
For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Note to editors:

Service revolution needed to rebuild public trust in police, urges Northgate

2008-10-08T23:00:00+01:00

Service revolution needed to rebuild public trust in police, urges Northgate

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today calls on the government to better engage citizens and overhaul the procurement process to radically improve service delivery and restore public confidence in the police.

In a wide-ranging response to the Policing Green Paper, Northgate urges a fundamental shift towards the shared ‘purchase of solutions’ to support change management, at a time when IT procurement remains disaggregated and costs are too high.

Northgate argues that a ‘full service revolution’ can be achieved by developing ‘problem-solving partnerships’. These would engage with the public and empower them to interact in the fight against crime and improve the quality of life in their localities.

The response welcomes a number of the recommendations made in the Green Paper, but calls on the government to take further action, requiring:

• a new compact with the public which moves beyond the provision of information to the development of dynamic, interactive interfaces between citizens and the police;
• an understanding that crime and environmental and social nuisance must be tackled with a co-ordinated approach by local agencies acting together to deliver positive outcomes;
• a radical approach to procurement, in which police purchases are built around business process, reengineering solutions informed by the experience of frontline services;
• a mature relationship with the private sector, promoting a problem-solving partnership approach and replacing the dominant mode of contractor/supplier relationship with one which places innovation at the heart of effective community safety services.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We warmly welcome the publication of the Policing Green Paper, but believe that a bolder approach is needed - one which harnesses the power of society to drive forward positive change.

“New forms of collaboration between the public, and the private and not-for-profit sectors are vital to promoting community safety and well-being. However, for this to happen mandating police forces to share procurement of IT systems will not in itself be the answer - technology and the procurement process must be harnessed to drive through a full service revolution.

“Problem-solving partnerships, which empower the public and encourage innovation in the private sector, could be a vital tool for the police in enhancing local accountability and could help to ensure that an evidence-based approach to preventing and tackling crime in the community is embraced.”
For more information

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
News 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; news@fellowsassociates.com

2. On 17th July 2008, the Home Secretary published the Policing Green Paper, From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together.

Northgate’s response can be found at:
http://www.northgate-ispublicservices.com/page/view/public_policy

NorthgateArinso expands international

2008-10-08T23:00:00+01:00

~ opens European Regional Delivery Centre in Granada, Spain ~

NorthgateArinso, the global human resources software and services provider, has expanded its offshore capabilities with the opening of a new European Regional Delivery Centre located in Granada, Spain. The new centre forms part of the company’s global delivery network, designed to deliver value in HR services to its customers worldwide in both their global Human Resource Outsourcing (HRO) and integration businesses. The new centre was officially opened last week by Chris Stone, CEO of NorthgateArinso.

The opening of the new Regional Delivery Centre (RDC) is part of the company’s ongoing expansion in Granada, Spain, where NorthgateArinso opened its first service centre in February 2007. The RDC in Granada has grown to employing 160 people today. “NorthgateArinso will continue to promote Granada as one of the most important international service hubs worldwide,” said Kobe Verdonck, executive director EMEA.

By adding a new Centre, NorthgateArinso will improve the quality of its human resource outsourcing (HRO) and integration business through economies of scale, greater efficiency, organisation optimisation and process improvements while strengthening its global delivery network.

NorthgateArinso already supports outsourcing services in Granada for international customers from more than 20 countries worldwide, employing 160 young IT professionals, most of whom graduated from Granada University. The city of Granada has a well-known and prestigious University offering a wide range of qualified resources, and multi-lingual graduates.

With this announcement, the total number of people employed by the company in Granada will be up to 200 before the end of the year.

Right-shoring in Europe
Hylke Sprangers, director operations EMEA and LatAm commented: “NorthgateArinso is focused on providing the very highest levels of customer support while remaining highly competitive on cost. Located in a strategic European region, we have Regional Delivery Centres based in Katowice, Poland and the new RDC in Granada, Spain. Both RDCs benefit from their proximity to major customers while drawing on a strong labour pool and improving our cost competitiveness.”

“We recognise that both near-shoring and offshoring have a role to play in effective global HR service delivery. At NorthgateArinso, we strive to ‘right-shore’ for our clients, providing the right level of service, in the right location at the right price. In this model, client contacts speak to local operations in their own countries, with a large part of delivery from our RDCs. Additionally our RDC in Granada also functions as the gate for all our European operations to the offshore facilities we have available in Asia Pacific.” concluded Verdonck.
(424 words)

Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives to optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

NorthgateArinso’s 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, best-of-breed software solutions, outsourcing services and systems integration. NorthgateArinso has offices in 31 countries in 5 continents.

NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information, please contact:
Suzy Ferguson or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: suzyf / lisag@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

10 million citizens to gain from radical new benefits service

2008-10-06T23:00:00+01:00

10 million citizens to gain from radical new benefits service

Three local authorities serving 1.4 million citizens have signed up to the innovative eBenefits service, taking the number of people benefiting from a radical transformation in housing benefits and council tax services to 10.4 million, Northgate Information Solutions announced today.

Key councils including Shepway District Council are now working in partnership with Northgate, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, to provide greater accuracy in decision making and faster times for claim handling and assessment. The service is designed to reach out to those who may be missing out on their entitlement, and radically simplify and speed up the process of housing and council tax benefit assessment.

Visiting officers have the option of using mobile technology to help citizens through the assessment process face-to-face, to collate and verify the documents supporting the claim, and provide an indicative benefits calculation on the spot.

- Non-specialist advisers can be quickly guided on-screen through a citizen’s claim for council tax and housing benefits to reach a decision based in law;
- Advisers are presented with only the relevant questions they need to determine a citizen’s eligibility and entitlement;
- Advisers can tell what evidence is needed to support the claim and create a comprehensive decisions audit trail showing how the decision has been made;
- Self-service systems can allow citizens to make full applications online and send over all the evidence that is required to assess their claims;
- Local authorities are able to successfully meet key best value performance indicators;
- Optional mobile systems, linked up to the back-office, allow benefits services to reach out to the community and to target those most in need.

eBenefits also frees up specialists to focus on those cases where help is needed most and offers greater opportunities to work collaboratively, including with CABs and registered social landlords to assess cases requiring closer attention.

Local authorities which have radically improved their benefits services since implementing eBenefits include North Kesteven District Council, Torfaen County Borough Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council:

“eBenefits means we can do more for our customers, more quickly and accurately.”
Andrew Everard, Benefits Manager at North Kesteven District Council

“eBenefits has helped us to improve performance and give a better service to our customers.”
Richard Davies, Head of Revenues and Benefits at Torfaen County Borough Council

“eBenefits ensures a better Benefits experience for our customers.”
Alison McGrory, Income & Awards Business Manager at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted to be working alongside key local authorities such as Shepway to revolutionise the way benefits are delivered to citizens, especially those in the most vulnerable communities. Accessing benefits can be a difficult and stressful process for many people. eBenefits is built around individual citizen need and ensures that time-consuming form-filling and repeated requests for evidence are a thing of the past. We are proud of our relationships with local councils across the country and strive to deliver continuously improving services, contributing to stronger and more sustainable neighbourhoods.”

-ENDS-

A2Dominion Group builds better HR with NorthgateArinso

2008-10-01T23:00:00+01:00

“As NorthgateArinso had worked closely with other groups in the housing sector, we knew they would be able to work to our specifications and help us meet our key objectives going forward.”

The new system allows individual staff members to manage general administration and processes, giving the HR team greater freedom to concentrate on its wider strategy.

John Wallace said: “The agility of the system helps A2Dominion maintain its internal functions more efficiently, which is key to us as a large organisation spread over various sites throughout London and the south-east.”

Malcolm Aldis, managing director at NorthgateArinso said: “The integrated HR and payroll system reduces operating costs for A2Dominion. Giving staff the ability to use ResourceLink’s self-service model means the new HR team will be able to focus on its future strategy and goals.”

NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

About A2Dominion Group
The Housing Corporation approved the merger between A2 Housing Group and Dominion Housing Group in July 2008. The new A2Dominion Group officially launched on 1 October 2008. With over 30,000 homes in management and a further 6,000 in the development pipeline, the Group is one of the country’s leading developers of affordable housing.
Visit www.a2dominion.co.uk for more information.

For further information, please contact:
Suzy Ferguson or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: suzyf / lisag@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com
Jane Fraser-Jones
Press & PR Officer
A2DominionGroup
Tel 0208799 2209/07 930 478893
Jane.fraser-jones@a2dominion.co.uk

A2Dominion Group builds better HR with NorthgateArinso

2008-10-01T23:00:00+01:00

The A2Dominion Group, one of the UK’s leading developers of affordable housing, has appointed NorthgateArinso to deliver a new HR and payroll system for the next seven years.
The fully-integrated system, ResourceLink, will cater for around 750 employees spread over a number of sites. It will also integrate the HR systems used by A2 Housing Group and Dominion Housing Group, the precursors to the recently-formed A2Dominion Group.

A2Dominion’s IT director, John Wallace said: “We required a flexible and user-friendly HR and payroll system which met our specific needs as a housing organisation, and one that could fit seamlessly with our current practices.

“As NorthgateArinso had worked closely with other groups in the housing sector, we knew they would be able to work to our specifications and help us meet our key objectives going forward.”

The new system allows individual staff members to manage general administration and processes, giving the HR team greater freedom to concentrate on its wider strategy.

For further information, please contact:
Suzy Ferguson or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Wolverhampton partnership set to transform housing services across the city

2008-09-21T23:00:00+01:00

Wolverhampton partnership set to transform housing services across the city
Wolverhampton City Council and Wolverhampton Homes today announce a new partnership to transform its housing services and strengthen community well-being for the city’s quarter of a million citizens.

Wolverhampton Homes and other managing agents which manage the council’s housing stock are working with Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, to provide residents with wider opportunities to access high quality housing services and information.

Under an agreement between the City Council and Northgate worth over £1 million over five years, and following implementation which will be project managed by NCC Group, Wolverhampton’s communities will benefit from:

• greater resident empowerment through enhanced communications with housing employees and improved feedback into services;
• access to multi-lingual self-service systems and assistance in their operation, enabling employees to better reach out to Wolverhampton’s diverse communities, at the point of need;
• improved staff access to comprehensive and up-to-date housing information to help citizens with every aspect of their housing needs;
• a quicker and more proactive management of property allocation for all citizens, including those hardest to reach;
• enhanced management and monitoring of homeless applicants and their requirements, helping to tackle and solve homelessness in the area;
• a proactive housing repairs service that plans repairs and reacts quickly and effectively and puts the needs of residents at its heart.

Northgate will also provide Wolverhampton Homes and the other managing agents with specialist advice on performance transformation, enabling the organisations to realise efficiencies, focus on achieving the Decent Homes Standard, and meet future challenges with confidence.

Richard Carr, Chief Executive of Wolverhampton City Council said: “We are proud of our new partnership with Northgate as the Council strives to deliver first class housing services that focus on the needs of all Wolverhampton citizens. Our partnership will deliver enhanced housing services, enabling us to target and support hard-to reach groups effectively and deliver long-term sustainable value for money services to all residents.”

Lesley Roberts, Chief Executive of Wolverhampton Homes said:
"Wolverhampton Homes is on the way to becoming one of the best housing providers in the country but has been held back by legacy IT systems. The Northgate partnership will enable us to achieve three star status by increasing the capacity of the organisation and making significant value for money savings. We will be able to put more resources into maintaining the housing stock, and less into back room administration and bureaucracy. And tenants and leaseholders will have quicker and easier access to housing services. "

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing for Northgate Public Services, said today: “Northgate is passionate about delivering first-class housing services that focus on the needs of all residents, including those in the most vulnerable communities. We wholeheartedly support Wolverhampton Homes’ objective of providing affordable and sustainable housing that places residents at the heart of trusted public services.”
[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; news@fellowsassociates.com

Note to editors:

1. Wolverhampton Homes manages Wolverhampton City Council’s 22,300 homes and delivers almost £400 million of refurbishment and improvement works to bring its housing stock up to the government’s decent homes standard by 2012. Wolverhampton Homes was established in October 2005, operating as an ALMO (Arms Length Management Organisation) to manage the council housing stock of the city on behalf of the council.

2. Bushbury Hill Estate Management Board, Dovecotes Tenant Management Co-operative, Heath Town Estate Management Board, New Park Village Tenant Management Co-operative & Springfield Horseshoe Tenant Management Co-operative are the other managing agents responsible for the Council’s homes.

3. 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. Northgate supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its specialist housing technology services are used by over one hundred public and community housing organisations across the world. In the UK the company works with four out of five local authorities and every police force. Its services are 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 7,000 employees.

4. NCC Group is a leading global provider of independent IT assurance, security and consultancy services. It helps over 15,000 public, private and not for profit sector organisations, including 92 of the FTSE 100, to make the most efficient use of information and technology and to manage the associated risks.

Innovative partnership brings radical service benefits to social housing tenants

2008-09-07T23:00:00+01:00

Innovative partnership brings radical service benefits to social housing tenants

Family Mosaic, a leading UK provider of affordable homes and housing services, today announces a new partnership to deliver an innovative citizen relationship management service aimed at strengthening community well being for 45,000 people in London and Essex.

The partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, will provide a one-stop shop for its tenants delivering faster, more responsive housing services. The new initiative joins up the organisation's front-office and back-office systems, reducing the bureaucratic burden on staff and allowing tenants instant access to the information they need. Its aim is to ensure that tenants get the right service, first time, every time.

Under an agreement worth £770,000 over three years, Family Mosaic’s tenants will benefit from:

• better understanding of tenants’ needs through continuously monitoring of requests, responses and satisfaction levels, encouraging continuous improvement to performance;
• greater empowerment of tenants through enhanced communications with housing employees;
• improved staff access to comprehensive and up-to-date housing information to help tenants with every aspect of their housing needs;
• enhanced service delivery through the use of mobile services to realise efficiencies and ensure that housing employees spend more time with those hardest to reach.

Brendan Sarsfield, Chief Executive of Family Mosaic, said:

“Family Mosaic is committed to promoting continuous improvement across housing services. Our relationship with Northgate will ensure that resources are used more effectively and improve the quality of housing services for tenants now and in the future. We also believe passionately in undertaking regular consultation with our tenants to find out what services can be improved, with the ultimate goal of delivering service excellence for our staff and tenants."

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing for Northgate Information Solutions, said:

“We are proud to be working with Family Mosaic to revolutionise services for its tenants and to help housing employees successfully respond to their needs. We aim to ensure that our partnerships with the social housing sector enable those living in social housing, especially some of our most vulnerable citizens, to get the best possible personalised housing services that they have a right to expect.”
[End]

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Guernsey's new partnership to promote public health and social well-being

2008-08-20T23:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE
21st August 2008

Guernsey’s new partnership to promote public health and social well-being

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services and software to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces an innovative partnership with the States of Guernsey to assist in the drive to promote, protect and improve public health and social well-being of the people of the Island.

Guernsey’s Health and Social Services Department is set to introduce state-of-the art technology joining together disparate data held by the Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation. It will also introduce a system to support the regulation of all potentially polluting activities within Guernsey.

The innovative service will assist the Island’s environmental health officers in providing efficient and effective public health services to Guernsey’s citizens through:

• maintaining an up-to-date and complete record of public health complaints made by individuals, ensuring that officers have full information about previous complaints prior to visits or taking action;
• providing a single source of information for environmental officers on all environmental health matters including public health nuisances, food control, pest control, waste control, seawater and shellfish testing, and tattooing and piercing;
• extending the flexibility of current information systems to take account of recent enactments including the Environmental Pollution (Guernsey) Law, 2004 and planning for future ones;
• eradicating unnecessary manual processes and radically improving the management information system as a means of enhancing business processes and services to the public.

John Cook, Director of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation said today: “We are delighted to be working with Northgate to provide public health services which meet the needs of today and the challenges for the future. We are constantly seeking to improve our services as well as responding to the rising costs of quality health and social care. The new environmental health service will cut down bureaucracy and save valuable officer time enabling them to focus on their core tasks of promoting, protecting and improving public health.“

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property for Northgate Public Services, added: “Effective information management is essential to building trusted public health services which place people at their heart. We are committed to promoting the intelligent use of information to support healthcare improvement and social well being and are proud to be working in partnership with the Island’s government to support their public health services, at a time when the challenges have never been greater.”

- Ends -

Hartlepool Borough Council Leads the Way in Delivering on Government Green IT and Efficiency targets

2008-08-18T23:00:00+01:00

- Northgate Information Solutions latest ‘Managed Print Solution’ delivers £100,000 per year saving.Hartlepool Council will save more than £100,000 each year thanks to the latest Northgate Information Solutions ‘Managed Print Solution’. The solution, which uses state-of-the-art technology, works by optimising the number of print and copy devices needed, allowing the Council to manage its corporate print function centrally, while returning both cost and efficiency saving.With the Government recently setting green IT and efficiency targets for government offices in their policy “Greening Government ICT”, it is imperative that measures are taken by all departments to ensure these are met. Suggestions in the policy on how to accomplish this include reducing the overall number of printers used by the organisation and using green printing defaults. Following a review of Hartlepool Council’s corporate print and copy fleet, Northgate designed a new Fleet which eliminated previous inefficiencies, and delivered a ‘Total Cost of Ownership’ reduction of approximately 20% or £100,000 per annum, therefore making a significant contribution towards achieving their targets.Northgate’s review discovered that the Council was using more than 550 devices across more than 32 sites to fulfil its print and copy requirements. The proposal put forward by Northgate reduced this number to just 159 devices, supplied by one single manufacturer, and included a number of managed services comprising fault resolution, maintenance, supply chain management, consumables supply and disposal and service reporting, all designed to reduce costs and improve Council efficiencies.Commenting on the new managed print solution Mike Ward, Chief Financial Officer with Hartlepool Borough Council, stated: “Northgate’s collaborative, hands-on approach has allowed us to realise significant cashable savings and bring this area of spend under corporate control without alienating departments. Other tangible benefits include improved energy efficiency and a more pro-active service for faults and consumables replenishment. I commend Northgate for their professional and timely approach.”Mr Ward continued “The managed print project has been a major success, and we’re delighted with the results it has produced so far. Prior to this project, the Council requested that Northgate present a solution to migrate its email services from Lotus Notes to a Microsoft Outlook platform. The project involved moving more than 1800 staff accounts, and I am delighted to confirm that this project has also been a tremendous success.”“Northgate’s expertise has been invaluable in implementing our new email system. We have worked closely with them for seven years and as such, they know us really well, and are aware of the sensitivities that exist within our sector which has added real value to our operation.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Northgate’s Infrastructure Solutions division added, “We are delighted to support Hartlepool Borough Council’s diverse and developing business requirements. We remain dedicated to ensuring that our ‘Managed Print Solution’ works to provide the Council with the flexibility and enhanced service capabilities needed to provide quality services to its ratepayers and to meet the efficiency targets set by Government. We look forward to advancing this relationship and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Council on its many successes to date.”

Northgate leads the way with acquisition of Anite Public Sector business

2008-07-31T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate leads the way with acquisition of Anite Public Sector business

Northgate Information Solutions today announces that it has agreed to acquire Anite Public Sector Holdings Limited, which incorporates Anite’s local government and secure information systems businesses, for a total cash consideration of £54.3 million payable at completion, subject to the settlement of a £3.8 million receivable owed by Anite to Anite Public Sector and a working capital adjustment following completion. The deal confirms Northgate’s position as the UK’s leading player in the local government and criminal justice public services market.

The deal which comes four months after the acquisition of Northgate Information Solutions plc by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) demonstrates the new owners’ commitment to expand Northgate’s public service business and to realise value through successful and strategic acquisition.

The acquisition enables Northgate to deliver improved and enhanced services to its local government clients including adding to its leading position in revenues and benefits and housing by becoming the number one provider of social care and document management services. With Anite’s Secure Information Solutions business track record of delivering major business change and technology programmes, the new organisation will have an unrivalled capability of delivering business-focused change programmes and integrated services to the criminal justice and police markets. It also equips Northgate with further skills and capacity to spearhead its move into increasingly strategic and complex public services contracts.

The deal builds on Northgate Public Services’ highly successful track record of delivering value through strategic acquisition. This success lies in promoting a performance culture, driving through product innovation and embedding quality through the process of integration.

David Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services, said today: "The acquisition of Anite Public Sector is great news for Northgate. It demonstrates how and why KKR’s investment approach makes them an ideal partner for Northgate. We share a common business philosophy for long-term value creation.

"We are committed to supporting public service excellence, building and developing innovative partnerships with our clients to transform public services and place the citizen’s needs at their heart. This deal will help us to provide them with the enhanced services and solutions which form an integral part of that transformation."

-ENDS-

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:

Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com

Perry Jones 020 7849 3508; 07930 566291; news@fellowsassociates.com

Dave Meaden is available for interviews
Notes to editors

3. The acquisition is conditional, inter alia, upon the approval of shareholders at a General Meeting, and approval by the relevant regulatory authorities. The deal is expected to be completed by September 2008 or soon afterwards.

4. Anite is an international software and solutions company whose primary business is the provision of industry-specific solutions based on its deep sector knowledge of the wireless telecoms, public sector, and travel markets. It is a market leader in software and solutions to key parts of local government, such as housing management and social care solutions - as well as an important supplier of secure information solutions (SIS) to the criminal justice markets. Anite Public Sector comprises two businesses: Anite Public Sector Limited (the Anite local government business) and Anite Secure Information Solutions Limited (the SIS) business.

Triple Whammy for Northgate - Newtownabbey-based company hits the mark with BSI quality certifications.

2008-07-21T23:00:00+01:00

News Release: 22 July 2008

Triple Whammy for Northgate
- Managed Services division becomes one of a select number of ICT companies to hit the mark with BSI quality certifications.

Newtownabbey-based Northgate Information Solutions is leading the field in terms of IT service provision after being awarded three separate quality certifications within a four week period.

Since the beginning of June, Northgate has achieved:
• ISO/IEC 20000-1:2005 for the quality of IT service delivery and support for it’s utilities and education customers ensuring that its managed services are underpinned by IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and ISO 20000 best practice frameworks for both private and public sector customers.

• ISO 9001-2000 for its software development and support services. The implementation of a revised best practice Software Development Quality Management System (SDQMS) will govern all aspects of the software development lifecycle, delivering shortened lead-times, improved quality of code and ultimately reduced costs to customers.

• ISO 27001:2005 for Information Security Systems in relation to their Data Centre operations. High levels of information security management, data security and access controls as well as stringent operating policies and procedures will assure customers of the highest levels of integrity and confidentiality around the management of their data and sensitive information.

“This is a tremendous accolade for both the company and our workforce, and it is also good news for our customers,” said Ed Brown, Managing Director of Northgate’s Utilities division.

“These certifications are independent, third-party endorsements of the level and standard of service we provide and they are a fitting tribute to our people and our procedures. Each also reflects the emphasis we place on our customer, as they are focused on delivering genuine, valuable benefits across our client base.”

Each of the three certifications was achieved within a challenging timeframe and result from a very clear quality management commitment within Northgate.

“Continuous improvement is key to progress within our organisation,” Ed added, “and already we’ve identified and are progressing further enhancements to the new processes, all geared towards superior service delivery to the customer.”

Ends

For further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications
Tel: 028 9039 3837

Notes to Editor:

Northern Ireland-based Northgate Managed Services, which is a division of Northgate Information Solutions (Northgate IS: www.northgate-is.com), is headquartered in Newtownabbey and has additional offices in Dungannon, Ballymena, Omagh and Derry.

Northgate Managed Services is a leading supplier of specialist ICT and managed services, to the public sector, education, utilities, and private sectors. Its areas of expertise include:

• Education – enabling transformation in learning and teaching. Today thousands of learners and teachers in hundreds of schools and colleges throughout the UK are benefiting from the services and support that Northgate provides to education.
• Utilities – enabling customer service excellence and improved efficiency. Northgate’s outsourced customer services include Billing & Revenue collection services, while IT services include managed desktop services, application and hosting services, infrastructure management, business continuity and disaster recovery.
• Infrastructure Solutions – supplying a range of specialist ICT services and solutions focussing on harnessing technology to improve business outcomes. This includes mobility and access services and solutions, storage and protection of information, and providing effective services and solutions to reduce carbon footprint, waste and energy costs.

Employing 500 staff throughout Northern Ireland, Northgate Managed Services works with a wide range of public and private sector organisations including C2k, Viridian, Waterways Ireland, DVTA NI, SHS Group, and the Department of Finance & Personnel.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Innovative Technology Helping Bristol Students to be Top of the Class

2008-07-20T23:00:00+01:00

Innovative Technology Helping Bristol Students to be Top of the Class

Newly opened Bristol Metropolitan College has become a world class centre of learning using innovative technology to engage and educate its students. Working with ICT specialist Northgate Education, Bristol Metropolitan College has benefited from an £8.9m investment through the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to ensure its learners have access to the latest technology.

As one of the first BSF schools in Bristol to open its doors, Bristol Metropolitan College aims to create the best possible setting for young people to learn in and meet the educational needs of its 700 students. Using innovative technology to support classroom teaching, the school is equipped with the very latest learning and teaching tools such as laptops, interactive whiteboards and hand held devices.

Each learner has access to an online Managed Learning Environment (MLE) called N-able designed by Northgate Education. N-able provides students with their own personalised learning area with the support and assistance they need to maximise independent study and to progress in line with their own individual learning plan. Accessible via the internet from any location, the MLE gives each learner their own online space to work on assignments, store work and access emails enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students. Each teacher has a digital tool box to enable them to continually assess pupil’s work and offer as much or as little guidance as they might need. N-able also allows the school to incorporate administration systems such as pupil access and registration, as well as pupil achievements such as exam and homework marks.

To further improve school efficiency each member of staff and each student has their very own school identity card which not only allows them access to the school buildings but also acts as a library card and cashless catering card and allows them to access printers. By logging into their personal online space on N-Able both students and staff can see when their library books are due back as well as order specific books. The cashless catering function allows students to keep track of how much they have spent in the school canteen and to know when they need to top up their balance. By having access to all of this information in one place students can not only efficiently keep track of all their information and take responsibility for it, but parents can also request access, allowing them to become more involved in their child’s education.

Theresa Thorne, Headteacher, commented: “Since the school opened the students have been making full use of the new technology including the Managed Learning Environment. Being able to access their work electronically from home as well as at school means that young learners can view their education as more than just what goes on in a classroom. N-able allows students to really take ownership and control of their education and promotes lifelong learning which is at the heart of what we are trying to achieve.”

The implementation of a Managed Learning Environment enables learners and teachers to share and store work and resources that can be securely accessed anywhere and anytime. N-able is part of a wider ICT managed service provided for Bristol Metropolitan College by Northgate Education. Along with educational resources, Northgate provides a centrally managed printing solution which limits the amount of printers and paper used. Accessed by the identity cards this enables the school to help control paper wastage, maintaining a ‘green’ school environment. To further reduce power usage the ICT Technician can monitor all workstations to ensure none are left on overnight or at the weekends.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Northgate Education, commented: “We are extremely proud to be working with Bristol Metropolitan College to help transform learning and teaching for the students. By installing innovative technology the school is going way beyond Government requirements to ensure that its students have the best possible education resources available. The school has some fantastic resources which can be used by the teachers to make education really engaging. We are delighted to be involved with such forward thinking school and feel the benefits to young learners will make Bristol Metropolitan College a best practice model for BSF projects in other areas.”

Birmingham citizens to benefit from major planning transformation

2008-07-13T23:00:00+01:00

Birmingham citizens to benefit from major planning transformation

Birmingham City Council, supported by Service Birmingham, is to deliver a new e-Planning initiative, providing the city’s one million citizens with easier access to high quality planning information and guidance as part of a major transformation programme.

In partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, Birmingham City Council and Service Birmingham will radically improve planning and building control services throughout the city and promote engagement with all members of the community.

In a contract worth more than £1 million over three years, the new partnership will provide:

- a more transparent planning process through improved engagement with users of planning services and the wider community;
- fast and accurate responses to enquires, through enabling staff to provide instant feedback on compliance with planning policy and guidance;
- streamlined processes to enable the council to meet performance standards, share information with key agencies and deliver excellent customer service;
- self-service systems that allow citizens to track the progress of planning applications, submit responses, review decision notices and resolve queries without visiting the council;
- full mobile services, allowing planning and building control officers to spend more time in the community.

Clive Dutton, Birmingham City Council Director of Planning and Regeneration said: "We constantly strive to provide the very best possible Planning and Building Consultancy services. We believe that the partnership with Northgate Information Solutions will assist us to deliver innovative ways of working that are responsive to the needs of the citizens of Birmingham. Our vision is to deliver first class planning and building control services and create a high quality physical environment focussed on our contribution to achieving a 'global city with a local heart'."

Cllr Paul Tilsley, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council said today: “We are committed to transforming planning services so that citizens throughout Birmingham can have comprehensive access to up-to-date information of the highest quality. Sustainable transformation is at the heart of our vision for Birmingham, and our partnership with Northgate will radically improve services and make a real difference to people’s lives. e-Planning is a key element of our wider transformation programme to provide the local services that the public deserves.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Northgate is proud to be working with Birmingham City Council to transform planning services and ease complex planning and building control processes for staff and citizens. Increased transparency and better access to information will contribute to more efficient and effective processing of applications and radically improve the performance of the system as a whole. e-Planning is a major step forward in encouraging a dynamic and streamlined planning system that contributes to the development of healthy and sustainable communities.”
[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Service Birmingham press office: +44 (0)870 2400 488

Notes to Editors:

1. Birmingham City Council is the largest local authority in Europe serving over one million citizens.

2. Service Birmingham is a strategic partnership between Birmingham City Council and Capita which will support a transformation in the way the Council works; improving services and contributing to its efficiency agenda. The Council intends to achieve efficiency savings worth £1 billion by 2016. This strategic partnership forms part of the Council's objective to find better and more innovative ways of delivering services for the benefit of employees and citizens. The principle of this joint venture focuses on the provision of cost effective, sector leading, ICT services and in supporting the Council in achieving its business transformation objectives.

4. 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 services are 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 6,500 employees.

Northgate strengthens its planning team with key local authority appointment

2008-07-09T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate strengthens its planning team with key local authority appointment

Northgate Information Solutions today announces the key appointment of Martin Howell to the planning team as the company continues its drive to deliver innovative and sustainable planning services for citizens across the country.

Martin, who has been appointed as Planning Consultant, joins from Wandsworth Borough Council where he worked in the Planning team as Group Leader for Policy and Information. In that position, he played a crucial role in the development of local and national e-planning services, providing citizens with easier access to high quality planning information and guidance as part of a nationwide transformation programme. An experienced professional, Martin also worked as lead planning officer on PARSOL, the national project assisting local authorities in providing planning and regulatory services online. In addition, he represented local authorities on the e-Planning Statutory Consultees Group and has chaired the Royal Town Planning Institute's e-Planning conference for the past two years. At Northgate, he will be responsible for building collaborative partnerships and developing innovative new opportunities to provide local authorities with planning services focused on the needs of citizens. Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted to welcome Martin to the planning team. His extensive experience in key planning services, such as the national e-Planning programme, will be invaluable as we help deliver a dynamic and streamlined planning system in the UK. We must encourage innovation in planning services in order to address the issues raised by the current economic climate. People with hands-on experience working closely with local authorities are crucial to this development, and Martin will considerably strengthen our work in this area." Martin Howell added: "I am looking forward to helping Northgate build upon its innovative partnerships with local planning services throughout the country. An effective and efficient planning system is essential to both the UK economy and the quality of people’s lives. We must ensure that local authorities and citizens have a voice which is listened to and taken into account if we are to deliver a modernised planning system." [Ends] For more information Fellows’ AssociatesKathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.comKuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@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 services are 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 6,500 employees. 3. Martin joins Northgate from Wandsworth Borough Council, where he worked as Group Leader for Planning Policy and Information. A planning specialist with extensive experience, Martin has worked for a number of local authorities across the country in areas as diverse as Harrow, Kent, Newham and Cheshire. He is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Darzi review: Quality must count for quality accounts

2008-07-03T23:00:00+01:00

Darzi review: Quality must count for quality accounts In an initial response to the final report of the Darzi review, Northgate Information Solutions today called for a ‘right to bid’ and an ‘invitation to implement’ quality measurement systems for the NHS. In its response, Northgate argues that if the emphasis is going to increasingly move away from quantity to the high quality of care, it is essential that clinicians and NHS staff are involved and engaged, and that services are built around individual need, rather than organisational functionality. All NHS organisations have been set a challenging task to produce quality accounts by April 2010 using a combination of national and local quality measurement systems. According to Northgate, quality measures will need to draw on the disparate information sources that already exist to provide objective data about clinical care, combined with the development of people-related outcome measurements at a national and local level. Northgate believes that for success to be sustained it is essential that clinicians and health employees witness rapid and effective implementation of their ideas and responsive and relevant measurements of quality. Through the introduction of a right for external organisations to bring ideas to the table, complemented by the development of in-house solutions which draw upon external support in the form of partnerships or joint ventures, Northgate argues that these will help to create capacity and capability within the NHS and create the basis for sustainable and continuous improvement in measuring quality. Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Northgate Health, said today: “I believe that the NHS is a great institution that can only get better through focusing on quality outcomes. Measuring quality is a major challenge for the service at both a local and national level. We believe that our proposals may go some way in helping to ensure that good ideas benefit from great implementation.” [ENDS] For more information:Fellows’ Associates:Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.comKuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com Note 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. Northgate works with organisations across the country to improve health outcomes. We support commissioners in effective decision-making; enable doctors to monitor and improve their performance; and provide patients with the information they need to exercise meaningful choice. Whether supporting world-leading screening programmes, managing national health registries or delivering state-of-the-art information systems for NHS Trusts, Northgate puts the patient at the heart of health services.

Northgate pushes ahead on transformation partnerships with major new appointment to local government and social housing team

2008-07-01T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate pushes ahead on transformation partnerships with major new appointment to local government and social housing team

Northgate Information Solutions today announces the appointment of Peter Tucker to the local government team as the company strengthens its drive to deliver innovative transformation partnerships across the UK.

Peter, who has over twenty years of experience in the IT and BPO industries working with blue chip companies, has been appointed Director of Sales and Marketing. He has extensive operational skills and know-how in delivering key services across the local government sector and securing major partnerships with local authorities across the country. He joins Northgate after three years at Serco, where he worked on local government strategic partnerships, including a major partnership with Glasgow City Council. Prior to that, he was Business Director at Capita, managing one of the broadest public private partnerships within local government. He has also previously worked for Fujitsu managing a variety of services in Scotland.

At Northgate, he will be directly responsible for developing local government strategies to address the changing needs and expectations of citizens. Peter will focus on supporting local authorities and Housing Associations as they transform the way citizens access public services to promote social inclusion and healthier communities.

The expansion of Northgate’s local government team follows the recent appointment of Vipul Patel as Business Development Director for Northgate Kendric Ash. Both appointments mark Northgate’s commitment to developing innovative performance partnerships for local authorities and placing sustainable transformation at the heart of public services.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing for Northgate Public Services, said today: “I am delighted to welcome Peter as a key member of our local government team. He is the ideal choice to help us continue to deliver services which meet the challenge of modernisation and support our local authority partners. Northgate is committed to transforming public services through innovation and building community well-being by tackling the issues that are most important to local people. Peter’s appointment will considerably strengthen our work in this strategic area.”

Peter Tucker added: “I am looking forward to helping Northgate strengthen its relationships with councils and housing providers across the country at such a challenging time for local government in the UK. Northgate has an excellent track record across the landscape of local government, particularly as a pioneer and leading provider of performance partnerships, and I believe has enormous potential for future development.”

[Ends]

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

3. Peter was Bid Director for Serco on a major local government strategic partnership bid into Glasgow City Council. As Business Director for Capita he managed two of Capita’s northern business centres including a contract with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. From 1984 to 1999, Peter was employed by Fujitsu.

4. In addition to his operational role, Peter also acted as the Business Director for Serco in Scotland. He sat on the Scottish Partnership Forum on behalf of Serco and is currently a member of the Scottish Leadership Forum.

AAH services to be enhanced by �2 million investment in ICT

2008-06-30T23:00:00+01:00

News release: 1 July 2008

AAH services to be enhanced by £2 million investment in ICT

Northgate’s “Manage” solution to ensure the leading distributor of healthcare products and services provide outstanding customer service

Leading UK pharmaceutical distributor, AHH has agreed a contract worth more than £2million with Northern Ireland based Northgate Information Solutions, which will help ensure that pharmacies throughout the UK are fully supported throughout the transition to becoming ‘New Contract Compliant’ for the ‘Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions’. The three year contact will provide AAH with rapid response cover for its ‘LINK’ system.

LINK allows AAH customers (pharmacists and other medical dispensers) to effectively manage dispensing and key business processes within pharmacy, such as the efficient management of stock levels by electronically monitoring inventory. Each time an item is dispensed LINK will adjust stock and reorder levels enabling stock management based on dispensing activity. All orders are prepared and distributed twice daily from any one of AAH’s 20 distribution centres throughout the UK.

With business-critical technologies being used it is vital that AAH has a continuous supply chain link with its customers. Any downtime experienced in the chain can have serious effects not only for customers but also for those patients that are reliant on medication. Through its partnership with Northgate, AAH Pharmaceutical has implemented a hardware monitor and repair service that is managed by Northgate and provides AAH with specialist maintenance cover for the IT infrastructure that supports LINK ensuring that any downtime is resolved quickly.

Commenting on the benefits of the new technology Leon Rudd, Director of Marketing at AAH Pharmaceuticals, stated; “As the industry moves towards a paperless operation the need to have a system in place that allows customers to more effectively operate will be paramount. LINK is an easy to use intuitive application used by 1 in 4 Pharmacies, our active involvement in the National Programme for IT across the UK allows LINK to be at the forefront of technology changes within Pharmacy. LINK will not only save our customers time but will allow them to focus on their own customers and business needs.” As the UK’s leading distributor of pharmaceutical and healthcare products and services we rely on having a fully operational supply chain link with our customers. By ensuring we have the appropriate IT maintenance cover we have put ourselves in a position to uphold our customer service levels.

Leon continued; “Northgate’s expertise has been invaluable in implementing the new services. They really took the time to get to know how we worked, our issues and the sensitivities that exist within our sector which has added real value to our operation. In addition to maintaining LINK, Northgate will also provide additional support services across our operations, allowing our staff to focus on delivering to our customers across the UK. Overall, Northgate are enabling us to provide the highest possible level of service to customers.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Northgate’s Infrastructure Solutions division added, “We are delighted to support AAH Pharmaceutical’s diverse and developing business requirements. We remain dedicated to ensuring that our robust “Manage” solution provides the organisation with the flexibility and enhanced customer service capabilities to continue to grow and develop its business. We look forward to advancing this relationship and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate AAH Pharmaceutical on its many successes to date.”

-Ends-

Picture Caption – Northern Ireland based Northgate Information Solutions has agreed a contract worth more than £2million with leading UK pharmaceutical distributor, AHH which will help ensure that pharmacies throughout the UK are fully supported throughout the transition to becoming ‘New Contract Compliant’ for the ‘Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions’. The three year contact will provide AAH with rapid response cover for its ‘LINK’ system.

Northgate launches new energy performance partnerships in social housing

2008-06-29T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate launches new energy performance partnerships in social housing

Northgate Information Solutions today launches its innovative energy performance partnerships, enabling social housing providers to deliver high quality energy performance certificates (EPCs) for their homes, benefiting tenants and the community by contributing to greater energy efficiency at home.

Social landlords will benefit from a unique partnership with Northgate, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, offering greater access to first-class technology, training and assessing services and supporting landlords throughout the EPC process.

The partnership will provide social landlords with a choice between procuring EPCs through a cost-effective in-house service or an outsourced service with approved energy assessors, ensuring that they are given the freedom to benefit from services tailored to their needs. Key elements of the energy performance partnerships include:

• membership of Northgate’s leading energy assessor accreditation scheme, which ensures quality and permits employees to submit EPCs to the central government register;
• access to Northgate’s proven accredited software to support the work of energy assessors in effectively and efficiently producing EPCs;
• access to comprehensive and accurate EPC data, through integration with housing management information;
• access to providers with a 100% success rate in training energy assessors;
• optional mobile services for energy assessors, enabling them to capture information on-site, increasing productivity and improving the quality of EPC information;
• the choice of an outsourced service that provides access to fully qualified energy assessors, all of whom are monitored by the Northgate accreditation scheme.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:

“The battle against climate change will only be won by an innovative and collaborative response involving us all. The role of social landlords has changed dramatically in recent times, developing from simply providing social housing for citizens to contributing effectively to community wellbeing. We are committed to working in partnership with social landlords to promote awareness of energy efficiency and bring about a sea-change in organisational and personal attitudes towards energy usage.”
- Ends -
For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to editors

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 and services are used in the energy efficiency assessment of new dwellings and existing buildings. It operates an accreditation scheme for domestic energy assessors. Its services are used in the management of over three million local authority and housing association properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has over 6,500 employees.

3. Northgate works in partnership with local authorities, ALMOs, registered social landlords and the not-for-profit sector in the management of over 1.5 million local authority and housing association properties in the UK – more than a third of all social housing stock in the country.

Northgate urges a greener and more transparent system for homebuyers

2008-06-25T23:00:00+01:00

In a response to the Conservative Party’s home buying review, Northgate welcomes the implementation of energy performance certificates (EPCs) for homes, arguing that they are crucial to reducing the country’s carbon footprint and changing attitudes to energy efficiency. However, the submission states that if this is to occur, citizens must be given greater access to energy performance information, strengthening public trust in the system.

Northgate urged local authorities to take a leading role in encouraging consumer action on the advice contained within EPCs. The company adds that councils should be given full access to energy performance information of homes within their area, monitoring progress in individual areas and enforcing targeted action to encourage changes in behaviour.

Northgate highlights further key steps needed to be taken to create an energy efficient home buying system including:

- raising citizen awareness about the role of EPCs through greater transparency and enhanced information available to the public;
- better informing citizens of the ways to offer their feedback and make complaints;
- creating an online channel linked to the central government register to enable citizens to review the energy efficiency performance of the home they wish to buy.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Our homes are responsible for 27% of the country’s carbon emissions. Achieving deep cuts in emissions is critical if we are to tackle climate change and deliver healthy and sustainable communities. We must maximise the benefits of Energy Performance Certificates and ensure that all homebuyers are given access to comprehensive information for attitudes towards energy efficiency to improve.

In addition, fair markets must operate across the home-buying system ensuring full transparency in the contracting out of energy efficiency services by government. The process of buying and selling a home should fully address the needs of consumers demanding a fast and effective system whilst doing more to ensure the UK can meet the challenge of climate change.”

[ENDS]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors

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 and services are used in the energy efficiency assessment of new dwellings and existing buildings. It currently operates the accreditation scheme for domestic energy assessors in England and Wales. Its services are used in the management of over three million local authority and housing association properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has over 6,500 employees.

UK business risking 2 billion pounds from CV 'swindlers'

2008-06-17T23:00:00+01:00

UK business risking £2 billion from CV ‘swindlers’~ cost of recruitment errors revealed as NorthgateArinso launches new service to stop ‘bad recruitment’ ~ UK businesses risk wasting up to £2 billion every year recruiting employees who have omitted important information from CVs, according to new figures from NorthgateArinso. NorthgateArinso has found that 5 per cent of job seekers are rejected because of potentially damaging information that would not normally be discovered through typical background checks. This five per cent, multiplied by the average cost of recruitment and the volume of recruitment in the UK, equals a potential cost of £2 billion every year[1]. The figures have been unveiled at the launch of a new service from NorthgateArinso, enabling employers to make thorough checks of CVs and candidate references. NorthgateArinso PeopleChecking can (with the permission of the candidate) verify employment history, academic qualifications and professional memberships, as well as financial and criminal records and driving licence endorsements. This allows employers to avoid the cost of recruitment errors and time-consuming reference checks. According to MORI, 33 per cent of organisations claim they don’t have time to check employee references. In the same survey, 7.5 million people in the UK admitted to having potentially misleading information on their CVs.
“The fact that employees are still bluffing on CVs, and employers are still failing to check their facts underlines the need for better background checks,” said George Elkington, director of business development at NorthgateArinso PeopleChecking. “The cost of a good background check could be just £50, which as we’ve seen is very low compared to the cost of recruiting the wrong person.”
PeopleChecking saves employers’ time by using web-based systems and workflow technology to streamline the referencing process. The service is based on NorthgateArinso’s technology platform, and has been launched following the company’s acquisition of AST Check, completed this month.

“British businesses can’t afford to waste this much money in the current economic climate,” Elkington concluded. “The scale of potential wasted cash is huge – in fact it’s double the entire seasonal wage packet for the English Premier League football teams.”

(341 words)

NOTES TO EDITORSAbout NorthgateArinso www.northgatearinso.co.uk NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management. Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

[1] Figures are based on 29.5M UK workforce; 18% annual employee churn [CIPD annual recruitment and turnover report, 2007] + 336,000 new jobs created [ONS, May 2007]. 5 per cent of new recruits are subsequently rejected because of CV error [figures from NorthgateArinso] and total cost of recruitment is £7,250 [CIPD annual recruitment and turnover report, 2007]. Total calculated lost revenue was £2,046,675,000 per annum.

Northgate secures energy performance first in Northern Ireland

2008-06-17T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate secures energy performance first in Northern Ireland

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces that it has secured accreditation from BRE, the leading environmental certification body, to enable its software that measures home energy performance in England and Wales to be used across Northern Ireland.

The first organisation to secure this accreditation for Northern Ireland, Northgate will provide its software for the production of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) from 30th June 2008, when they become required for residential sales.

The Department of Finance and Personnel for Northern Ireland (DFP) with the agreement of Communities and Local Government (CLG) has agreed that accredited Domestic Energy Assessors, already qualified to work in England and Wales, can work in Northern Ireland, following completion of an additional training module. This enables Northgate’s existing accredited Domestic Energy Assessors to produce EPCs in Northern Ireland.

Northgate’s software and services can now be used by assessors in Northern Ireland involved in the production of the following:

• energy performance certificates for existing homes for sale from 30th June 2008;
• energy performance certificates for rental of existing homes including social housing from 30th December 2008.

The duty to have an EPC produced is on the seller, the lessee or the builder.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property for Northgate Public Services, said today:

“We are committed to helping Northern Ireland reduce its carbon footprint through the efficient and effective use of EPCs. We are delighted to be the first organisation to receive approval for our software.

“Domestic Energy Assessors accredited by Northgate are currently providing excellent services across England and Wales. We are pleased to be able to support them in extending their work to Northern Ireland and contributing to the smooth roll out of energy performance certificates in 2008.”

- Ends -

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to editors

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 and services are used in the energy efficiency assessment of new dwellings and existing buildings. It currently operates the accreditation scheme for domestic energy assessors in England and Wales. Its services are used in the management of over three million local authority and housing association properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has over 6,500 employees.

Northgate strengthens its local government team with business development appointment

2008-06-16T23:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE

17th June 2008

Northgate strengthens its local government team with business development appointment

Northgate Information Solutions today announces the key appointment of Vipul Patel to its local government team as the company spearheads its drive to deliver innovative performance partnerships with local authorities across the UK.

Vipul, who has been appointed Business Development Director for Northgate Kendric Ash, joins Northgate from Serco where he worked as Regional Director for Local Government. In that role, he led the company’s local government strategy in the Midlands, specialising in managing ties with local councils and delivering public services development within the region.

At Northgate, he will be directly responsible for furthering business development in public services with Northgate’s local authority partners, placing particular emphasis on building and strengthening incremental partnerships.

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

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing for Northgate Public Services, said today:

“We are delighted to welcome Vipul to our team. His experience working with local authorities will be a valuable asset in developing our transformation services for our partners across the country. Our performance partnerships offer councils guaranteed outcomes, lower risk and heightened rewards, helping to make a real difference to people’s lives. Vipul’s appointment highlights our commitment to putting sustainable transformation at the heart of public services.”

[Ends]

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

NEW TECHNOLOGY HELPS SCOTTISH CHILDREN'S CHARITY FOCUS ON SUPPORT SERVICES

2008-06-16T23:00:00+01:00

NEW TECHNOLOGY HELPS SCOTTISH CHILDREN’S CHARITY FOCUS ON SUPPORT SERVICES

Northern Ireland based Northgate Information Solutions new web and email management systems enhances services provided by Aberlour Childcare Trust

An investment in the latest ‘web and email management’ IT support technology, delivered by Newtownabbey based Northgate is enabling Aberlour Child Care Trust (Aberlour) to more effectively manage its web and email services, while freeing up staff time to focus on providing dedicated care, support and advice to more than 6000 vulnerable children and young people each year.

Established more than 130 years ago, Aberlour employs over 800 staff in over 44 project locations throughout Scotland. The Trust provides valuable support services for children, young people and families who require additional assistance to help promote their development and well being.

By the nature of the services provided by Aberlour and due to the geographical spread of its operations, email has become an essential communications tool in the delivery of information and services to staff and service users. With little in the way of spam protection the level of spam mail was high. This led to cluttered mailboxes and interrupted internet access due to the time taken to download and distribute unwanted mail.

A more robust system was required to tackle the issue of ‘junk email’ and to provide greater system protection. Working in partnership with Northgate, the Aberlour Child Care Trust implemented a new web and email management system. The Webroot SAAS system provided the Trust with specialist anti-spamming and anti-virus software, as well as freeing up its internet bandwidth. Staff now have a consistent flow of mail, and the level of unwanted mail (spam) has dramatically reduced.

Commenting on the implementation of the email support service, Barry Revill, Information Systems Manager with Aberlour Childcare Trust said; “Northgate has reclaimed our ability to communicate with stakeholders and staff by dramatically enhancing the way we conduct business. Junk mail was a particular problem which significantly hindered our operations but this has been tackled head-on enabling our staff to maximise efficiency and deal with the real issues and problems impacting on the lives of Scottish children.”

Mr Revill continued; “Northgate’s expertise has been invaluable in implementing the new support systems. They really took the time to get to know how we worked, our issues and the sensitivities that exist within our sector which has added real value to our operation.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Northgate’s Infrastructure Solutions division added, “We are delighted to support the Aberlour Child Care Trust. The Trust does a tremendous job throughout Scotland and I am confident that our robust “connect”, “manage” and “protect” solutions will only help to enhance its services. Benefits of the solutions include enhanced customer service and improved staff productivity. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Aberlour Child Care Trust on its many successes to date and I sincerely hope that many more children, young people and families will now be able to take advantage of the Trust’s expertise and assistance as a result of this system upgrade.”

-ENDS-

Latest Patient Record Management System Delivers Results for NHS Lothian

2008-06-04T23:00:00+01:00

Latest Patient Record Management System Delivers Results for NHS Lothian
- New Scanning and Storage Solution Offers Enhanced Security and Cost Saving Benefits
- First system to electronically transfer patient data straight to centralised NHS Database

A ground-breaking document scanning and storage solution, being implemented by NHS Lothian, is set to revolutionise the management of the clinical records of around 800,000 patients in the region, delivering enhanced security as well as significant time and cost saving efficiencies for the NHS Board.

Glasgow-based Northgate Information Solutions, in partnership with e-Docs UK, has been working with NHS Lothian to address the escalating problem of document storage and protection, which historically has resulted in the creation of over five million patient records (equating to over 32km of shelf space) being stored by the Board.

As a result of the investment, Northgate and e-Docs UK have introduced the latest scanning and storage technology to digitally record the clinical records of all existing and new patients. As the average patient record comprises approximately 220 separate pieces of paper, the system ensures all data relating to the individual’s health is readily available via the new secure system, from x-ray reports and prescription records to GP referral letters and consultant discharge summaries. In addition to providing a more immediate overview of an individual’s clinical history, the software application also indexes each document to improve speed of access for future referencing.

The solution, which is able to process around 30,000 documents per day across four hospital locations*, is also unique as it electronically transfers all scanned information straight to NHS Scotland’s centralised data storage facility - SCI-Store** - offering further data protection benefits, and eliminating the risks and delays associated with the manual transfer of paper copies.

According to Martin Egan, NHS Lothian’s Director of eHealth, the investment will pay huge dividends: “This new technology will dramatically impact on our administrative processes. Cost savings and efficiencies will be delivered by significantly reducing time spent manually lodging and recording data. Added to that, the enhanced data security and support services give us a level of protection which is critical to the running of our entire operation.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Northgate’s Infrastructure Solutions division added: “We’re delighted that our successful partnership with e-Docs UK is helping to deliver tangible benefits for NHS Lothian. Never before have issues such as security, resilience and continuity been so relevant to data management and we’re confident these robust and comprehensive ‘store’ and ‘conserve’ solutions will be of genuine value to the NHS at a regional level and beyond.”

When the roll-out of the project across the four sites is complete, Ian Daniels, Sales & Marketing Director of e-Docs UK believes the new patient record management system will offer great potential to the health sector in general: “Together with Northgate IS, we’re very pleased to have been selected to implement this innovative Patient Records Management solution. NHS Lothian now has the potential for rapid access to all patient records which will deliver significant improvements in clinical effectiveness and information governance while reducing administration costs. Our eHealth business sector is rapidly growing and we believe this presents a great opportunity to assist other NHS Boards to address similar challenges.”

Ends
For further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications, Tel: 028 9039 3837

Notes to the Editor:
*The four hospital sites included are: Western General Hospital, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and St John's Hospital.
**Each NHS Board in Scotland has its own instance of a nationally developed data repository called SCI (Scottish Care Information) Store.

About Northgate IS:
Scottish-based Northgate Infrastructure Solutions, which is a division of Northgate Information Solutions (Northgate IS: www.northgate-is.com), has offices in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Linlithgow. Northgate Infrastructure Solutions is a leading supplier of specialist ICT services and solutions focussing on harnessing technology to improve business outcomes.
• Mobility and access services and solutions to allow staff to work anytime anywhere from any device.
• Managing ICT Assets to ensure businesses can rely on availability of IT as a key business tool.
• Storage services and solutions to ensure efficient storage, retrieval and management of information and applications.
• Protection for information, applications and infrastructure to safeguard customer relationships and reputation.
• Providing effective services and solutions to reduce carbon footprint, waste and energy costs.
• Utilising infrastructure to provide effective communications and reduce operating costs.

Northgate IS (Scotland) employs 40 staff throughout the region, and works with a wide range of public and private sector organisations including Grampian Fire & Rescue Service, United Dairy Farmers, Petroleum Experts, National Trust for Scotland and Balfour Beatty Rail
Globally Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the human resources, local government, education and public safety markets.
The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.
Northgate has approximately 4,500 large/medium customers and approximately 10,500 small to medium enterprise (SME) customers worldwide. Northgate works closely with over 20% of the Fortune 500 leading US companies, 90% of the UK local authorities and all of the UK's police forces.

About e-Docs UK:
Established in 1988, e-Docs UK is a leading provider of Business Process Optimisation services that give greater control over documents and processes along with major improvements in productivity, efficiency and customer service.
Today, we work with over 150 UK organisations, ranging from some of the worlds largest companies through to smaller, equally important SME enterprises. Our clients cover all industry sectors from finance, central and local government through to manufacturing and healthcare.
By bringing together documents and data from a variety of different digital and traditional formats, e-Docs UK provides solutions that focus on the business application lifecycle from creation through ongoing internal and external review and finally to long term legal archive.

Loewy selects NorthgateArinso to reduce risk

2008-06-02T23:00:00+01:00

Loewy selects NorthgateArinso to reduce risk
~ chooses ‘best match’ provider to unify process, reduce risk and make HR green ~
Loewy, the fast-growing marketing group, has selected NorthgateArinso to implement the fully integrated HR and payroll solution ResourceLink, centralising the two functions across the Group for the first time.
All of Loewy’s companies, encompassing 400 employees, will have access to a unified HR and payroll process. Moving to a central function will reduce divisional exposure to risk, as it will have a robust and reliable system in place, as well as experts managing the process. NorthgateArinso will also help Loewy move closer to its environmental objectives – in the future, paper payslips will only be produced if specifically requested as the whole system moves online.
Loewy chose to implement a solution based on NorthgateArinso’s MyView software – part of ResourceLink. It has already been launched to one division, and will roll out to the rest of the company in the next few months. MyView was specifically chosen to help Loewy reduce administration and to use technology to link its divisions, while helping it to go green.
“Using ResourceLink we’re able to manage employee information much more efficiently and effectively, across the whole company,” said Beverley Mallon, Head of HR at Loewy. “As well as enabling us to have a much clearer overview of our employees, the system also provides a unified experience for all staff across the company. Being able to report on employee trends more easily will help us to work as one big company, rather than lots of smaller divisions.”
She continued: “NorthgateArinso was the best match for us because of its background and approach to service. As one of the market leaders in the field, we feel confident it will provide the support, expertise and flexibility we need.”
Malcolm Aldis, managing director at NorthgateArinso, commented: “Centralising the HR and payroll function will make it much easier for Loewy to manage people and information. As well as supporting Loewy’s intention to work as a unified organisation, we’re pleased to be able to help the company do its bit towards reducing its carbon footprint, bringing paperless processes
to HR.”
(361 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Loewy Group
Loewy is a unique group of complementary marketing specialists with great individual reputations, brought together to create a challenger agency under a brand with an iconic, global, brand building heritage and interdisciplinary collaboration at its heart. The agency is ranked the second largest independent agency in Design Week’s current sector ranking and over the last three years Loewy has grown to over 400 people and a £47million turnover.
Loewy’s family of marketing specialists has strengths across the food/FMCG, technology, corporate and public sectors. It offers clients expert depth and breadth in design, PR, branding and communications disciplines. Clients include: Hitachi, Nestle, Samsung, Tesco, Coca-Cola and adidas. For more information on Loewy please go to: http://www.loewygroup.com/

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: suzyf / lisag@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

Building capacity in the public sector critical to effective elections

2008-06-01T23:00:00+01:00

Building capacity in the public sector critical to effective elections

Building capacity at a local level will help deliver a modern, effective and efficient electoral administration system, Northgate Information Solutions said today.

In a response to the Electoral Commission’s review of electoral administration structures, Northgate focused on the need to engage in new and innovative partnerships to build resources, capacity and capability within the public sector and strengthen the democratic process.

Northgate’s response highlighted the poor resourcing of elections which had led to inconsistent management in the past, and that successful elections were often dependent on the dedication of individual staff rather than on effective processes.

The response called for a new partnership approach to harness the talents and skills of the private sector in order to enhance the skills and capacity of those working in the electoral community. This approach must move beyond day-to-day discussions around technology and involve both parties in strategic discussions around leadership and project management to more effectively serve the electorate.

The response also called for:

- a more detailed examination of the role of information technology within the electoral administration system;
- public information and education to play an increasingly significant role in the elections process;
- greater clarity around roles and responsibilities for those working in electoral administration;
- the introduction of a cut-off time for policy change in advance of any election;
- the law to be streamlined to focus on electoral policy rather than the micro-management of elections;
- consideration of performance partnerships with the private sector where fees were linked to performance improvement.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:
“New and innovative partnerships between the public and private sectors are key to modernising democracy in the UK. Far more emphasis must be placed on identifying best practice, transferring skills and streamlining processes to ensure that the needs of the electorate are placed at the heart of the system. Only through building capacity in the public sector will we be able to deliver an electorate-focused system able to deliver efficient and effective services now and in the future.”

- Ends -

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

NorthgateArinso ensures success for NFU Mutual

2008-05-20T23:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso ensures success for NFU Mutual
~ insurance firm signs contract for a hosted HR and payroll solution, including self-service and performance management ~

NFU Mutual, the insurance, pensions and investments company, has signed a five-year deal with NorthgateArinso to implement ResourceLink, its integrated payroll and HR solution. This builds on NFU Mutual’s long-standing relationship with the HR specialist, and includes online services and performance management for employees.

NFU Mutual chose to implement ResourceLink as it offers a single database for HR, payroll and training, and will help the company deliver efficient services to its 2,800 employees, 1,150 pensioners and its tied agency network. Working with NorthgateArinso, the company is able to invest in a long-term approach, evolving its HR service to support its current and future business objectives.

The solution includes NorthgateArinso’s MyView software, a tool that allows employees to manage administration tasks online: from updating personal details to booking training courses, reducing the admin burden on HR staff. ResourceLink also includes a performance management module that will allow employees to review pre-set objectives and competencies, as well as manage their own development plans and appraisals.

“With NorthgateArinso’s system we’re able to increase the quality of services we offer to our employees”, said Sarah Sinclair at NFU Mutual. “We can also contribute to their personal development, which is a business priority. In addition, as we’re regulated by the FSA, NorthgateArinso’s modules help us stay in line with Principles-based regulation.”

Malcolm Aldis, managing director at NorthgateArinso, commented: “Using the performance management module, employees will work more actively on their continuous improvement within the organisation. At the same time, the self service module will reduce administration and allow HR staff to focus on more strategic tasks.”

The next stage of the work will integrate NorthgateArinso’s ancillary services, such as salary modelling and into the core solution.

(305 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NFU Mutual

With over 300 offices located in rural towns and villages throughout the UK, NFU Mutual has become part of the fabric of rural life and remains committed to serving the needs of people who visit, live or work in the countryside.

Recognised as a UK leading rural insurer, NFU Mutual offers a wide range of products, including general insurance, life, pensions, investments, and risk management services. These products and services are delivered through the agency network, as well as through a direct sales and service centre.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

NorthgateArinso Wins SAP Pinnacle Award for Business Process Outsourcing

2008-05-20T23:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso Wins SAP® Pinnacle Award
for Business Process Outsourcing
~ global award recognises partners for exemplary contributions to SAP’s ecosystem ~

NorthgateArinso today announced it has been awarded an SAP® Pinnacle Award for its contribution in the area of business process outsourcing (BPO).

SAP Pinnacle Awards are granted to leading SAP partners that have excelled in enhancing the customer experience by teaming with SAP to help customers address critical issues such as accelerating innovation and improving return on investment. Winners were selected based on nominations received from partners and SAP employees. NorthgateArinso received the award at a ceremony held on the eve of SAPPHIRE® Berlin, SAP’s international customer conference being held May 19 – 21.

The SAP Pinnacle Award for BPO recognises leading providers that use SAP technology as the delivery platform for BPO services. NorthgateArinso’s HR and payroll service experts optimise the SAP ERP Human Capital Management (SAP ERP HCM) solution to deliver euHReka, NorthgateArinso's preconfigured HR and payroll outsourcing services platform to more than 50 clients in over 60 countries worldwide.

Over the past five years, NorthgateArinso has continuously invested in building up its HR BPO capabilities, focusing especially on operational excellence, compliance and standardisation, and customer satisfaction. Today, NorthgateArinso offers BPO services to customers through a network of seven global service delivery centers across five continents.

“NorthgateArinso has successfully deployed a scalable, SAP ERP HCM-based platform solution to many customers,” said Dr. Bernd-Uwe Pagel, Senior Vice President, BPO Business Unit, SAP AG. “Last year, NorthgateArinso increased its already significant commitment to SAP even further and decided to fully integrate the talent management processes in SAP ERP HCM into the scope of their delivery platform. NorthgateArinso’s delivery capabilities and commitment to its BPO services powered by SAP software contributed to winning this year’s SAP Pinnacle award for BPO.”

Chris Stone, CEO of Northgate Information Solutions said: “NorthgateArinso has successfully delivered SAP ERP HCM-based BPO services to customers such as Philip Morris International, Agilent, and Cadbury Schweppes for over half a decade. We have helped customers make significant cost savings through introducing automation and increasing efficiency. Winning the SAP Pinnacle Award is solid recognition of the benefits our relationship brings to global customers, and the continuous customer satisfaction, innovation and growth that make us the leader in this area.”

(360 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS
About Northgate’s HR Division: NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso was created in 2007 following the acquisition of ARINSO International by Northgate Information Solutions, thus creating a merged entity with combined more than half a century of HR expertise.

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune™ 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations.

Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning and talent management.

NorthgateArinso’s 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, best-of-breed software solutions, outsourcing services and systems integration. NorthgateArinso has offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

SAP, SAPPHIRE and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries all over the world. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Data contained in this document serve informational purposes only. National product specifications may vary.

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

Radical benefits service reaches out to vulnerable communities

2008-05-18T23:00:00+01:00

Local authorities serving over 9.3 million people have taken steps to radically transform housing benefit and council tax services for citizens in the country’s most vulnerable communities.

In partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, councils across the UK are introducing the eBenefits service to reach out to those who may be missing out on their entitlement, and radically simplify and speed up the process of housing and council tax benefit assessment.

Using mobile technology, visiting officers are able to help citizens through the assessment process face-to-face, to collate and verify the documents supporting the claim, and provide an indicative benefits calculation on the spot.

People across the country are benefiting from greater accuracy in decision making and faster times for claim-handling and assessment. eBenefits also frees up specialists to focus on those cases where help is needed most and offers greater opportunities to work collaboratively, including with CABs and registered social landlords to assess cases requiring closer attention.

- Non-specialist advisers can be quickly guided on-screen through a citizen’s claim for council tax and housing benefits to reach a decision based in law;
- Advisers are presented with only the relevant questions they need to determine a citizen’s eligibility and entitlement;
- Advisers can tell what evidence is needed to support the claim and create a comprehensive decisions audit trail showing how the decision has been made;
- Self-service systems can allow citizens to make full applications online and send over all the evidence that is required to assess their claims;
- Mobile systems, linked up to the back-office, allow benefits services to reach out to the community and to target those most in need.

Examples of local authorities radically improving their services include:

• South Hams District Council, which has cut new claims processing time from 27 days to 9 days, achieved 100% satisfaction ratings and eliminated complex paper forms. Using mobile technology, visiting officers are able to help citizens through the assessment process face-to-face, to collate and verify the documents supporting the claim, and provide an indicative benefits calculation on the spot.

• Torfaen County Borough Council, which has halved claims processing time from 27 days to 13.5 days, and saved £12,500 per year since implementation by cutting the cost of paper and postage. Council officers are better able to reach out to vulnerable communities and target those most in need by use of mobile and SMS, delivering a proactive, citizen-centred service.

• North Kesteven District Council, which has streamlined its claims process and improved citizen satisfaction levels by halving interview times and processing new claims in a single day, over 27 days faster than before. The council’s benefits service has practically eliminated information errors from its claims files and the removal of paper forms makes new instances of missing data highly improbable.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing for Northgate Public Services, said today: “The benefits system is often seen as needlessly complex and a stressful experience for those who need to access their entitlement. eBenefits is designed to place the citizen at the heart of the service and lessen the administrative burden for those making a claim. In revolutionising the way that benefits are accessed, it offers innovative opportunities to develop shared benefits services across the public and not-for-profit sectors. We are proud of our relationships with local authorities serving over one in seven UK citizens, and strive to deliver continuously improving services and contribute to stronger, more sustainable neighbourhoods throughout the country.”

[Ends]

For further information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors

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 6,500 employees.

3. eBenefits was launched in June 2006. It was originally one of the 22 Local e-Gov National Projects sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Communities and Local Government). It now provides a national benefits service that serves some of the country’s most hard to reach areas. eBenefits uses rules-based technology developed in partnership with RuleBurst Ltd.

SULLIVAN LIFT THE 2008 IRFU (ULSTER BRANCH) PRIMARY SCHOOLS' MINI RUGBY CUP

2008-05-18T23:00:00+01:00

SULLIVAN LIFT THE 2008 IRFU (ULSTER BRANCH) PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ MINI RUGBY CUP.

Ulster Rugby stars of the future from Sullivan in Hollywood stole the show at the finals of Ulster’s premiere primary schools’ mini rugby tournament at Ravenhill, to lift the prestigious IRFU (Ulster Branch) Primary Schools’ Mini Rugby Cup 2008.
Supported by education ICT specialist, Northgate Information Solutions, for a third consecutive year, the IRFU (Ulster Branch) Primary Schools’ Mini Rugby tournament encourages primary school children from all over Ulster to become more active and to develop their skills through mini rugby.
To reach the finals over 1,000 children from primary schools across Northern Ireland took part in eight qualifying tournaments, with 34 teams progressing to Ravenhill to battle it out for the 2008 IRFU (Ulster Branch) Primary Schools’ Mini Rugby title. Sullivan fought off stiff competition from Inchmarlo to take home the coveted rugby title in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Commenting on the tournament, Simon Wallace, Commercial Manager with Ulster Rugby said, “Mini rugby is an exciting way for kids to play and enjoy rugby. The tournament has proved to be a hugely successful feature of the primary schools’ mini rugby calendar, and continues to play an important role in nurturing young sporting talent in Ulster. The added element of competing on the historic Ravenhill pitch is something that the kids are sure to remember long after the final whistle.”
Stuart Gunning from Northgate Education added “We are delighted to continue our support for this excellent tournament for a third consecutive year. The standard of play was incredibly high and the children, their parents and teachers are to be congratulated on making this year’s event a huge success.”
-Ends-

STRANDTOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL LIFTS THE 2009 PRIMARY SCHOOLS" MINI RUGBY CUP

2008-05-18T23:00:00+01:00

Plate Final
Stranmillis PS (Won)
Limavady Central PS (Runner Up)
Gracehill PS (Fair Play)

Rockport
Irvinestown PS
Hardy Memorial

Shield Final
Dromore Central (Won)
Andrew’s Memorial (Runner Up)
Clough PS (Fair Play)
Drumachose PS
Omagh County PS
Edenderry PS
Richmount PS.

CUP Final
Strandtown PS (Won)
Campbell College Junior School (Runner Up)
Buick Memorial (Fair Play)
Armstrong PS
Harmony Hill
Fullerton Prep
Gibson PS
Downey House
Hezlett PS
Inchmarlo
-Ends-

Northgate launches powerful new system for the emergency services

2008-05-13T23:00:00+01:00

A new system designed to support the emergency services in responding quickly to incidents and making the most of intelligence was launched today by Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets.

Northgate has delivered major enhancements to its corporate gazetteer to provide police forces, ambulance trusts and fire and rescue services with a state of the art system for managing location-based intelligence information.

The ability to combine the best features of the address datasets available under the Mapping Service Agreement (MSA) with information from non-MSA sources and ‘non-addressable’ locations, such as car parks or children’s playgrounds, provides a single dataset more suited to the demanding needs of the emergency services. Access to comprehensive and reliable location information right across an organisation speeds up decision making and improves overall data quality, helping to protect the public.

The inclusion of ‘people information’ alongside comprehensive location information also enables organisations to establish a ‘single version of the truth’ through linking and matching key data. Holding the data in a single repository enhances intelligence-led services, for example allowing the relationship between the address of a known offender and the location of ‘at risk’ individuals to be explored and analysed.

Powerful new search facilities will enable fast analysis of information, for example identifying all people with the same name within a given area. Previously, this information would have to be found and analysed manually.

For all emergency services, the enhancements will support faster response times through ensuring that control room staff can direct resources to locations quickly and accurately.

The new corporate gazetteer also:
- supports enhanced multi-agency working, such as enabling the sharing of police beat boundary information;
- enables key location information to be provided over the web and to mobile devices;
- is fully compatible with the National Land & Property Gazetteer (NLPG);
- ensures more accurate data, through enabling updates to location information to be made in one system only;
- integrates with critical systems such as command and control or crime and intelligence.

Northgate’s corporate gazetteer is recognised by the Home Office as the national standard for police forces.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety at Northgate Information Solutions, added:
“The emergency services are under increasing pressure to speed up response times and deliver more efficient and effective services to the public. The sheer volume of data they hold can often hamper rather than support their operations. Providing police forces, fire and rescue services and ambulance trusts with a single powerful source of location information will mean more accurate data, improved analysis and a faster response. We look forward to working with organisations across the country to help them realise the benefits and deliver safer communities.”

- Ends -

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

Note to editors:

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 6,500 employees.

Recycled payslips help Royal Borough turn green

2008-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

Recycled payslips help Royal Borough turn green
~ Kensington and Chelsea rolls out new, greener
service for 7,800 employees ~

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has announced plans to use recycled paper for all employees’ payslips. The move comes as part of a drive for greater, greener efficiency across the Council.

The Council will also use recycled paper for its P60 tax forms, distributed to employees every year. Also, it is no longer sending payslips on a monthly basis to its pensioners.

“This year we will move towards a paperless environment, where most employees check their payslips online,” said Paul Lawrence, head of HR systems, contracts and pensions at RBKC. “However, we still have some employees who don’t have regular access to the Internet, and for these recycled paper for payslips will cut carbon emissions and help us operate a greener HR department.”

RBKC is currently running down current stocks of existing payslips, and expects its first payroll run using recycled paper to take place within six months. The move is happening alongside a number of other ‘green’ Council initiatives, including duplex printing, reusing scrap paper and recycling food and drinks containers.

“For a council the size of RBKC, moving on to recycled payslips will make a genuine difference to its carbon emissions,” said Wendy Logan, Technical Operations Manager for outsourcing services at NorthgateArinso. “We’re testing the system extensively so there are no problems during the first run. When you’re printing payslips for 7,800 employees, there’s no time for jams or errors.”

(255 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organizations. We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

NorthgateArinso unveils new brand and global growth plans

2008-05-05T23:00:00+01:00

~ HR division rebrands following ARINSO acquisition and reveals strategy
for expansion ~

Northgate Information Solutions’ HR division has rebranded to NorthgateArinso. The new name follows Northgate HR’s acquisition of Belgium-based HR BPO provider ARINSO in August 2007.

NorthgateArinso now offers an unrivalled portfolio of HR solutions globally, including business consulting, systems integration, business process outsourcing and software development & services. According to Chris Stone, chief executive at Northgate Information Solutions, this unique proposition makes NorthgateArinso a supplier of choice for HR in terms of people, process and technology.

“We are now perfectly positioned to answer the challenges facing today’s HR departments, who must deal the forces of compliance, reporting, cost pressures, demographics, globalisation and the war for talent,” said Stone. “In less favourable economic circumstances, people are absolutely key to business success, making efficient and effective HR ever more important. NorthgateArinso enables a closer alignment between HR and the business. We partner with our customers to use best practice processes and technology to help HR both create value for the business and move up the value chain within their organisation.”

The new brand also reflects the company’s global remit. While Northgate HR is best known in the UK - with 1 in 3 of the UK workforce paid using Northgate HR software - as NorthgateArinso the company has offices in 31 countries and operations in 50, with plans for further geographic expansion. The consolidated company is set to become the leading global provider of HR and payroll services by 2012, believes Stone.

“NorthgateArinso has ambitious goals for international growth,” said Stone. “Our focus on combining software and service innovation with delivering outstanding customer value means we can help any organisation transform their HR function and processes to be a source of competitive advantage.”

As a division of Northgate Information Solutions, NorthgateArinso will benefit from the recent acquisition of the Group by KKR. Stone commented: “KKR’s investment approach makes them an ideal partner for Northgate, as we share a common business philosophy for long-term value creation. For NorthgateArinso, we plan to expand our geographic operations and the services we deliver to customers.”

Recently, the company has signed global outsourcing deals with Cadbury’s and Scotiabank, and Stone expects many more deals of this size: “We have demonstrated our ability to win the trust of the world’s most prestigious companies as their partner for HR solutions. We are extremely excited about the potential for NorthgateArinso to build on our strong foundations and achieve our ambitious targets,” he concluded.

(425 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Northgate’s HR Division: NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso was created in 2007 following the acquisition of ARINSO International by Northgate Information Solutions, thus creating a merged entity with combined more than half a century of HR expertise.

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune™ 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations.

Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning and talent management.

NorthgateArinso’s 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, best-of-breed software solutions, outsourcing services and systems integration. NorthgateArinso has offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com

Northgate and Serengeti Systems forge partnership to promote greener, more efficient and effective planning system

2008-04-20T23:00:00+01:00

21st April 2008

Northgate and Serengeti Systems forge partnership to promote greener, more efficient and effective planning system
Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, and Serengeti Systems, the major local government supplier of document management solutions, today announce a strategic partnership aimed at helping to deliver a sustainable planning system fit to meet the challenge of climate change.
The partnership will assist local authorities in building planning systems which confront climate change, empower local citizens, reduce unnecessary paperwork and transform business processes.
Local authorities and planning officers will benefit from:
• a fully integrated service which manages business processes and workflow;
• wider opportunities to provide an enhanced and empowering service to citizens through interactive internet communications;
• transformed information and knowledge management systems which support better prioritisation, enhanced performance and improved job satisfaction.
Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today: “If we are to meet the challenge, we have to change. We have to transform the way we conduct our business and lead our lives. The planning system holds our future in its hands. We not only have to help local councils and officers respond effectively to the battle against climate change, we must also meet the demands of citizens for more control and empowerment in shaping their communities. Our partnership with Serengeti aims to do just that.

“Our partnership is all about helping to remove unnecessary bottlenecks and creating a planning system which will provide the individual citizen and local communities with a simpler, easier system where their voice can readily be heard, whilst at the same time equipping and empowering planning officers to focus effectively on the number one issue of our time – climate change.”

Werner Neudecker, Managing Director of Serengeti Systems, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Northgate to help ensure that planning is fit for the future. Planning departments have a pivotal role to play in helping us create sustainable communities.

“There is so much that can be done to reduce unnecessary duplication of paperwork in the applications process; to make better use of technology to enhance communications with the public and to improve business design and the decision-making processes. Our partnership is committed to supporting innovation and providing practical hands-on assistance and advice to our planning partners.”

- Ends -

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Naomi Stevenson 020 7849 3508; 07966 890403; nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Note to editors:

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 6,500 employees.

Northgate calls for level playing field in property search market

2008-04-17T23:00:00+01:00

Meeting the needs of consumers for high-quality property search services requires a level playing field for the public and private sectors, Northgate Information Solutions said today.

In a response to the Ministry of Justice consultation on local authority property search services, Northgate welcomed the proposals to charge for access to ‘unrefined’ data on a cost recovery basis as a means of delivering a fair and competitive market.

However, it voiced concern that fees based solely on cost recovery may disadvantage local authorities that want to offer ‘refined’ searches to the market and called on the government to produce guidance for those wishing to group together to develop these services.

To ensure the operation of a fair, efficient and effective property search market, Northgate also called for:

• greater freedom for local authorities in the pricing of compiled property search reports to enable true competition with the private sector;
• local authorities to be able to charge up to cost recovery locally for personal searches of the local land charges register;
• the calculation for cost recovery to include the cost of complying with monitoring and reporting demands;
• a clear and consistent roadmap to be produced by government to support local authorities in increasing the volume of automated searches;
• consideration of how links to existing national programmes, such as the National Land and Property Gazetteer, or information assets could provide an incentive to modernise delivery of property search information.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:

“Northgate firmly believes that delivering effective property search services that meet the needs of consumers requires transparency, consistency and the operation of fair and competitive markets. We welcome the government’s proposals on charging as a means of delivering a level playing field for the public and private sectors. However, we would like to see additional guidance produced for local authorities to ensure they are not disadvantaged in the market for ‘refined’ searches and that effective competition operates throughout the property search market.”

[Ends]

For further information:
Fellows’ Associates
Naomi Stevenson 020 7849 3508; 07966 890403; nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

2. 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.

New partnership to transform St Albans public services

2008-04-16T23:00:00+01:00

17th April 2008

New partnership to transform St Albans public services

St Albans District Council today announces that it has agreed a partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, to transform council performance and deliver first-class public services for the area’s 130,000-plus citizens.

The new contract, worth more than £2.5 million over seven years, will deliver a comprehensive ICT managed service that provides council staff and citizens with enhanced access to council information, whilst significantly reducing administration costs and promoting more sustainable work practices.

This innovative service will encourage the council to deliver continuous improvement in public services including:

• a faster and more efficient service for all council staff, freeing up time for specialist workers to focus on the needs of St Albans’ most vulnerable communities;
• closer contact with Northgate’s experienced advisers, providing their expertise at a significant reduction to the normal cost of external consultants;
• proactive monitoring of the condition and capacity of equipment, with upgrades delivered when required, enabling the council to focus on continual improvement in overall service delivery;
• secure and reliable access to information, with data stored and maintained in an environment that benefits from 24hr monitoring and comprehensive disaster recovery procedures.

Northgate will provide the council with comprehensive desktop support for over 450 council officers and councillors, and enable a more flexible service for home working, which contributes to reduced traffic congestion and lower demands for car parking.

Mutairu Jibril, Head of IT at St Albans District Council, said today:

“The council is committed to delivering a first class service for staff and citizens by adopting innovative practices and intelligent approaches to our work. Northgate has a shared commitment to sustainable public services and our partnership will deliver radical customer service improvements that make a real difference to the lives of St Albans citizens. This new service is a stepping stone for transforming the way the council works.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Local Government & Social Housing, at Northgate Public Services, added:

“We are delighted to be working with St Albans District Council to deliver this programme of continuous improvement to public services that put the citizen at the heart. Local authorities must provide effective and efficient services that take into account the needs and expectations of the public, and reach out to those in the most vulnerable communities.”

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Naomi Stevenson 020 7849 3508; 07966 890403; nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@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 6,500 employees.

NorthgateArinso to deliver outsourced talent management based on SAP ERP Human Capital Management

2008-04-14T23:00:00+01:00

April 15, 2008

NorthgateArinso to deliver outsourced talent management based on
SAP® ERP Human Capital Management
~ announces extension of BPO services ‘Powered by SAP’;
furthers BPO agreement with SAP AG to deliver world-class
human capital management ~

NorthgateArinso today announced a business process outsourcing (BPO) agreement with SAP AG, extending NorthgateArinso’s BPO services ‘Powered by SAP’. It will enable NorthgateArinso to deliver additional services further up the HR value chain, expanding provision of payroll and employee administration services to offering customers full human capital management outsourced solutions, using its preconfigured euHReka HR services platform. This builds on over a decade of providing Human Resources integration, consultancy, and outsourcing expertise in support of SAP® solutions.

SAP’s human capital management platform approach leverages the SAP ERP Human Capital Management (SAP ERP HCM) solution to its full extent and delivers significant cost savings, not just through introducing automation and increased efficiency to enabling HR transactions such as payroll, but right around the entire employee lifecycle, within and beyond HR. By combining enabling processes like administration and payroll, with talent management processes, like recruitment, performance management and learning on one platform like euHReka, HR departments can now be more responsive to business needs and prepare for the future. They can also more tightly align with other business processes, typically run on ERP platforms.

Monica Barron, Vice President of Research at the Everest Research Institute, commented: “Talent management is proving to be a significant component of human resources outsourcing, with increasing numbers of buyers looking to include processes such as recruiting, learning, and performance management in HRO transactions. Buyers are looking for a combination of process expertise, technology and tools to support talent management, and the blended offering and delivery capabilities of both NorthgateArinso and SAP should help to meet a growing demand in the marketplace.”

“We are determined to help customers benefit from SAP solutions, irrespective of their mode of deployment,” said Eduard Kaussner, global head, HCM BPO at SAP. “Extending our BPO-focused collaboration with NorthgateArinso to talent management will contribute significantly to the success our joint customers will derive from outsourcing these and other HR processes. NorthgateArinso is now able to deliver tailored talent management services to its customers, while leveraging the power of a repeatable and integrated approach, thanks to the strength of SAP’s solutions and standards.”

“This agreement with SAP means we can make the long-promised benefits of an integrated approach to talent management a reality,” said Martin Mackay, business development director at Northgate Information Solutions. “Companies can have a unified view of talent management processes for acquiring, motivating, and developing talent – essential to enabling business success. NorthgateArinso’s strong track-record of delivering BPO services ‘Powered by SAP’ to global customers based upon our euHReka platform gives us the perfect foundation to expand our offering to integrated talent management, adding our consultancy expertise to the strength of the platform to deliver comprehensive HR services.”

(482 words)
NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso, the HR division of Northgate Information Solutions, was created in 2007 following the acquisition of ARINSO International, thus creating a merged entity with combined more than half a century of HR expertise.

Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

www.northgatearinso.com

# # #

SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries all over the world. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626                               Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: Kellyd/ lisag@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

Shropshire citizens to benefit from transformed revenues and benefits service

2008-04-13T23:00:00+01:00

Citizens across Shropshire will see significant improvements due to a transformation in housing benefit and council tax services, designed to radically improve benefits take-up for the area’s most vulnerable communities and reach out to those who may be missing out on their entitlement.

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, will revolutionise revenues and benefits services for Shropshire’s 300,000 citizens by providing easier access to the support that they need. The new initiative will ensure that citizens’ entitlements are delivered quickly and effectively, improve service delivery, and streamline the management and reporting of housing benefits, council tax and business rates.

Under a seven-year agreement, Shropshire citizens will benefit from:

- the use of self-service systems, enabling people to make full applications online and send in the evidence that is required to assess claims;
- a faster benefits assessment process, through enabling staff to conduct assessments in people’s homes;
- faster and more efficient responses to enquiries, with staff able to view customer status and transaction history in detail and answer questions quickly and accurately;
- the use of mobile and SMS services to better reach out to the community and target those most in need.

Shropshire County Council together with the district and borough councils of Oswestry, Shrewsbury & Atcham, Bridgnorth, South Shropshire and North Shropshire are to form a single unitary council named Shropshire Council in April 2009. The introduction of an efficient and effective revenues and benefits service across the county will form part of the council’s overall improvement strategy.

Laura Rowley, Director of Resources at Shropshire County Council, said today: “We are committed to providing the public with excellent local services and delivering better lives for citizens across the county. It is essential that all members of the community are able to access the benefits that they need, and staff equipped with the tools to deliver proactive and citizen-centred services. The delivery of first class revenues and benefits services will better enable the take up of benefits amongst those who are often hard to reach. This is a key element of Shropshire’s wider transformation programme to provide local services that the public deserves.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, added: “Accessing benefits information can be a complex process for many citizens and take-up of council tax and housing benefit is often poor. Northgate is proud to provide Shropshire citizens with an effective and sustainable revenues and benefits service that drastically reduces the administrative burden for those making a claim. We will strive to support Shropshire Council as an exemplar authority capable of sharing services with other councils and delivering its vision of excellence for all citizens, especially those in the most vulnerable communities.”

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Naomi Stevenson 020 7849 3508; 07966 890403; nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

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 6,500 employees.

Northgate Information Solutions plans public sector expansion under ownership of KKR

2008-04-02T23:00:00+01:00

Following the acquisition of Northgate Information Solutions by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR), the company has announced that it plans to strengthen and expand the public sector business in local government, education, criminal justice and health through a combined programme of organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Private equity firm KKR acquired Northgate Information Solutions on 5th March 2008 by means of a scheme of arrangement. Following the acquisition, KKR controls 100 per cent of Northgate’s shares. Northgate’s shares were delisted from the London Stock Exchange on 7th March 2008. This followed the announcement of the recommended acquisition by the Boards of NIS Acquisitions Limited (a company controlled by certain funds advised by KKR) and Northgate Information Solutions plc, made on 21st December 2007. The deal completed in accordance with the original timetable at an enterprise valuation of £1.1 billion.

Chris Stone, Chief Executive Officer of Northgate Information Solutions, said today: “KKR’s investment approach makes them an ideal partner for Northgate. We share a common business philosophy for long-term value creation. The opportunities for us to expand our public sector technology services business under their ownership are extremely exciting. Under our new ownership we shall continue the drive for public sector excellence through innovation and the development of new forms of performance partnerships with our public sector partners.”

[Ends]

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:

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.

Racing Post makes Northgate HR firm favourite

2008-03-30T23:00:00+01:00

Racing Post Group has selected Northgate HR to deliver its payroll for its 200+ employees. The agreement will see Northgate HR provide a fully managed service.

Having its own payroll is helping Racing Post Group accelerate its journey to becoming an independent company. It was sold by Trinity Mirror on October 1st, and needed to find its own payroll solution. The tender was put out to market and also to Northgate HR, which provides the payroll for
Trinity Mirror.

Northgate HR was the favourite, and once the contract had been signed the payroll was fully implemented and rolled out to The Racing Post Group’s 200+ employees within a month. Northgate HR ensured that the payroll was up and running quickly to minimise disruption for employees during the split from Trinity Mirror.

Northgate HR carried out a due diligence exercise, scoped out the project, built the payroll, tested it and made it live, all within a month – much to the satisfaction of Mark Francis, finance director at Racing Post Group: “The quick and successful implementation of our payroll has helped us clear some hurdles in the process of separating from our former owners. Being able to pay our staff in a timely manner, without creating a headache for our internal finance team or uncertainty among staff, has made the transition very easy, and we have Northgate HR to thank for that. The team was committed to turning the project around quickly and, especially considering the Christmas break was included in the period, exceeded our expectations.”

Malcolm Aldis, managing director at Northgate HR, commented: “We’re pleased the roll out of Racing Post Group’s payroll has gone so well, and look forward to extending the service to cover other HR processes as the relationship develops.”

(316 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About The Racing Post Group
The Racing Post is British racing’s only daily newspaper. Distributed from its headquarters in Canary Wharf, it provides horse racing, greyhound and sports information and features, such as betting odds, tips, profiles of important people in the sport, and the latest news for major events in the racing calendar. The Saturday edition of the Racing Post contains RP Sport, a supplement that focuses on sports events. It has a daily circulation of 70,000 and an active online community through its website, www.racingpost.co.uk <http://www.racingpost.co.uk> . It is owned by Stradbrook Acquisitions, part of Irish investment group FL Partners.

Newborn Hearing Screening Programme secures Northgate partnership until 2010

2008-03-17T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces the extension of its partnership with the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP) until 2010.

The NHSP is recognised as the most advanced hearing screening programme in the world and Northgate currently manages its online national information system e-Screener Plus (eSP) and performance management system. The contract, worth £3.2 million, will deliver a programme of continuous improvements to the NHSP such as better integration with screening equipment, improved data quality and sophisticated new tools for service monitoring and supporting quality assurance. eSP has been acknowledged as one of the most successful clinical systems in the NHS and is used across England, handling approximately 600,000 babies per year.

Northgate partners with the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme, delivering:

- An innovative national online information system and performance management system with fully automated notification of all new babies born, enabling clinicians to effectively manage screening and follow-up services;
- A robust and resilient system, with secure storage of all screening data;
- Secure access and high availability of the system for all local screening services.

Under the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme, hearing loss and deafness is now identified in children within the first few months of birth, with the average time for hearing aid fitting now under five months. Prior to this, a quarter of children with permanent hearing loss were not identified until three and half years of age or older.

Prof Adrian Davis OBE, for the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme, said today:
“A proactive approach to identifying deafness and hearing loss can have a major effect on the development of children throughout the country. Without early identification, babies are at considerable risk of not developing their communications skills, preventing them from reaching their full potential in later life. Reinforcing our relationship with Northgate, we can ensure that the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme continues to work effectively as an invaluable public health service for clinicians, newborn babies and their families.”

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Healthcare Services, said:
“The NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme has so far identified more than 3,400 babies in England as having permanent hearing impairment or deafness. We are committed to supporting NHSP as it is essential to delivering early identification and support for families to maximise the prospects of children reaching their full potential. Information management and quality are integral to building effective screening programmes in the UK. Effective screening programmes help people make better choices about their health - enabling them to take control and responsibility for their health, thereby preventing ill health and promoting well-being.”

[Ends]

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:

2. Northgate works with organisations across the country to improve health outcomes. We support commissioners in effective decision-making; enable doctors to monitor and improve their performance; and provide patients with the information they need to exercise meaningful choice. Whether supporting world-leading screening programmes, managing national health registries or delivering state-of-the-art information systems for NHS Trusts, Northgate puts the patient at the heart of health services.

3. Over two million babies in England have had their hearing screened through the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme.

Northgate partnerships transforming transport services

2008-03-13T00:00:00+01:00

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.”
– Ends –

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:

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.

Northgate Information Solutions acquired by KKR

2008-03-11T00:00:00+01:00

~ private equity firm acquires leading specialist software and outsourcing business at an enterprise valuation of £1.1billon ~

Private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) has acquired Northgate Information Solutions (Northgate). The acquisition is implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement which has become effective on March 5, 2008 following which KKR controls 100 per cent of the shares of Northgate. Northgate’s shares were delisted from the London Stock Exchange on 7th March 2008. This followed the announcement of the recommended acquisition by the Boards of NIS Acquisitions Limited (a company controlled by certain funds advised by KKR) and Northgate Information Solutions plc, made on December 21, 2007.

Chris Stone, chief executive officer at Northgate Information Solutions, commented: “KKR’s investment approach makes them an ideal partner for Northgate, as we share a common business philosophy for long-term value creation. The opportunities for us to expand the business under their ownership are extremely exciting.”

For NorthgateArinso, the HR Division, the plans are to strengthen the human resources outsourcing, systems integration and software businesses, both through organic growth and a programme of strategic acquisitions. The plans include continued geographic expansion, with new offices being opened in markets such as Russia, Turkey, Portugal, Mexico and Norway, as well as increased investment in existing operations.

“The acquisition of Arinso last year was transformational,” Stone commented. “Now operating as a single global company, our HR division is leading the way in the global Human Resources market. Under our new ownership, we will continue to drive delivery excellence in all areas.”

The deal completed in accordance with the original timetable at an enterprise valuation of £1.1 billion.

(280 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Northgate Information Solutions

Northgate Information Solutions (Northgate) is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the human resources, local government, education and public safety markets.

Northgate, which is privately owned, employs over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Northgate has approximately 4,500 large/medium customers and approximately 10,500 small to medium enterprise (SME) customers world wide. The many corporate organisations Northgate works closely with include over 20 per cent of fortune 500 clients, 90 per cent of the UK local authorities and all of the UK’s police forces.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Northgate urges government to put innovation at the heart of effective community safety services

2008-03-10T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, urged the government in a report published today to rebuild public trust in community safety services by putting innovation at the heart of citizen-centred community safety strategies.

In a wide-ranging response to Sir Ronnie Flanagan’s final report, Northgate argues that new forms of collaboration between the public, private and not-for-profit sectors are vital to promoting community well-being.

The report welcomes many of the recommendations made by Sir Ronnie Flanagan, but highlights the need to tackle some of the barriers to change, including:

• a fragmented market place which acts to prevent local forces from developing more strategic and mature relationships with technology partners;
• a tension between nationally driven top-down projects and allowing forces the flexibility to innovate and spread best practice;
• lack of investment in national infrastructure projects and innovation.

The response calls for a range of initiatives to promote citizen-centred services and for the development of a new Community Safety Innovation Council to drive through change and support the development of a national IT strategy. Composed of representatives from community safety services, academia and industry, the Council would act as a catalyst for timely and responsive change. It would be modelled along the lines of that recently established in the health service as a result of the Darzi review.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety at Northgate Public Services, said today: “We wholeheartedly welcome Sir Ronnie Flanagan’s report, but it begs some questions about how we make change happen. At all levels of the police service, I sense there is a real desire for change, but amongst many a frustration that whilst some problems have long been identified, too little gets done too late.

“The forthcoming green paper needs to grasp the central point of Sir Ronnie Flanagan’s report that what is required is a sea-change in cultural attitudes. It is time to end the fallacy that technology is all about systems rather than servicing the business of policing and community safety.

“This is simply far too important to be left to a top-down approach. We need to liberate local forces to enable them to innovate to develop appropriate strategic responses to tackling community safety, serious crime and national security issues. Above all, this means getting the right balance between national, regional and local initiatives and ensuring that the overall system is flexible enough to collaborate to solve problems in a timely and responsive fashion.”
-ENDS-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to editors

Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. It is committed to high quality public services and understands the public sector. That knowledge is core to its business. 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.

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.

NORTHGATE SERVICE DESK EASES BLOOD FLOW

2008-03-10T00:00:00+01:00

New ICT support service assists the processing and delivery of blood products throughout Northern Ireland.

An investment in the latest ‘service desk’ IT support technology is enabling the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS) to more effectively support the collection, testing and distribution of over 70,000 blood donations throughout Northern Ireland.

In addition to its headquarters at Belfast City Hospital Complex; NIBTS operates three mobile units at over 300 locations across the province, and last year collected 70,000 donations. Working in partnership with Northgate, the need for improved ICT systems support was identified. Northgate’s new service desk infrastructure is helping NIBTS to ensure the smooth processing and delivery of blood supply to those in most need.

Managed by a specialist Northgate team the service desk acts as the first point of contact for NIBTS staff, ensuring IT problems are dealt with quickly and with a minimum amount of disruption. This support extends to NIBTS servers, PCs and laptops, as well as the provision of remote and telephone support for the mobile blood donor units.

Commenting on the implementation of the service desk, Stephen Brimstone, IM&T Manager with NIBTS said; “The new service desk has had instant impact – our staff can concentrate on the life-saving products and services they provide, while any IT issues are resolved quickly and effectively by Northgate. In real terms this means our staff are free to focus on the core work of providing blood products and services to hospitals. Any disruption to service is thus minimised – ultimately helping to save lives.”

Mr Brimstone continued; “Northgate’s expertise has been invaluable in implementing the new support systems. They really took the time to get to know how we worked, our issues and the sensitivities that exist when it comes to the blood product supply chain. As a result Northgate has put in place a specialist team capable of adding real value to our operation.”

James Turnball, Managing Director of Northgate’s Infrastructure Solutions division stated, “We are delighted to support NIBTS in delivering what in many cases is a life-saving service. We remain dedicated to ensuring that our robust managed and support solutions provide the organisation with the flexibility and enhanced internal support service capabilities required to provide this vital service throughout Northern Ireland. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate NIBTS for its work to date and to encourage the public to visit either the NIBTS blood collection unit when it visits their local area or workplace or the walk-in unit which is based at NIBTS HQ Monday to Friday.”

Notice of Cancellation of Listing From the Official List

2008-03-10T00:00:00+01:00

Please Click this link >> Notice of Cancellation of Listing From the Official List to view the PDF version of the news.

Northgate's response to the publication of the Home Information Pack Area Trials Research Report

2008-03-06T00:00:00+01:00

6th March 08

Commenting on the Home Information Pack Area Trials Research Report, Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Information Solutions, said:

“Today’s research has shown that Energy Performance Certificates within home information packs can play a vital role in changing attitudes and behaviour around home energy efficiency. Yet nearly 60% of the buyers interviewed during the trials would have preferred to see the contents of the HIP at an earlier stage, rather than once they had made an offer on the property. We want to see EPCs provided automatically to prospective purchasers, rather than on demand. We believe this will help to raise awareness and encourage consumers to act on the information and rise to the challenge of climate change.”

Northgate's elections team grows and grows

2008-03-05T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announced a considerable strengthening of its elections team with the appointment of a new development manager and five developers to deliver major enhancements to Northgate’s electoral management system.

This expansion of Northgate’s elections team follows the recent appointment of Steven Lake and John Pearson, and marks Northgate’s commitment to expand its electoral management services as part of a strategy of growth.

With electoral administration officers in the UK under increasing pressure to respond to changes in the democratic process, Northgate’s innovative solutions are designed to manage elections from beginning to end – registering elector information, managing the election itself and producing electoral registers.

Northgate currently administers electoral records for over 18 million registered voters, and this recruitment further develops the company’s work in meeting the needs of local authorities and their citizens within a modernised voting system.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:

“I am delighted to announce a major expansion of our elections team. It marks a significant step forward in the development of our work in this strategic market. Our first priority is to develop new solutions which meet the challenge of modernisation and support the growth of democracy.

”We are committed to developing innovative partnerships with the public sector to meet the pressing demand of democratic renewal, and with these appointments our work in this strategic area will be considerably strengthened.”

[Ends]

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. It is committed to high quality public services and understands the public sector. That knowledge is core to its business. 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 electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; the administration of more than £12 billion of revenues and benefits; 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.

3. The new additions to the Northgate team are development manager, Jim Hodgkinson, and developers Preeti Muley, Munna Agarwal, Andrew Rushby, Ian Davies and Rajesh Vanjara.

4. Northgate plans to deliver a new Windows-based Northgate Elector and Elections Management Solution in July 2008 (Oracle database) and September 2008 (MS SQL Server database).

Northgate's healthcare expansion continues with new expert appointment

2008-03-04T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions today announces the key appointment of Carolyn Manuel-Barkin as Principal Healthcare Consultant as it drives to deliver new and innovative services, such as the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme, to healthcare organisations throughout the country.

Carolyn has extensive experience in providing formidable healthcare analysis and consultancy services across the NHS and other public services sectors. She joins Northgate from Matrix Knowledge Group, where she worked as Managing Consultant in a strategic role specialising in health and social care analysis, planning and strategy.

Having analysed US and UK healthcare policy in Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles and London, Carolyn worked closely with a number of NHS Trusts, successfully delivering healthcare projects across the country.

She joins the health team following the recent appointment of information management specialist, Patrick Palmer, earlier this month.

Northgate works at a national and local level in innovative partnerships aimed at creating public value by transforming healthcare data into information. This information can then be used to deliver enhanced decision-making through informed and evidence-based analysis, enabling clinicians and healthcare professionals to use their skills and judgement at a local level.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Healthcare Services, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Carolyn to the team. Her extensive experience will be a tremendous asset to us as we develop new opportunities and strengthen our relationships with healthcare providers. Carolyn’s appointment is indicative of Northgate’s commitment to radically improving the delivery of patient healthcare in the UK, and developing new and innovative responses to meet citizens’ needs.”

Carolyn Manuel-Barkin added: “I am looking forward to helping Northgate build upon its collaborative partnerships with healthcare providers across the country. Community health and well-being is founded on trust between local citizens and public authorities. The structure of public services means that organisational functionality can sometimes come before personal need. In healthcare, the real challenge is meeting patients’ demands for services in a way that is proactive and responsive to individual need, within an ever-changing healthcare landscape.”

-Ends-

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

3. Carolyn joins Northgate from Matrix Knowledge Group, where she worked as Managing Consultant. A skilled professional with extensive experience in healthcare policy and consultation, Carolyn has worked with NHS trusts including Barts and The London, Hammersmith, St Mary’s and Bristol. She has worked as a Health Policy Analyst for the United States Government Accountability Office, and has undertaken healthcare research at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, and the UCSF Center for the Health Professions.

Public trust in Energy Performance Certificates is key to changing behaviour

2008-03-03T00:00:00+01:00

Providing clear and accurate consumer information on Energy Performance Certificates will maintain public trust and help change behaviour, Northgate Information Solutions said today in a response to the government’s consultation on the validity period of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs).

The response welcomed the introduction of EPCs, but called for them to be provided automatically to prospective purchases rather than on demand to promote greater use of the information. Northgate also called for the central registry of EPCs to be made available to the public online, enabling people to review the energy efficiency of any house on the market.

The response recommended that local authorities be given a powerful role in the fight against climate change, and that the government considers introducing a statutory duty to improve local energy efficiency performance. Local authorities should in turn be given access to as much information as possible to ensure they can take a leading role and deliver targeted action in their communities.

A number of homeowners have expressed dismay in the media that their EPCs failed to take into account exceptional energy efficiency measures that had been installed. This is likely to intensify as the volume of EPCs rises. Northgate’s response called on the government to consider a range of measures to maintain public trust, including a ‘health warning’ on such exceptions, advice to owners of exceptionally-enhanced energy efficient houses that they could chose to undergo a more detailed energy assessment process, or amendments to the investigation process itself.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:

“Our homes are responsible for 27% of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions, and deep cuts are essential to meeting our targets for climate change. EPCs should play a vital role in changing attitudes to home energy efficiency, and maintaining trust in their operation is essential if consumer behaviour is to change.

“We would like to see greater transparency around the benefits as well as the possible limitations of EPCs, such as for exceptionally-enhanced homes. We also believe that additional information should be made available to consumers and local authorities as part a programme to encourage further action as well as understanding of energy efficiency measures.”

[ENDS]
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:

Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of innovative energy efficiency services to the public sector and utilities markets. It is committed to sustainable development and high quality public services and understands the public sector. That knowledge is core to its business. 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.

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 and services are used in the energy efficiency assessment of new dwellings and existing buildings. It is an accredited assessor of domestic energy assessors. Its services are used in the management of over three million local authority and housing association properties worldwide. Founded in 1969, the company has over 6,000 employees.

NORTHGATE DELIVERS MODERN IT INFRASTRUCTURE TO LEADING FIRE AUTHORITY

2008-03-02T00:00:00+01:00

New IT systems to help save lives in the Grampian region

An investment of £15,082 in the latest IT architecture, implemented and managed by Glasgow-based Northgate Information Solutions (Northgate) is enabling Grampian Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) to more effectively manage its services across the region.

GFRS serves communities in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray Council areas and employs more than 900 people in emergency operations, community safety and business support roles. In addition GFRS duties include the protection of key industrial sites, gas and oil terminals, active RAF bases and prisons and the Royal Residence at Balmoral Castle.

Working in partnership with Northgate, GFRS has implemented key IT infrastructure improvements including new operating systems, servers and improved security protocols, all of which have resulted in greater efficiencies throughout the service.

With the data services infrastructure changes, GFRS are able to provide the most up-to-date risk information to the widest fire service audience, ensuring that the communities of Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City have the best protection and response planning possible.

And as Bill Mitchell, Head of IT at GFRS explains, the new technology has had a noticeable impact; “The nature of what we do dictates that our systems must be robust, reliable and accurate to allow staff to perform, what is in many cases a life-saving job. Northgate provided excellent on-site advice and implemented key infrastructural improvements that are allowing us to realise our core strategies. As a result of our investment we have been able to reduce support costs and provide staff with remote access to information systems.”

Mr Mitchell continued, “By reducing the time required to manage and monitor our infrastructure we have been able to concentrate on implementing new systems which provide tangible benefits to our service, as well as improving the services delivered to the community.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Infrastructure Solutions Division with Northgate stated: “The services delivered by GFRS save lives, and we are delighted to be regarded as part of their team. We remain dedicated to ensuring that our robust managed and support solutions provide the organisation with the flexibility and enhanced capabilities required to best serve the community. We look forward developing our relationship with GFRS and congratulate the service on its success to date.”

Following the success of this project, GFRS has indicated that Northgate will continue to assist them on a number of other ICT projects.

-ENDS-

Northgate and Adapt share success of domestic energy assessor partnership

2008-02-28T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate and Adapt share success of domestic energy assessor partnership

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, and Adapt, the specialist qualification and assessment centre for energy efficiency professionals, have joined forces to train over 1,000 domestic energy assessors since January 2007 with a 100% success rate, it was announced today.

The partnership combines Northgate’s industry-leading accredited mobile software and services with Adapt’s unique learning offer to individuals embracing training, advice and support, as well as an individual learning plan for every candidate.

The partnership provides support for all those who are seeking to be qualified including building surveyors, valuers and estate agents, energy auditors, letting agents, Home Inspectors and individuals seeking a new career. Individuals are supported through the qualification process and receive training on essential construction knowledge, energy facts and how Northgate’s RdSAP software should be used. Once training has been completed they can choose whether or not to get accredited under Northgate’s accreditation scheme.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today: “The battle against climate change will only be won by an innovative and collaborative response involving us all. We are committed to providing a service which meets the need of the energy professional and recognises the important and growing role that the energy certification process will have in tackling climate change.

“The energy performance certificate has a powerful role to play in promoting awareness of energy efficiency and in bringing about a sea-change in organisational and personal attitudes towards energy usage. Having qualified, efficient and effective assessors is critical to improving the country’s record.”

Barbara Watt, Managing Director of Adapt, added: “We don’t speak up success. We demonstrate it by our track record. Our learners have benefited from a relationship that has been based on combining the best heads in energy efficiency software and accreditation services and the energy efficiency qualification process with a real commitment to change.

“Over the next eighteen months there will be significant growth in the use of energy efficiency certificates requiring specialised expertise and further accreditation. Now is the time for energy professionals to focus on extending their skills so that they are ready and prepared for the exciting changes ahead.”

-ENDS-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors

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. Northgate is committed to the sustainable and intelligent use of technology to provide energy efficient services and has accredited over 500 domestic energy inspectors.

3. In January, Northgate announced that its accreditation scheme had been approved by Communities and Local Government to deliver the remaining parts of the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD). This will cover assessors involved in the following:
- energy performance certificates for newly built homes from 6 April 2008;
- energy performance certificates on the sale, rent or construction of non-domestic buildings, starting with buildings over 10,000m2 from 6 April 2008, extended to buildings over 2500m2 from 1 July 2008 and covering all such buildings from 1 October 2008;
- display certificates in public buildings no later than October 2008.

4. Adapt is a leading accredited provider of bespoke energy efficiency training for energy efficiency professionals in the UK. It offers unique individual learning programmes to building surveyors, valuers and estate agents, energy auditors, letting agents, Home Inspectors and individuals seeking a new career in the fields of domestic and non-domestic energy assessment, home inspection and valuation.

Poor awareness of information security must be challenged from school age

2008-02-27T00:00:00+01:00

Poor awareness of information security must be challenged from school age

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today calls for information security issues to be addressed from school age onwards to enable effective information sharing and ‘personalised’ public services.

In a submission to the Data Sharing Review, conducted by the Information Commissioner and Wellcome Trust, Northgate highlights the lack of information that schools currently provide to students on information security, as well as poor understanding within organisations of how to comply with data protection legislation in practice.

The submission calls for consideration of how to include information security and data protection issues within the national curriculum, possibly as part of the citizenship agenda, and also within business management courses.

In addition to raising awareness, Northgate believes there are strong arguments for strengthening the current enforcement powers that exist, for example by introducing custodial sentences for the deliberate and wilful misuse of personal data.

Northgate also calls for the improved use of technology, including interactive tools, to protect information. The process of extracting information from databases is relatively simple, and there are a number of off-the-shelf products which can assist in this process.

Northgate aims to embed information security throughout its daily operations through regular security awareness training, written corporate security policies and procedures and the promotion of continuous improvement. The company is adopting ISO 20701 in critical parts of its business.

David Meaden, Managing Director of Public Services at Northgate Information Solutions, said today:

“In the past, people have been let down by the failure of local service providers to share information in a timely manner. The real challenge is to meet demand for services that are proactive and responsive to individual need.

“People’s nervousness around providing personal information must be addressed if public services are to rise to this challenge. This requires clear protocols, a greater understanding of what data can be shared, and transparency around the type of information being held. We must educate people from the earliest possible stage about issues relating to data protection and information security. Only through understanding these key issues will we be able to deliver proactive public services that enjoy the full consent and trust of citizens.”

[ENDS]
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:

Northgate aims to embed information security throughout its daily operations through providing regular security awareness training and written corporate security policies and procedures. Northgate’s information steering group reports to the Board and meets on a bi-monthly basis to analyse risk, share best practice and promote continuous improvement. The company is adopting ISO 20701 in critical parts of its business.

Nebraska Furniture Mart's database migration to Reality goes so smoothly, staff fail to notice the change

2008-02-24T00:00:00+01:00

IRVINE, Calif. February 24th, 2008
Northgate Information Solutions and the Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM) today announced the successful migration of NFM's retail applications to Reality, a MultiValue relational data management system provided by Northgate. The migration, which took only 12 months to complete, went without a hitch. During that period, Northgate assisted NFM in migrating nearly a billion data records together with the suite of sophisticated in-house retail applications used by NFM, the largest furniture retail outlet in the U.S. Before switching to Reality, NFM had been using mvEnterprise from Raining Data.

"Going live was a non-event," says David Ragan, NFM's Senior Database Administrator. "We came in at 6.00am the morning of the cutover expecting a flood of panic calls, but the phones never rang. When we asked people how they were getting on with the new system, they replied 'What new system?' They had no clue we'd switched products overnight."

An even tougher test of Reality's resilience came on Black Friday, when sales volumes are ten times greater than on any other day of the year, and peak-time crowds can reach 3,000 in a single store.

As David explains: "We sailed through with only a handful of issues. The fact that senior management had no concerns with doing this upgrade just a few weeks before Black Friday and heading into the busy holiday season demonstrates the faith we had in Reality."

In the beginning, however, Reality was not even a contender for NFM's database upgrade. NFM sent an RFI to Northgate 'as a courtesy'. But the NFM team soon noticed that Reality had a lot to offer and their staff showed a unique readiness to adapt to NFM's requirements. By the end of the first-round of evaluations, Northgate was on a shortlist of two. Feedback from existing users helped with the selection process.

"Everyone we spoke to was thrilled with the performance of their database," says David. "It was only when we delved deeper that differences emerged. Users of other MultiValue products seemed satisfied that crashes were as infrequent as one a month; Reality users couldn't remember the last time their system crashed."

NFM saved time and money on the upgrade process. David believes that it would have taken two years to get where they are now if they had chosen another database provider.

He adds: "We saved on staff resources too. We thought we would have to throw the entire IT team into this project. In the end, a large portion of the work was done by just two people. Other than a couple of months of intense testing, the majority of the team was able to continue with their normal day-to-day business tasks."

When NFM first chose Northgate, many industry observers thought the retailer was making a mistake. Some were skeptical that Reality could even scale to the size that NFM needed. David himself admits he had some reservations. At every stage in the process, however, Northgate proved their worth. One of their earliest successes was to identify and resolve an NFM system hardware issue. The problem was so well hidden, NFM was not even aware of it themselves.

Northgate engineers also speeded up the data change-over process. They pioneered a new technique that took completed transactions from the live mvEnterprise system and dropped them into the waiting Reality database. The result was a ready-made, near-real-time copy of the live database. It cut switchover down-time from over 24 hours to less than an hour.

John Seaman, Reality Sales Director, was aware that Northgate was the underdog in the race to secure the NFM contract. "That kind of challenge doesn't worry us," he says. "Over the years, we've upgraded dozens of MultiValue database sites of all flavors and sizes. We never say that the upgrade path will be painless, but we can say that no customer who has gone down that route has ever regretted their choice."

About Nebraska Furniture Mart
Nebraska Furniture Mart was founded in 1937 in Omaha, Nebraska by Rose Blumkin. She set up in the basement of her husband's jewelry store with a $500 investment. In 1983, Warren Buffett purchased a majority interest in NFM and made it part of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies.
For more than 60 years, NFM has sold a wide range of goods including furniture, appliances, electronics, computers and flooring. NFM continues to maintain its tradition of selling cheap, telling the truth and providing the greatest selection and service.
When billionaire investor Warren Buffett bought 90% of the business, he sealed the $60 million deal with a simple handshake with NFM founder, Rose Blumkin. He later said: "I would rather have her word than that of all the Big 8 auditors…it's like dealing with the Bank of England."

About Northgate
Northgate Information Solutions is a major supplier of software applications and outsourcing solutions to the public services, human resources and corporate markets. Founded in 1969, the company has over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across five continents. By getting to the heart of application-specific processes, Northgate helps organizations increase their business-process efficiency. Northgate also manages customers' key systems, providing a broad range of outsourced solutions available at client sites or hosted at its own secure sites.

Northgate clients bag Land Charges Industry Achievement Awards

2008-02-22T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate clients bag Land Charges Industry Achievement Awards

Northgate Information Solutions congratulates five of its clients – Merton, Portsmouth, Crewe and Nantwich, Reading and Torridge councils – on their success in the first ever Land Charges Industry Achievement Awards, organised by C-NLIS (Council for the National Land Information Service)

The winners are:

• London Borough of Merton District Council, Local Land Charges Institute Past Presidents Award

• Portsmouth City Council, Best Performing Local Land Charges Department

• Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, Marketing Innovation

• Reading Borough Council, Customer Satisfaction for Local Authority Searches

• Torridge District Council, Customer Satisfaction for Personal Searches

Judges included industry experts from the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPPs), C-NLIS, the Council of Property Search Organisations (COPSO), the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), the Law Society, the Local Land Charges Institute (LLCI), the NLIS Hub, the Partnership and Thames Water Property Insight.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:

“We are delighted to congratulate Merton, Portsmouth, Crewe and Nantwich, Reading and Torridge councils on winning these awards which are a tribute to their hard work and dedication. They lead by example and we look forward to continuing our work together to provide efficient and effective search services across England and Wales, to promote continuous improvement and to raise standards across the board.”

Northgate gears up its healthcare innovation drive with new expert appointment

2008-02-19T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate gears up its healthcare innovation drive with new expert appointment

Northgate Information Solutions today announces the appointment of healthcare information management specialist, Patrick Palmer, to its Healthcare Services team as the company strengthens its drive to deliver innovation to healthcare organisations across the country.

A highly skilled professional with over twenty years’ expertise, Patrick joins from Ardentia. He was previously a Director of Infocus Health where he was responsible for leading the development of new information management services for the NHS. He has previously advised Connecting for Health on the delivery of its national programme, the 18-week patient pathway.

His appointment follows Northgate’s recent appointment to the Additional Supply Capability and Capacity (ASSC) Framework Agreement by NHS Connecting for Health, and its successful work with the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening programme.

The company has plans for further expansion to its healthcare services team.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Healthcare Services, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Patrick on board. His appointment represents the company’s commitment to delivering radical and rapid improvements to the country’s healthcare organisations. As the NHS reaches it sixtieth anniversary arguably the challenges faced by it have never been so great. Our services are dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of the nation.

“It is only by working and involving healthcare professionals in innovative partnerships that we will be able to get rid of the data-rich, information-poor environment that bedevils our health service. Enhanced analysis and decision-making can result from the use of more and better information, enabling clinicians and healthcare professionals to use their skills and judgement at a local level and providing healthcare services that people want and need.”

Patrick Palmer added: “I am delighted to be joining Northgate at such an exciting period of growth in its healthcare services. I believe that Northgate’s track record in being the leading provider of community well-being services uniquely positions it in helping healthcare professionals to better understand and address the complex and inter-related health and social care needs of the citizen.”
Ends
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

3. Patrick comes to Northgate from Ardentia Limited, where he was Product Manager, having been the Director of Infocus Health Limited for six years before it was sold to the company in 2006. With over twenty years experience, Patrick has previously worked with CHKS Limited, a leading provider of analytical benchmarking to the NHS, and British Telecom.

Grampian Police announces positive outcomes from performance management project

2008-02-18T00:00:00+01:00

Grampian Police announces positive outcomes from performance management project

Grampian Police’s drive to embed a performance culture across the force has resulted in positive improvements in performance in 2006/2007, according to information collected by its innovative Improvement through Knowledge and Performance system (IKAP).

Between 2005/2006 and 2006/2007, the Force has achieved the following performance and process improvements:

• Recorded crimes for Groups 1-5 (violence, indecency, dishonesty, fire-raising and malicious and reckless conduct, and other crimes) have fallen by 4.6%;
• Record detection rates of 41.4% for Groups 1-5 crimes, compared to 38.5% in 2005/2006;
• The lowest ever level of domestic housebreaking, with an 18.9% reduction on 2005/2006;
• A 12.4% increase in the number of reports submitted to the Procurator Fiscal within 28 days, exceeding the national target.

The IKAP service assists Grampian to track, understand and manage critical aspects of its strategic performance. To support the change management process, Northgate provides Grampian Police with a single, consistent and effective point for performance information through its Enterprise Information Solution (EIS). This enables Grampian to fully analyse its performance from strategic priorities through to the Force’s operational activities. Further enhancements to performance are planned through improved data sharing and resource allocation.

The Force’s success has helped inform the Scottish Policing Performance Framework and indicators, currently being used by the Scottish Government, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS), and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS).

Colin Menzies, Temporary Assistant Chief Constable at Grampian Police, said today: “The aim of the IKAP system is to develop a knowledge-based Performance Management culture that allows us to more fully understand our business and ultimately to assist us in effectively achieving our local priorities while supporting national performance management objectives. The early results are very encouraging and have consolidated the Force’s approach to strategic planning and provided sound performance information to support our National Intelligence Model (NIM) processes. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Northgate, collaborating and benefiting from our shared experience and knowledge, to achieve the maximum benefit from IKAP and improve service delivery to our communities.”

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety at Northgate Public Services, added: “We are delighted to be supporting Grampian Police in building a culture of performance improvement. The intelligent use of information supports the police service in transforming their performance and efficiency in delivering first-class public services to citizens. This will be imperative in encouraging faith in the criminal justice system and ultimately build safer and stronger communities.”

- Ends -

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

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. Northgate delivers performance management consultancy and services to the criminal justice, health and local government markets.

ALL SCHOOLS IN NORTHERN IRELAND TO RECEIVE NEW LAPTOPS

2008-02-18T00:00:00+01:00

LL SCHOOLS IN NORTHERN IRELAND TO RECEIVE NEW LAPTOPS

Every school in Northern Ireland will receive brand new laptops before June 2008 under a programme being rolled out by the Department of Education and C2k in conjunction with Northgate Education. Twenty thousand new laptops will be provided to nursery, primary, post-primary and special schools under the C2k Managed Service Laptop Option.

The C2k Managed Service Laptop Option provides schools with notebooks and carrying cases. It is up to each school to decide how to use their allocated laptops. They can be used by teachers for their own school work or used as an additional classroom computer. Therefore, schools can ensure that their teachers are provided with high level access to ICT at school and home.

The programme will provide software, including titles from a bank of 250 curriculum resources, as well as Windows XP and access to the Management Information System in the school. Northgate Education provide the laptops as part of their ICT Managed service to all schools in NI ensuring hardware and software are operating at maximum efficiency. The ICT specialist provider’s helpdesk ensures schools have all of the access and support they need until November 2011.

Grove Primary in Belfast is one of the first schools to have received the new laptops. Susan Mitchell, ICT Co-ordinator at Grove Primary, took delivery of six new Dell notebooks last week and is ecstatic about the flexibility and improved efficiency that will follow as a result. “The introduction of the laptops has meant that now teachers can access school files at home, allowing them to download forms which are essential for the tracking the progress of pupils. It also enables teachers to access the intranet from home and upload files to print off at school. This enables teachers to keep their pupils up-to-date with news and events as they happen.”

Mary Kane, C2k Implementation Manager explained, “This is a pioneering project by the Department of Education to provide 20,000 laptops to nursery, primary, post-primary, and special schools. We are confident that this huge investment will increase the pace at which ICT is being embedded in schools and will provide teachers with flexible and secure access to their school work.”

Stuart Gunning, C2k Client Director at Northgate Education believes this initiative will be extremely welcome in schools. “All schools will have leading-edge laptops and it won’t cost them a single penny. The C2k Managed Service Laptop Option will provide universal access for the first time,” he said. “Increasingly teachers have to juggle their time and cannot set aside specific periods to access ICT. They need to be able to log on at a time and a place that suits them. They have never had that opportunity before. They will now be able to use the machines in school or via the internet from home. They can be confident that they can pick up their work, plan their lessons and access data in a safe and secure manner. We are aiming to make the whole process as seamless as possible.”

Ends

For further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 9039 3837

Notes to editors:

About Northgate Information Solutions (www.northgate-is.com/education)

Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the global human resources and UK local government, education and public safety markets.

Northgate, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, employs over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Northgate has approximately 4,500 large/medium customers and approximately 10,500 small to medium enterprise (SME) customers worldwide. Northgate delivers Human Resources solutions to many of the world’s largest organisations, as well as working with 90% of the UK local authorities and all of the UK’s regional police forces.

Northgate Education, Northgate’s specialist Education division, is a leading provider of managed services and solutions in the UK. It provides technology services to over 1,200 schools, with more than 350,000 teachers and learners successfully supported by the company. Northgate provides services to every school in Northern Ireland through C2k, the largest and most comprehensive e-learning initiative ever implemented in the UK. It also provides Information and Communication Technology (ICT) managed services to Bristol City Council and Leicester City Council as part of the government's Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF) and to over 150 education sites in Hartlepool, from primary schools through to further education. In January 2007, Northgate was awarded an ISO 20000-1 accreditation by the British Standards Institution, for provision of IT service management activities.

C2K, on behalf of the five education and library boards and is responsible for the provision of an information and communications (ICT) managed service to all 1200 schools in NI. C2K is part of the Department of Education for NI and is part funded by the European Union under the Building Sustainable Prosperity programme.

HumanConcepts Forges Alliance with Northgate HR

2008-02-18T00:00:00+01:00

OrgPlus to Add Workforce Planning Capability to Northgate HR and Payroll Solution

Exeter – 18 February 2008 – HumanConcepts, the developer of OrgPlus® today announced a strategic partnership with leading payroll and pensions management solution provider Northgate HR. The partnership will integrate OrgPlus intelligent organisational charting and workforce modelling solution with Northgate’s HR and Payroll solution. Northgate HR’s customers will benefit from the convenience of a unified view of employee data stored in Northgate’s HR and Payroll System with tools to model business scenarios and plan for change.

The partnership extends the value of Northgate HR solutions by providing users with easy and secure access to graphical views of employee information, organisational structures and directories through a web browser. OrgPlus provides executives with a real-time dashboard of their workforce, provides managers the tools and information they need to plan and action workforce change, and empowers decision-makers with a better understanding of their organisations and available resources.
The added OrgPlus capability will assist HR professionals to plan and execute workforce management tasks including succession planning, talent acquisition and management, budgeting, compensation and benefits planning and communicating a corporate employee directory. Additionally, OrgPlus allows ‘what if’ scenario planning critical for successful change management, re-organisation and merger and acquisition activity.
Rue Stanley, Partnership and Alliances Director at Northgate HR comments, “Within our customer base we are seeing a greater need for automation tools such as OrgPlus. HR’s increasingly strategic role in organisations means that managers are in need of tools which allow them to view accurate workforce data, which can be modeled quickly to meet the changing needs of business requirements.”

-ends-

About HumanConcepts
HumanConcepts is the leading provider of workforce modelling and intelligence solutions. With its OrgPlus technology charting millions of employees for organisations worldwide, including 400 of the Fortune 500, HumanConcepts has defined best practices in organisational charting. OrgPlus integrates with HR systems to automatically create, update and distribute organisational charts for team collaboration, workforce planning and critical decision-making. OrgPlus integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office applications.

HumanConcepts is based in California with offices in the United Kingdom and Germany and offers OrgPlus software and services worldwide. For more information visit www.orgplus.co.uk.

CONTACT:
Gillian Lomax
HumanConcepts
+44 (0) 1392 823023
gillian.lomax@humanconcepts.com

About Northgate HR
Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the human resources, local government, education and public safety markets.

Northgate, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, currently employs over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Northgate has approximately 4,500 large/medium customers and approximately 10,500 small to medium enterprise (SME) customers world wide. The many corporate organisations Northgate works closely with include over 20% of fortune 500 clients ,90% of the UK local authorities and all of the UK’s police forces.

Paperless HR set to lead the way in 2008

2008-02-13T00:00:00+01:00

~ paper-heavy departments spearheading green initiatives ~

The HR department is set to go green in 2008, according to research carried out by Harte Hanks on behalf of Northgate HR. Almost one third (29 per cent) of British companies are planning to move payroll processes online this year, removing one of the most paper-intensive parts of the business.

Online HR processes allow employees to enter expenses, absence forms, and other admin duties online instead of using paper. The research revealed these processes are becoming increasingly popular, with one third of firms planning to increase their use of ‘self-service’ HR to save more paper in 2008. The research was carried out at the end of 2007 among over 200 senior HR executives in the UK.

“It’s often HR that sets the green agenda for the rest of the company, and green initiatives are no exception,” said Malcolm Aldis, CEO at Northgate HR. “It’s encouraging to see that HR managers are practicing what they preach and setting the examples of best practice. Using a self-service system, employees and line managers can process and approve expense claims, absence forms and perform other administration duties online – eliminating the need for paper.”

South East housing association The Hyde Group started its move into a paperless environment in 2007. Through processing job application forms and other HR administration online, it now estimates it saves 95,000 sheets of paper every year – enough to cover a football pitch.

“The HR department has really set the green standard for the rest of the organisation,” said Roddy Horton at the Hyde Group. “Moving HR admin online also allows managers to access forms remotely, and keep a clear audit trail.”

“It’s easy to challenge our reliance on paper, and the shift is as much about a change in employees’ attitude as it is about new technology,” continued Malcolm Aldis at Northgate HR. “There’s still a long way to go, but this research proves that green issues are moving up the HR agenda. The paperless office, at least in the HR department, is becoming a realistic prospect.”

(355 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS
About Northgate HR (www.northgate-is.com/hrs)
With over 40 years’ experience, Northgate HR is the UK’s largest supplier of HR, payroll and pensions applications. Northgate HR solutions are developed to provide maximum flexibility and seamless integration. They can cater for the diverse requirements of HR, payroll, benefits and pension management across all market sectors and in organisations of any size.

Solutions can be delivered in-house, via an Application Service Provider (ASP) or outsourced, providing forward thinking and state-of-the-art business management tools. With a comprehensive suite of software solutions combined with unparalleled levels of expertise, Northgate HR can fulfil its vision to provide solutions that simplify key business tasks and deliver value added benefits to customers, enabling them to provide vital human capital information to assist in HR management and business strategy.

Northgate HR is the specialist HR and Payroll systems division of Northgate Information Solutions. Northgate Information Solutions plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For further information visit Northgate Information Solutions at www.northgate-is.com.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626                               Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: Kellyd/suzyf@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

Devon and Cornwall police give officer safety a boost

2008-02-11T00:00:00+01:00

11th February 2008

Devon and Cornwall police give officer safety a boost

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary has reaped the dividends of its new officer safety service when it was able to avert a potential attack on a policeman, it was announced today.

Working in partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, the police force introduced an innovative police protection system which improves the speed and efficiency of control room communications, and saves crucial time in which to respond appropriately.

The effectiveness of the service was highlighted when an on-duty officer was called to an incident in a rural location involving a possible drink driver and was confronted by the suspect removing the muzzle from his Rottweiler dog. The officer called for assistance and control room staff were able to locate the officer onscreen and direct other units to the scene where the suspect was arrested quickly and safely.

The new system enables:

- the protection of every officer in the community by comprehensive monitoring of their movements, whilst control room staff are given full access to up to date officer information;
- speedier police response times to incidents, increasing public safety;
- more time for specialist staff to focus on targeting police activity through faster processing of officer requests.

Superintendent Peter Strawbridge at Devon and Cornwall Police said today:

"Providing a world class service to people in Devon and Cornwall is our number one priority and police always face some danger delivering this. Our new partnership with Northgate allows officers and vehicles to be located quickly and accurately, significantly enhancing officer safety, particularly in rural and off-road situations. The new service supports our total commitment to our staff and helps us meet the policing needs of our neighbourhoods."

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety at Northgate Information Solutions, added:

“We want to give staff in control rooms and in the field the confidence that challenging incidents will be dealt with effectively and efficiently. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Devon and Cornwall Police to provide protection for police and citizens, building healthier communities and greater trust in the criminal justice system.

- Ends -

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Note to editors:

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 6,490 employees.

3. Northgate’s Automatic Person Location System (APLS) integrates with a Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate individual officers in the field more effectively and allow the deployment of available resources.

Outsourcing deal 'leads the way' for government efficiency

2008-02-11T00:00:00+01:00

~ HR and payroll outsourcing saves Council £50,000 ~

Dartford Borough Council is the first UK council to fully outsource its HR and payroll function, enabling it to meet government efficiency targets. Northgate HR will now manage the associated processes, saving an estimated £50,000 per year, and providing a more efficient and effective service to employees.

The first payroll run for Dartford Council’s 400 employees is scheduled for April, underpinned by ResourceLink, Northgate HR’s fully integrated HR and payroll solution. All HR functions including recruitment, absence management and employee retention have been outsourced to Northgate HR since October 2007.

“By outsourcing all HR and payroll we’re able to take advantage of Northgate HR’s expertise and vast experience in the area – it’s a fantastic bank of knowledge we’d never have been able to replicate in-house,” said Steve Brooks, Head of Finance and Resources at Dartford Borough Council. “We started to review our options to provide a better HR service to our internal customers and soon realised that the Northgate offer would transform the way we provide the service at a lower cost. It quickly became obvious that we should include payroll in the deal.”

“As the first local council in the UK to outsource all of its HR and payroll processes, Dartford is setting the standard for other organisations which need to comply with government initiatives,” said Sara Brown, public sector manager at Northgate HR. “It’s an exciting time as the Council starts to reap the benefits of the service.”
(258 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Northgate HR
Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of innovative technology solutions to the public services 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.

In the UK, Northgate works with four out of five local authorities and every police force. Its systems are used in the management of over 1.5 million local authority and housing association properties out of a total of approximately 4 million in England; in the administration of more than £17 billion of revenues and benefits; and in electoral administration systems covering over 18 million people. Founded in 1969, the company has over 3,300 employees.

For further information, please contact:
Suzy Ferguson / Lisa Gillingham
LEWIS PR
020 7802 2626
suzyf / lisag@lewispr.com

Northgate urges Darzi to put people and a joined-up approach at the heart of health service transformation

2008-02-07T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE
7th February 2008

Northgate urges Darzi to put people and a joined-up approach at the heart of health service transformation

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today urged the government to reduce health inequalities by putting people at the heart of health service transformation.

In a wide-ranging response to Lord Darzi’s interim report ‘Our NHS, our future’, Northgate argues that new forms of collaboration between the public, private and not-for-profit sectors are vital to promoting community well-being.

The report calls for an acceptance that many of the factors which give rise to health inequalities lie outside the control of the NHS, as well as a more joined-up approach to public health, including:

• broader social policy interventions engaging a wider group of professionals;
• increased investment and the prioritisation of resources to support comprehensive public health programmes involving relevant agencies;
• the intelligent use of technology to transform data into information which can be used to manage performance and drive through service improvement.

The response says that within the NHS, clinicians and other healthcare professionals are often in the best position to develop services which meet the needs of patients most effectively. In turn, healthcare professionals have to fully engage individuals in their healthcare. It also says that technology failure within the NHS is often down to poor change management which fails to build the trust of professionals and employees in whose hands ultimate success lies. It welcomes the focus on innovation and quality.

David Meaden, Managing Director of Public Services, said today: “If we are to tackle the injustice of persistent health inequalities we need a comprehensive approach and committed approach. One that places people at the heart of transformational change. Strategies for improving health inequalities by early interventions, such as screening programmes, should be fully integrated with strategies focused on tackling disadvantage.

“It is difficult to evaluate public health service delivery when there are no figures maintained on public health expenditure. If public engagement is to be harnessed then both national and local services must be accountable. This public health information gap must be filled if public trust is to be enhanced and public satisfaction improved.

[ENDS]
For more information
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566 291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to editors

Northgate assists the public sector to promote community well-being by helping them provide citizens with accessible and responsive one-stop services based on clear and detailed information; by engaging with public sector employees to transfer and enhance skills; and by working with public sector management to enhance performance management.

Healthcare organisations are under increasing pressure to continuously improve services, to personalise them for patients, and to deliver the highest standards of care. At the same time they must reach out to their communities to reduce health inequalities.

Northgate works with organisations across the country to improve health outcomes. We support commissioners in effective decision-making; enable doctors to monitor and improve their performance; and provide patients with the information they need to exercise meaningful choice. Whether supporting world-leading screening programmes, managing national health registries or delivering state-of-the-art information systems for NHS Trusts, Northgate puts the patient at the heart of health services.

Scotiabank signs five-year payroll deal with ARINSO

2008-02-06T00:00:00+01:00

~ multi-million dollar contract will deliver dynamic SAP-based payroll
for 43,000 employees and pensioners ~

Canadian-based banking group, Scotiabank, has signed a five-year, multi-million dollar payroll outsourcing contract with ARINSO International.

ARINSO International, a Northgate HR company, will implement a new payroll solution, based on SAP, to deliver payroll services to 43,000 of the bank’s employees and pensioners. The deal also includes application management outsourcing and hosting services.

“Just as Scotiabank seeks to provide premier banking services to its 12.5 million customers worldwide, so is it seeking to provide exceptional service to its employees,” said Marjory Buttrum, Vice President Human Resources at Scotiabank. “ARINSO’s solution will integrate with our other applications to deliver a payroll that’s reliable, accurate, efficient and easy to use.”

Pierre Rochette, Vice President of Sales at ARINSO Canada, added, “The solution we have designed for Scotiabank has been tailored to the technical and business needs of the bank, ensuring it meets its objectives to reduce costs while improving performance.”

(171 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Scotiabank Group
Scotiabank is one of North America's premier financial institutions and Canada's most international bank. With more than 60,000 employees, Scotiabank Group and its affiliates serve approximately 12.5 million customers in some 50 countries around the world. Scotiabank offers a diverse range of products and services including personal, commercial, corporate and investment banking. With $412 billion in assets (as of October 31, 2007), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (BNS) and New York Exchanges (BNS). For more information please visit http://www.scotiabank.com

ARINSO International - a Northgate HR company

ARINSO International – a Northgate company – is a global HR Services partner offering innovative HR business solutions to the world's largest employers. ARINSO is dedicated to HR Excellence through Business Consulting, Outsourcing Services and Integration Services.

ARINSO is part of Northgate Information Solutions, a UK-based market leader of software applications and outsourcing solutions.

For more information about ARINSO please visit http://www.arinso.com/

Northgate secures mobile services contracts worth £1.2 million

2008-02-05T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE

5th February 2008

Northgate secures mobile services contracts worth £1.2 million

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, has signed two contracts worth a total of £1.2 million to promote efficient, effective and environmentally-friendly services.

Northgate will support Places for People, the leading housing and development organisation, and Service Birmingham, the strategic partnership between Birmingham City Council and Capita, to take their services out to local communities.

At Places for People, it will provide around 1,000 housing officers across the country with the ability to improve services for residents whilst out in the field. Maintenance requests can be logged on-the-spot, queries answered immediately, and residents receive help with completing housing application forms or amending payment schedules in their own homes. Staff will also benefit through reduced travel and the ability to work from home through removing the need to collect and return case files.

As part of its wider transformation programme, Service Birmingham has now selected Northgate as its preferred supplier for mobile services across the city. It will be used primarily by the housing department to find more innovative ways of delivering services that benefit both employees and citizens, particularly in the most vulnerable communities.

For both organisations, the increased use of mobile services will:
- speed up the delivery of personalised services for citizens and residents;
- deliver effective services more efficiently;
- support the introduction of flexible working practices such as home-working;
- reduce their carbon footprint, through minimising return trips to and from the office to collect essential information.

Tony Hayes, Head of Information Management & Technology at Places for People, said today:
“Places for People focuses on creating places where people choose to live – whether that means providing brand new communities or transforming existing neighbourhoods into vibrant, popular areas to live and work. Our partnership with Northgate will enable us to deliver improvements to our services quickly, right at the point of need, through empowering our staff to take action in their communities.”

Roger Preece, Director of ICT at Service Birmingham added:
“We are committed to providing residents with public services that are tailored to their needs, that they only have to ask for once, and that are delivered in ways that they prefer. Through working with Northgate and other partners, we will provide staff and citizens alike with personalised and responsive services, more efficiently.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, concluded:
“Citizens increasingly expect public services to be delivered in ways that meet their particular circumstances and needs. Northgate supports organisations to deliver proactive public services through enabling staff to take action out in their communities. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Places for People and Service Birmingham, two innovative organisations that are placing the needs of citizens and sustainable communities at their heart.”

[Ends]

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:

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.

3. Northgate has a long-standing business relationship with Kirona and has worked in close partnership to develop a number of ground-breaking Intelligent Mobile applications. Northgate is currently delivering Intelligent Mobile services to over 70 customers. The information can be accessed using tablet PCs, personal digital assistants or other mobile devices, and can operate over any communications network.

4. Places for People is one of the largest property management and development companies in the UK, committed to providing sustainable communities. Our focus is on creating places where people choose to live - whether that means providing new communities or transforming existing neighbourhoods into vibrant, popular areas to live and prosper.

5. Service Birmingham is an innovative, unique strategic partnership between Birmingham City Council and Capita which will support the transformation in the way the Council works; improving services and contributing to its efficiency agenda. This strategic partnership forms part of the Council's objective to find better and more innovative ways of delivering services for the benefit of employees and citizens. The principle of this Joint Venture focuses on the provision of cost effective, sector leading, ICT services and in supporting the Council in achieving its Business Transformation objectives.

Self-service HR cuts absence admin at MB Wirral

2008-02-04T00:00:00+01:00

~ new ResourceLink module from Northgate HR removes
pain from managing sickness ~

The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral has signed a 3-year contract with Northgate HR to manage its HR and payroll processes. The contract for Northgate’s integrated HR and payroll solution ResourceLink will include a Manager Absence module. This allows an automated online process for managing absence and will cut out the double-checking and manual keying in of sickness details.

The Council has worked with Northgate since 1998, which had a significant effect on the decision to broaden the relationship through the implementation of ResourceLink.

“Managing absence is an admin intensive process, which stops HR employees from concentrating on more interesting tasks,” said Sara Brown, Public Sector Manager at Northgate HR. “Using ResourceLink will enable managers to log on and process claims from anywhere which is faster and much more convenient. It also means that the Council will have a clear audit trail, which can’t be guaranteed with manual processes.”

The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral has worked with Northgate since 1998 and is continuing the relationship to help reduce HR administration, allowing the organisation to focus on adding value to the council and providing a better service to employees and the local community.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Northgate HR (www.northgate-is.com/hrs)
With over 40 years’ experience, Northgate HR is the UK’s largest supplier of HR, payroll and pensions applications. Northgate HR solutions are developed to provide maximum flexibility and seamless integration. They can cater for the diverse requirements of HR, payroll, benefits and pension management across all market sectors and in organisations of any size.

Solutions can be delivered in-house, via an Application Service Provider (ASP) or outsourced, providing forward thinking and state-of-the-art business management tools. With a comprehensive suite of software solutions combined with unparalleled levels of expertise, Northgate HR can fulfil its vision to provide solutions that simplify key business tasks and deliver value added benefits to customers, enabling them to provide vital human capital information to assist in HR management and business strategy.

Northgate HR is the specialist HR and Payroll systems division of Northgate Information Solutions. Northgate Information Solutions plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For further information visit Northgate Information Solutions at www.northgate-is.com.

For further information, please contact:
Lisa Gillingham or Kelly Desinioti at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: lisag/kellyd@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

Innovative Technology to Support Transformation of Learning and Teaching in Leicester

2008-02-03T00:00:00+01:00

Leicester is set to become a world class online learning city, creating an environment of learning anytime, anywhere as part of its ongoing city-wide regeneration. Working with Northgate Education, Leicester City Council will see a massive £27 million invested in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) bringing Leicester secondary schools to the forefront of education.

Under the Building Schools for the Future programme (BSF) Leicester City secondary schools will benefit from over £235 million investment making them some of the most advanced schools in the country. Leicester is among the first UK authorities to be part of the Government’s BSF programme which is a new approach to investing in schools to create the best possible setting for young people to learn in and meet their educational needs.

The project will see all 16 secondary schools in Leicester rebuilt or re-modelled and upgraded to provide flexible and attractive learning environments that better support learning. As part of the Building Schools for the Future scheme, each secondary aged child in Leicester will be educated in a 21st Century environment. As just one part of the project, each school will be equipped with the very latest innovative learning and teaching tools, such as an online learning environment to make learning more engaging and exciting.

Leicester will be ahead of other authorities by providing each child with a Managed Learning Environment (MLE) called N-able from ICT specialist Northgate Education. A Managed Learning Environment provides students with their own personalised learning area with the support and assistance they need to maximise their independent learning and to progress in line with their own individual learning plan. Implementation of N-able will be tailored to the requirements of each individual school and will incorporate the Fronter Virtual Learning Environment and resources currently used in the city primary schools. Accessible via the internet from any location, N-able will give each learner their own personal online space to work on assignments, store their work and access emails enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students.

The first schools to benefit from N-able will be Beaumont Leys Secondary School, Fullhurst Community College, Judgemeadow Community College and Evington and Soar Valley College. Each of the schools will be fully equipped with high speed broadband giving learners access to a variety of engaging online learning resources to help support their education. To help control paper wastage, each school will have a centrally managed printing solution which reduces the amount of printers and paper used by the schools to help maintain a more ‘green’ school environment. Teachers will be supplied with a digital tool to enable them to continually assess learners work and offer as much or as little guidance as students might need. N-able will also allow schools to incorporate administration systems such as registration, student assessment and cashless catering to reduce administration and reporting time and allow teachers to once again focus on teaching.

Combining academic information and school administration systems, over the course of the project N-able can provide parents with secure access to information about their child such as their attendance, their homework assignments and their assessments. Leicester parents will be able to keep up to date with their child’s achievements online and really get involved in their child’s education improving communication between parents, school and students.

Cllr Vi Dempster, Cabinet Member for Child and Young People’s Services commented: “By creating stronger links between home and school, the managed learning platform encourages young learners to view their education as more than just what goes on in a classroom. N-able allows children to really take ownership and control of their own learning and promotes lifelong learning which is at the heart of what we are trying to achieve.”

The implementation of a managed learning environment will enable learners and teachers to share and store work and resources that can be securely accessed anywhere and anytime. N-able is part of a wider ICT managed service provided for the schools by Northgate Education. Once completed schools will have access to helpdesk and a school based technician to ensure any computer problems are fixed swiftly to minimise disruption to education. The schools will also benefit from Smart Card technology. Used by students to register for their morning and afternoon classes, Smart Cards allow the school to monitor pupil’s attendance and reduce truancy. Smart Card technology will also be implemented to provide cashless catering with the facility for parents to top up the cards on-line – which means children no longer have to bring money to school as well as school library access.

David Hyland, Building Schools for the Future Director, Northgate Education, commented: “We are extremely proud to be involved in Leicester’s Building Schools for the Future project to transform learning and teaching across the city’s schools. By installing innovative technology Leicester secondary schools are going way beyond Government requirements to ensure that students have the best possible education resources available. It’s fantastic to work with a forward thinking authority such as Leicester to create schools at the forefront of learning. We are delighted to be involved in this project and feel the benefits to young learners will make Leicester a best practice model for BSF projects in other areas.”

The BSF project will ensure that Leicester schools will have high quality facilities and integrated information and communication technology way ahead of other areas to help deliver personalised learning tailored to the needs, interests and aptitudes of every secondary aged child in the city.
--- Ends---

Date: 01.04.08 Ref:NG010

For press enquiries please contact Judith Castle at Livewire Public Relations, tel: +44 (0)20 8339 7440 or e-mail judith.castle@livewirepr.com.

Notes to editors:

About Northgate Information Solutions (www.northgate-is.com/education)
Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the global human resources and UK local government, education and public safety markets.

Northgate employs over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

About BSF (www.bsf.gov.uk)
Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a DCSF (Department for Children Schools and Families) programme to raise educational attainment by rebuilding or renewing every secondary school in England over the next 15 years. Subject to future spending reviews, the Government has allocated £2.2 billion capital expenditure each year to the BSF programme.

Legal issues cause HR headache

2008-02-02T00:00:00+01:00

~ legislative compliance is number one worry for UK HR managers ~

Keeping ahead of legislation is the biggest day-to-day concern for 83 per cent of HR and payroll professionals, Northgate HR research has found.

The study, conducted by Harte Hanks Research, also showed that legislation is the primary concern for HR professionals, over people-focused concerns such as improving employee productivity and boosting morale.

The research found that the top five worries for HR and payroll professionals are:
• Keeping ahead of legislation: 83 per cent
• Employee productivity: 74 per cent
• Getting the most out of IT systems: 75 per cent
• Reward and recognition: 72 per cent
• Improving employee morale: 71 per cent

This legislative burden is in danger of blocking innovation, according to Marika Hall, HRO business manager at Northgate HR: “Staying ahead of new legislation is obviously important, and HR’s responsibility. But the fact that so many feel it’s their biggest worry rings alarm bells,” said Hall. “It’s very
time-consuming to even understand the legislation if you’re not a legal expert, let alone identify the implications for the organisation and then implement any policy changes, ensuring that the workforce is compliant. HR’s time is better spent focusing on people, not processes, leaving the worry of implementing legislative compliance to expert suppliers.”

“If HR directors are bogged down by details, their focus is not on their number one priority: their people. Talent management – an area vital for HR to prepare the organisation for the future – should be at the top of the list, not languishing at tenth place because other issues are taking up HR’s time. Devising new ways to recruit, retain and develop staff should be the number one priority for HR professionals,” Hall concluded.

(299 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the research

Harte Hanks conducted the research in behalf of Northgate HR in late 2007. It is the forth wave in a series of research projects Harte Hanks has carried out for the company, which started in 2002. The primary objective of the research was to understand how Northgate HR and its competitors are perceived in the market, and to establish the significant issues effecting HR Directors in 2008.

Harte Hanks surveyed 201 senior finance and HR decision makers, all of whom work at companies employing over 500 people.

For further information, please contact:
Suzy Ferguson or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: suzyf / lisag@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

Avon & Somerset police extends partnership with Northgate

2008-02-01T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE

1st February 2008

Avon & Somerset police extends partnership with Northgate

Avon & Somerset Constabulary today announces that it is extending its partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, in order to provide key information to officers when and where they need it most.

Under a £500,000 four-year contract signed in October 2007, Northgate is working to further improve the Force’s use of its Guardian Records Management System.

Northgate already supports Avon & Somerset officers to act quickly based on accurate information through the ability to input, store and access records and the linkages between them via Guardian. Previously, they would have to log on to separate systems to find out if a suspect was known to police, at what address they were known and whether they were known for previous offences.

Under the new agreement, Northgate will deliver further improvements that will enable the force to:

- provide access to information securely over the web or on mobile devices, enabling officers to retrieve data whilst out in the field;
- extract bespoke analysis that supports daily operations priorities, for example all burglaries in a certain sector or all stolen vehicles in the last 72 hours;
- comply fully with current guidance relating to the Management of Police Information (MoPI), as well as respond flexibly and quickly to any changes;
- easily manage complex processes relating to the review of information, such as who must perform the review, how often, and how the matter would be escalated if it was not completed.

Assistant Chief Constable, Steve Mortimore said today:
“Our officers can quickly see intelligence and crime records held across the force’s systems, which means proactive policing and a faster response. We are committed to using this information more effectively to inform operations and meet our day to day and strategic priorities. We are delighted to be working with Northgate to open up access to information that really makes a difference for officers in the field, and ultimately for the neighbourhoods they serve.”

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety at Northgate Public Services added:
“Police forces across the country are looking to use information to drive performance improvements through proactive management rather than simple reaction to events. This has the ability to transform operational policing. Through improving access to key information and analysis, officers can be provided with the support they need to take action to deliver safer communities. We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Avon & Somerset, as they focus on delivering real improvements in operational policing.”
[Ends]

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:

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.

3. Northgate’s ‘Guardian’ is an innovative records management system that brings together information from a range of force systems. It enables officers to obtain a single view of all information including intelligence, crime and disorder, child protection and domestic violence. Future modules will include Property Management and Case & Custody. Guardian includes a comprehensive workflow module to ensure the smooth and secure allocation of crimes, transfer of information, and completion of assigned tasks.

Northgate awarded ASCC framework agreement

2008-01-31T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate awarded ASCC framework agreement

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces that it has been appointed to the Additional Supply Capability and Capacity (ASSC) Framework Agreement by NHS Connecting for Health.
The Frameworks will enable the streamlined procurement of IT systems and services from organsations who have demonstrated experience in the health sector. They can be used to support both National Programme for IT (NPfIT) related work and wider IT related projects.
The Framework Contracts have been divided into business lots as follows:
• Lot 1: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Services – these will support the delivery of existing non-clinical systems or provide new non-clinical systems and services as business requirements emerge.
• Lot 2: Clinical Information Technology (CIT) Services – these will support the delivery of existing clinical IT systems and/or provide new clinical IT systems and services as business requirements emerge.
• Lot 3: Hardware, Infrastructure and Associated (HIA) Services – the provision of a broad range of HIA technology goods and services and, additionally, specialist consultancy services aligned to other ASCC services.
• Lot 4: Testing Environments and Related Services (TERS) – the provision of testing environments and associated facilities.
Northgate has qualified under Lots 1 and Lots 3.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Healthcare Services, said:

“This is a tremendous achievement for Northgate. We are committed to working with NHS Connecting for Health to give citizens more choice and control over their healthcare by developing new and innovative services designed around the patient.

“Understanding the needs of patients and clinicians is crucial to improving the quality of healthcare in the UK, and our place on this framework agreement will ensure that we continue to provide efficient and effective health and care services of the highest standard.”

- Ends -

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Note 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. Northgate works with organisations across the country to improve health outcomes. We support commissioners in effective decision-making; enable doctors to monitor and improve their performance; and provide patients with the information they need to exercise meaningful choice. Whether supporting world-leading screening programmes, managing national health registries or delivering state-of-the-art information systems for NHS Trusts, Northgate puts the patient at the heart of health services.

2. NHS Connecting for Health supports the NHS in providing better, safer care by delivering computer systems and services which improve the way patient information is stored and accessed. NHS Connecting for Health came into operation on 1 April 2005 and is an agency of the Department of Health with the primary role of delivering the National Programme for IT.

Northgate Elections strengthens its team with local authority appointment

2008-01-30T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Elections strengthens its team with local authority appointment

Northgate Information Solutions today announces the appointment of John Pearson to its Elections team as the company continues its drive to modernise electoral systems across the country.

John, who has been appointed Electoral Services Consultant, joins from Monmouthshire County Council, where he worked as Local Democracy Officer. In that role, he was involved in the administration of a number of elections, including elections to Westminster, local government, Welsh Assembly and the European Parliament.

Electoral administration officers are under increasing pressure to respond to changes in the democratic process and to meet the challenges and opportunities of new forms of voting. Northgate’s innovative solutions are designed to manage elections from beginning to end – registering elector information, managing the election itself and producing electoral registers.

Northgate currently administers electoral records for over 18 million registered voters, and John will be responsible for engaging with local authorities and meeting the needs of councils and their citizens within a modernised voting system.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:

“We are delighted to welcome John to the Elections team. His experience in working with electoral administration systems at Monmouthshire will be a valuable asset in developing our services for local authorities throughout the UK. To meet local councils’ future challenges, we need to engage people with hands-on council experience, and John’s appointment will considerably strengthen our work in this area.”

[Ends]

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:

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 electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; in the administration of more than £12 billion of revenues and benefits; 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.

3. John comes to Northgate after four years at Monmouthshire County Council, having graduated from Local Democracy Assistant to Local Democracy Officer. He is a member of the Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA).

Northgate urges Scottish Government to empower tenants through tackling benefits complexity

2008-01-28T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE 28th January 2008 Northgate urges Scottish Government to empower tenants through tackling benefits complexity Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today urged the Scottish Government to take measures to widen the housing opportunities of tenants on low incomes and homeless people by tackling the barriers to the private rented sector that are created by the benefits system. In a wide ranging response to the Scottish Government�s housing review �Firm foundations � the future for housing in Scotland�, Northgate warned the government that a balance needed to be made between the needs of the most vulnerable in our communities and the needs of the private rented sector. According to Northgate, local authorities should be given a strategic role in promoting wider access to quality housing in the private rented sector. They should be encouraged to introduce initiatives such as local authority backed guarantees in place of deposits; ensure that citizens take up and receive prompt payment of the benefits to which they are entitled; and consider the equitable use of discretionary benefit payments to tackle the problem of rent shortfall. The response fully endorses the role of social housing in providing quality housing to all. It welcomes the Scottish Government�s decision to establish an independent social housing regulator. It calls on the Scottish Government to promote effective, lighter touch regulation by ensuring that social housing providers: � are statutorily required to provide to the regulator enhanced information about services including levels of tenant satisfaction, tenant involvement and choice; � establish formal arrangements to enable tenants to make periodic assessments of the quality of services provided to them; � share benchmarking information about their performance with other providers and publish this information more widely. Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, said today: �A mixed economy makes sense but not if the most vulnerable members of our community have to pay too high a price. If we are to solve the current housing shortage in Scotland we have to provide wider opportunities to access higher quality housing both in the social housing and private rented sectors. We believe that there is a strong case for building on the local success of landlord forums by establishing a national forum involving government, the private rented sector and tenants. �We must prevent exploitation and promote quality housing for all. It is only by developing innovative and collaborative responses involving tenants and working in partnership across traditional boundaries, that we can remove the barriers that have existed for far too long and create sustainable and healthy communities in which everyone has the opportunity to thrive.� [ENDS] For more information: Fellows� Associates: Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566 291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com Notes to Editors: Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. It is committed to high quality public services and understands the public sector. That knowledge is core to its business. 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.

Northgate bolsters its local government team with two new appointments

2008-01-24T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE 24th January 2008 Northgate bolsters its local government team with two new appointments Northgate Information Solutions today announces the appointment of Jeremy Locke and Adrian Jones to its local government team as the company spearheads its drive to provide innovative public services to local authorities throughout the UK. Jeremy, who has been appointed Partnership Services Director, joins from Capita where he worked as both Business Development and Marketing Director across several public and private sector divisions. He will be responsible for driving further growth and development of Northgate�s services to local councils, social housing providers and the Third Sector, with particular emphasis on transformation and innovation. Adrian, who has been appointed Account Director, comes to Northgate from Serco Solutions, where he was Business Relationship Manager. In his new role, he will be directly responsible for building relationships and strategies with local authorities across the country seeking to deliver improved public services. Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, said today: �We are delighted to welcome Jeremy and Adrian to the team. Their experience in working with local authorities at a strategic level will be a tremendous asset as we develop our work in providing first-class services to local communities. �Jeremy and Adrian passionately believe in placing the citizen at the heart of public service delivery, and developing innovative partnerships with local authorities and social housing providers. We are committed to delivering efficient and effective services for all citizens, including those in the most vulnerable communities, and these key appointments considerably strengthen our work in this area.� [Ends] For more information Fellows� Associates Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@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. 3. Jeremy comes to Northgate after four years at Capita, having graduated from Marketing Director to Business Development Director. He has previously worked for Locke Ltd, Xansa plc and Sema Group plc. 4. Adrian joins Northgate after three years at Serco Solutions where he was Business Relationship Manager and Director (Managing Consultant) of the Coventry Direct programme. He is a member of the Institute of Directors, and has worked with clients including American Express, Merrill Lynch and the Inland Revenue.

Directorate Change

2008-01-22T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions Plc

22nd January, 2008

Announcement - For Immediate Release

Northgate Information Solutions Plc (the “Company”)

Re: Directorate Change

Northgate Information Solutions Plc, the international supplier of specialist software systems and IT services for the human resources and public sector markets, announces that Jos Sluys, one of the Company’s Executive Directors, has today resigned.

Having recently sold his entire share interests in the Company and having no further connection with the business, Jos Sluys has decided to leave the Company with immediate effect.

For further information please contact Anne Wheeler/Liz Morley/Neil Bennett at Maitland on 020 7379 5151

Swale Council to bring new service benefits to citizens

2008-01-21T00:00:00+01:00

Swale Council to bring new service benefits to citizens A new partnership designed to deliver fast and efficient responses to citizens and promote continuous improvement to their public services was announced today by Swale Council and Northgate Information Solutions. The contract, worth in excess of �50,000, will ensure that public enquiries are addressed efficiently and effectively through joining up the council�s administrative management of environmental health, housing and citizen feedback. The new service will equip staff with the tools to provide proactive and citizen-centred services and help contribute to stronger and more sustainable communities. Fully integrated with a geographic information system, the innovative service will enable the council to: � use a streamlined approach to improving services, by quickly identifying problems, agreeing their intervention and solution, and resolving at the earliest stage; � reduce operational time undertaking complicated manual operations, freeing up council staff for more important tasks; � engage with their residents through continuously monitoring citizens� requests, and taking on feedback at every stage of the process in order to shape services. Mark Radford, Corporate Services Director at Swale Borough Council, said today: �It is imperative that we hold a dialogue about the public services used by all Swale residents and their families. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Northgate to provide sustainable services that really place the citizen at the heart of public services.� Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today: �Local authorities across the country are seeking to deliver continuously improving services for their citizens. To succeed, they need to build public trust and shape services based on citizen input and feedback. Swale has taken a bold step in providing an innovative service that promotes public engagement and cuts down on needless bureaucracy. We fully anticipate that where Swale has led, others will follow.� [Ends] For more information Fellows� Associates Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@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.

Catalist GISS framework agreement awarded to Northgate

2008-01-17T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces that it has been awarded a Catalist framework agreement to supply Geographic Information Services and Solutions (GISS) to the public sector through the arrangement which is managed by OGCbuying.solutions.

Fully compliant with EU procurement laws, the framework agreement gives public sector organisations a new and efficient route to Northgate’s services. Northgate was awarded a framework agreement in the end-to-end solution provision category. This encompasses consultancy, design, development, implementation, integration, data transfer, maintenance and support.

The framework agreement allows Northgate to supply services to public sector organisations, including:

• central government departments and agencies
• local authorities
• non-departmental bodies
• emergency services
• justice providers
• health organisations
• schools and other education providers
• charities
• utilities

Through a rigorously competitive tendering process, OGCbuying.solutions selected companies that could show that they are committed to supplying value for money and high quality services and solutions. Crucial to Northgate’s success was its ability to demonstrate its in-depth knowledge of the public sector, and to meet the requirements of a diverse range of organisations.

Dave Meaden, Managing Director of Northgate Public Services, said:

“This is an excellent achievement for Northgate. We are committed to working in partnership with public service providers to enhance public value through the delivery of citizen-centred services. We have over 20 years experience in GI solutions, and our place on the framework will ensure that we continue to provide innovative, effective and efficient services of the highest standard, whilst enabling organisations to make use of a simpler procurement process through a Catalist framework agreement.”

- Ends -

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Note to editors:

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. Northgate’s current GI users in the UK include 70% of water and wastewater companies, 98% of police forces, 53% of fire brigades and over one in four local authorities.

3. OGCbuying.solutions is the trading arm of the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), which is itself an office of HM Treasury. The Office of Government Commerce is responsible for improving value for money by driving up standards and capability in procurement, from commodity buying to the delivery of major capital projects, maximising the effective use of 60% of Government spending and a £30 billion property estate.

A new Government strategy launched in January 2007, Transforming Government Procurement, highlighted the central importance of procurement in delivering high-quality public services and best value for money. OGC is tasked with delivering this transformation, and with driving up standards and procurement capability across central Government. The OGC will do this through:
• Setting the right procurement standards and ensuring they are met;
• Capitalising on the Government’s collective buying power to achieve value for money;
• Developing a cadre of senior procurement professionals across government to drive forward best practice procurement solutions.
OGCbuying.solutions, launched in April 2001, provides public sector procurement professionals with a route to the products and services they need to maximise procurement efficiency and value for money. Its contracts and framework agreements offer substantial savings through significant buying power, economies of scale and strategic partnerships. These savings are counted towards the Efficiency Review target. Rigorous tendering and evaluation processes ensure that products and services are checked for quality, price competitiveness, fitness for purpose and compliance with statutory requirements. These products and services are available through OGCbuying.solutions Catalist framework agreements and Managed Services.
The Catalist brand is designed to unify the framework agreements under one identifiable and recognisable brand name. Catalist incorporates a series of framework agreements which have been developed to offer our customers a broad range of goods and services aligned to their particular needs. Managed Services are predominantly more sophisticated, requiring expertise and additional support from OGCbuying.solutions.

Northgate achieves further approval for energy assessor accreditation scheme

2008-01-16T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate achieves further approval for energy assessor accreditation scheme

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, is delighted to announce that it has received approval from Communities and Local Government for its energy assessor accreditation scheme to deliver the remaining parts of the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD).

Northgate’s accreditation scheme will cover assessors involved in the following:
• energy performance certificates for newly built homes from 6 April 2008;
• energy performance certificates on the sale, rent or construction of non-domestic buildings, starting with buildings over 10,000m2 from 6 April 2008, extended to buildings over 2500m2 from 1 July 2008 and covering all such buildings from 1 October 2008;
• display certificates in public buildings no later than October 2008.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:
“We are delighted that we shall continue our contribution to reducing the UK’s carbon footprint by extending our current accreditation scheme to assessments of newly built homes, non-domestic buildings and public buildings.

“The battle against climate change is one that involves us all. Energy Performance Certificates have a powerful role to play not only in promoting awareness of energy efficiency but also in bringing about a sea-change in organisational and personal attitudes towards energy usage. Having qualified, efficient and effective assessors is critical to their success.”

- Ends -

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

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. Northgate is committed to the sustainable and intelligent use of technology to provide energy efficient services and has accredited over 500 domestic energy inspectors.

Warrington launches new citizen feedback service

2008-01-15T00:00:00+01:00

Warrington launches new citizen feedback service

Warrington Borough Council today launches a new citizen feedback service designed to transform services for the town’s 195,000 citizens and promote continuous improvement.

Developed in partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public services and utilities markets, Warrington’s new service will ensure that comments from citizens are collated and analysed effectively to inform the development of personalised services. It will also be used to track issues, monitor feedback and identify and resolve potential problems at the earliest opportunity, supporting service transformation across the council.

The new service has been developed as part of Northgate’s citizen-relationship management service, which was selected by Warrington in April 2007 for the council’s ‘Contact Warrington’ transformation programme. This service is already supporting the council in:

• resolving customer queries quickly, often at the first point of contact;
• equipping staff with the tools to provide proactive and citizen-centred service, allowing instant access to all the information they need to answer multiple service enquiries;
• understanding customer needs through continuously monitoring citizens’ requests and satisfaction levels;
• delivering efficiency savings across the council’s services.

Mike Lewis, Project Director at Warrington Borough Council, said today:
“The launch of the citizen feedback service is the next step in our ambitious programme aimed at transforming local people’s experience of our services. Working in close partnership with Northgate, we have already rolled out the benefits of improved customer service across a range of service areas, and are on track to deliver the next phase later this year. We are committed to continuous improvement, and for us this means making sure that feedback is used effectively to build services around people’s needs.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, added:
“We are delighted to be supporting Warrington in putting the citizen at the heart of service delivery through providing a consistent response to their feedback. The council can plan more effectively for future service developments through welcoming comments from local citizens. It can also focus on reaching out to citizens in the most vulnerable communities to ensure that services are tailored to people’s needs.”

[Ends]

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:

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.

3. ‘Front Office’ is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management service, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information. Northgate’s citizen-relationship management services serve over 8 million citizens in England – one in seven of the population.

4. ‘Contact Warrington’ opened in August 2007, offering services including revenues and benefits, waste, street lighting and registrars. Trading standards and most environmental services went live in December 2007, with services such as sport and culture scheduled for early 2008.

Elections expert moves to Northgate

2008-01-14T00:00:00+01:00

Elections expert moves to Northgate

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of electoral management services, is delighted to announce the appointment of Steven Lake as Business Development Manager.

Steven, who commences employment with Northgate today, brings with him formidable experience of electoral management following a distinguished career in public administration. His appointment strengthens the company’s leading position in delivering election services, and signifies its commitment to working in partnership with the public sector to pioneer change and to provide modern democratic services which fully engage the citizen.

Steven will assist in spearheading the company’s work on modernisation. Electoral administration officers are under increasing pressure to respond to changes in the democratic process and to meet the challenges and opportunities of new forms of voting. Northgate’s innovative solutions are designed to manage elections from beginning to end – registering elector information, managing the election itself and producing electoral registers.

Formerly, Electoral Registration Officer for South Oxford District Council, Steven is a former Chair of the Association of Electoral Administrators and President of the Institute of Public Sector Administration, and has acted as an international advisor and consultant for the UN, OSCE and the British Government.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:
“I am delighted that Steven has chosen to join us. We shall harness his skills and experience in public administration and electoral management. He is the ideal choice to help us continue to deliver services which meet the challenge of modernisation and support the growth of democracy.

”We are committed to developing innovative partnerships with the public sector to meet the pressing demand of democratic renewal, and with Steven on board our work in this strategic area will be considerably strengthened.”

Ends

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

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 electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; the administration of more than £12 billion of revenues and benefits; 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.

3. Steven Lake was employed from 1974-2006 with South Oxfordshire District Council, acting as Electoral Registration Officer/Returning Officer from 1989 to 2006. He is a former Chair of the Association of Electoral Administrators and President of the Institute of Public Sector Administration. He is currently Deputy Chair of the Qualifications Board, a member of the Examinations Board and an examiner for both the Certificate and Diploma in Electoral Administration. He has been actively involved with the Electoral Commission in the UK in assisting it in a number of projects, including the financing of elections and electronic voting methods; he was a member of the Independent Commission on Alternative Voting Methods, which produced its final report in February 2002; and was formerly a member of the Electoral Commission’s Electoral Leadership Forum. Steven has considerable overseas experience having monitored elections in Angola, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Croatia and Spain and advised and consulted for the UN, OSCE and the British government.

Thirteen police forces sign up for Northgate's Safety Awareness services

2008-01-09T00:00:00+01:00

9th January 2008

Thirteen police forces sign up for Northgate’s Safety Awareness services

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading supplier of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces that a further thirteen police forces are set to tackle dangerous driving through the innovative Safety Awareness Scheme.

Forces including Merseyside, Humberside, Avon & Somerset, Sussex and the Metropolitan Police have signed up for Northgate’s Safety Awareness system. This will ensure that drivers caught committing an offence covered by the Safety Awareness Scheme are automatically offered a safety awareness course aimed at reducing re-offending or receive a fixed penalty notice.

Forces will benefit from the ability to:

- automatically check the eligibility of offenders for safety awareness courses;
- electronically store drivers’ responses to Safety Awareness course offers and store attendance records from course providers;
- allow forces to check attendance records for other areas through a link with the DVLA;
- automatically reinstate the original penalty if a driver does not respond to a course offer or does not attend their course sessions;
- manage all correspondence and enable direct access to all necessary information.

Avon & Somerset Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police have also opted for Northgate’s Enhanced Safety Awareness system, which enables drivers who have committed eligible offences other than speeding, such as running red lights, the chance to attend a Safety Awareness course.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety at Northgate Public Services said today:

“Education is critical to tackling attitudes to speeding and to reducing the volume of offences which endanger public safety. Research has shown that excess or inappropriate speed is a significant factor in one third of all collisions on our roads. Safety awareness courses are designed to heighten driver awareness of the dangers of speeding to themselves, their families and on the wider community. We are delighted to be working with a further thirteen forces to open up access to safety awareness courses for eligible drivers.”

- Ends –

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

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 6,490 employees.

3. Since April 2006, police forces have been able to offer those who have committed an eligible offence the opportunity to attend a Speed Awareness course locally rather than receive a fixed penalty notice. Through an upgrade to Northgate’s fixed penalty solution, VP/FPO, qualifying drivers caught committing an offence covered by the scheme will be automatically offered a Safety Awareness Scheme course or receive a fixed penalty notice.

4. The thirteen forces are: Avon & Somerset, Cheshire, City of London Police, Cumbria, Durham, Greater Manchester Police, Humberside, Leicestershire, Merseyside, Metropolitan Police, Northumbria, Suffolk and Sussex.

DHL to launch UK's first 'green payslip' plan

2008-01-09T00:00:00+01:00

Environmentally friendly payslips help to reduce carbon footprint

London, January 09, 2008: DHL Exel Supply Chain is set to deliver payslips on recycled paper to 36,000 employees. The world’s leading logistics company, in partnership with payroll solutions provider Northgate HR, has rolled out UK’s first ever ‘green payslip’ plan, which will start early in 2008. This partnership is expected to help reduce DHL’s carbon footprint by nearly ten tonnes of CO2 per year .

DHL is keen to explore new ways to reduce its carbon footprint and minimize its impact on the environment. Working with Northgate HR on this project is part of a program of initiatives that DHL is currently undertaking to reduce its contribution to climate change.

Anne Parris, Director of Accounting EMEA at DHL commented, “When Northgate HR showed us that the payslips are almost indistinguishable from a regular payslip, and just as secure, with the same quality seal, the decision to switch was an easy one for us. We are always looking for ways to be more environmentally-friendly. Confident that the payslips meet our requirements, this partnership is demonstrating to our staff that we are committed to becoming a ‘greener’ business.”

Northgate HR launched the offer of recycled payslips in November 2007 to provide customers with an eco-friendly alternative to a document that could previously only be produced on ‘virgin’ paper. It has calculated that by printing payslips on recycled paper, businesses will save 1.32 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of paper.

Wendy Logan, Technical Operations Manager for outsourcing services at Northgate HR, explained the impact the use of recycled paper for payslips will have at DHL Exel Supply Chain: “One recycled payslip may seem insignificant, but for a company with 36,000 employees who need a payslip every month, we’re able to cut DHL Exel Supply Chain’s carbon footprint by nearly ten tonnes of CO2 every year.”

Ends

Media Enquiries:
Alexa Fleming
Hill & Knowlton
Tel (Business hours): +44 (0)20 7413 3332
Tel (Out of hours): +44 (0)20 8818 8049
alexa.fleming@hillandknowlton.com

Suzy Ferguson or Lisa Gillingham
LEWIS PR
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: suzyf@lewispr.com or lisag@lewispr.com

About DHL
DHL is the global market leader of the international express and logistics industry specializing in providing innovative and customized solutions from a single source.

DHL offers expertise in express, air and ocean freight, overland transport, contract logistic solutions as well as international mail services, combined with worldwide coverage and an in-depth understanding of local markets. DHL's international network links more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. More than 300,000 employees are dedicated to providing fast and reliable services that exceed customers' expectations.

DHL is a Deutsche Post World Net brand. The group generated revenues of 60bn euros in 2006.

Northgate calls for bold new elections partnerships

2008-01-07T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE
7th January 2008

Northgate calls for bold new elections partnerships

A fresh approach to electoral management is required if the UK’s electoral system is to be fit for purpose for the 21st century and voter participation is to be increased, Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of electoral management systems, said today.

In its response to the Electoral Commission’s consultation on developing performance indicators for elections and referendums, Northgate calls for the formation of new performance partnerships involving the public sector and external organisations.

Performance partnerships would drive through continuous improvement in strategic leadership, project management and business process development, and explore how technology could serve more effectively the business of managing elections. They would help to build capability and capacity within the public sector at a time when resources are constrained.

Welcoming the introduction of a performance measurement framework, Northgate warns against rushing into the system and suggests that local authorities should be given a clear timetable, with at least six months for implementation prior to the European parliamentary elections in June 2009. It also recommends a range of initiatives to improve measurement and performance including:
- a flexible model template for project management to enable all local authorities to efficiently administer elections;
- self-analysis by Returning Officers on all major contracts for electoral administration services; including whether the authority has adopted sustainable procurement practices in awarding contracts;
- consideration of using similar techniques applied to benefits take-up for encouraging participation in the democratic process;
- increased analysis of citizen satisfaction and feedback on the electoral process to foster better public engagement, with particular emphasis placed on those least likely to participate in the electoral process.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today: “The democratic system is in desperate need of repair. We need a system that places the citizen at its hearts and addresses the needs of those most disadvantaged in our communities who may often not participate in the electoral process. Many authorities that we work with simply do not have the resources within their authorities to drive forward modernisation and continuous improvement without more support. Some may see the introduction of a performance measurement framework as a burden rather than a necessary change.

“We need to face up to the problem and take action now. If performance standards are to be raised, there is a need for high level strategic commitment to electoral management. This involves developing innovative new practices and changing the way that local authorities work with the private sector in order that they may take advantage of additional skills and resources to re-energise our electoral management systems and renew democracy.”

[ENDS]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors

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 electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; the administration of more than £12 billion of revenues and benefits; 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 6,490 employees.

Northgate Information Solutions announces �9.8 million initial contract with Leicester Building Schools for the Future project

2007-12-20T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions announces £9.8 million initial contract with Leicester Building Schools for the Future project

Northgate Information Solutions plc, the international supplier of specialist software systems and IT services for the human resources and public service markets, announces its role as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Partner in the winning Miller Consortium bid for the Leicester Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project.

Northgate has signed an initial five year contract worth £9.8 million to deliver ICT infrastructure to four schools across the city to meet the needs of their learners and communities. In the course of the contract, which has a total value of over £27 million, sixteen schools will be entirely rebuilt or refurbished.

Chris Stone, Chief Executive of Northgate Information Solutions, said: “We are extremely proud to be involved in Leicester’s BSF project. This contract confirms Northgate’s position as a leading provider of ICT services to the education sector as we continue to use our services to empower Britain’s teachers and children in the technology age."

For further enquiries, please contact:

Maitland (Financial PR)

Neil Bennett/Anne Wheeler 020 7379 5151

--- Ends---

Notes to editors:

Northgate, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, employs over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

About BSF (www.bsf.gov.uk)
Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a DfES programme to raise educational attainment by rebuilding or renewing every secondary school in England over the next 10 to 15 years. Subject to future spending reviews, the Government has allocated £2.2 billion capital expenditure each year to the BSF programme.

Northgate Information Solutions announced as preferred bidder for ICT provision in Kent County Council's Building Schools for the Future programme

2007-12-19T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions announced as preferred bidder for ICT provision in Kent County Council’s Building Schools for the Future programme

Northgate Information Solutions, the UK’s leading supplier of specialist software and IT services for the Human Resources, Education and Public Services markets, has been announced as Kent County Council’s (KCC) preferred bidder for the supply of ICT in the first phase of the £1.8 billion Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. The ICT element of the contract is worth £31m.

The new £600 million public private partnership consisting of KCC, Land Securities Trillium, Partnerships for Schools (PfS) and Northgate will refurbish or rebuild secondary schools and transform the delivery of education in the Gravesham, Swale and Thanet districts by 2014.

Northgate and Land Securities Trillium was chosen as Kent’s preferred bidder after a stringent selection and scoring process in line with European Union procurement rules.

Northgate already supplies managed services to over 1,200 school and college networks across the UK and this is their third BSF contract. The announcement comes in the wake of Northgate's BSF contract wins to supply ICT managed services to Bristol and Leicester City Councils.

Chris Stone, Chief Executive of Northgate Informaiton Solutions said said: “We are delighted to be a part of the preferred bidder consortium for Kent. Northgate are in an outstanding position to supply state of the art ICT managed services across the county. We will be able to challenge the thinking of what is possible with ICT provision, allow teachers to get back in the classroom and teach, and involve the whole community in their children’s education.”

For further enquiries, please contact:
Maitland (Financial PR)
Neil Bennett/Anne Wheeler 020 7379 5151

--- Ends---

About Northgate Information Solutions
Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software, outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the global human resources and UK local government, education and public safety markets.

Northgate, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, employs over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Northgate Education, Northgate’s specialist Education division is a leading provider of managed services and solutions in the UK. It provides technology services to over 1,200 schools, with more than 350,000 teachers and learners successfully supported by the company. Northgate provides services to every school in Northern Ireland through C2k, the largest and most comprehensive e-learning initiative ever implemented in the UK, is providing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) managed services to Bristol City Council as part of the government's Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF), and to over 150 education sites in Hartlepool, from primary schools through to further education. Northgate is the preferred bidder for ICT for Leicester BSF. In January 2007, Northgate were awarded an ISO 20000-1 accreditation by the British Standards Institution, for provision of IT service management activities.
www.northgate-is.com/education

Northgate receives BSI certification in Revenues and Benefits

2007-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate receives BSI certification in Revenues and Benefits

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces that its Revenues and Benefits division has received ISO 9001:2000 certification from the British Standards Institution (BSI).

The division is responsible for Northgate’s market-leading revenues and benefits service, used by 170 local authorities across the country. It also delivers radical services designed to improve the take-up of housing and council tax benefits.

Northgate is supporting councils to:

• reach out to their most vulnerable communities, through mobile systems that take benefits services out to those in need;
• deliver self-service systems that allow citizens to make full applications for benefits and send in the evidence required to assess a claim;
• provide staff with instant access to customer information, from citizens to large local businesses;
• share information more effectively through improving integration with government departments;
• streamline the management and reporting of council tax and business rates.

The certification means that Northgate will continue to provide a consistent, independently-assessed and benchmarked approach to revenues and benefits, set to the highest standard. The company will further demonstrate its ability to meet the needs of local authorities and enhance the quality of its service delivery through continuous improvement.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, added:

“This certification is an excellent achievement for Northgate. Our revenues and benefits team delivers services that give real and practical benefits to communities throughout the country. We are also revolutionising the way that benefits are accessed by citizens through radical technology implemented by councils serving over 4.6 million people in UK.

“We will carry on working in partnership with local authorities to deliver first-class revenues and benefits services that place the citizen at the heart of sustainable communities.”

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Naomi Stevenson 020 7849 3508; 07966 890403; nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com
Notes to Editors:

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.

3. Northgate’s leading revenues and benefits service enables staff to manage the administration of council tax, business rates, council tax benefit and housing benefit efficiently and effectively.

4. ISO 9001:2000 certification recognises an organisation’s internal quality management at an international standard, ensuring that its services best satisfy its customers’ needs and expectations.

Northgate Annoucement - 12th December 2007

2007-12-12T00:00:00+01:00

The Board of Northgate Information Solutions plc announces that it has received an approach which may or may not lead to an offer

NOT FOR RELEASE IN OR INTO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO MIGHT VIOLATE THE LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

12 December 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Northgate Information Solutions plc (‘Northgate’):

Statement regarding possible offer and debt facilities clarification

The Board of Northgate Information Solutions plc announces that it has received an approach which may or may not lead to an offer being made for the whole of the issued share capital of Northgate. A further announcement will be made in due course.

In addition, Northgate has noted inaccurate market commentary concerning its debt facilities. Committed facilities amount to £513m and the group’s net debt stood at £416m at 31st October 2007. These committed facilities provide the Group with around £100m of head room for working capital and acquisitions over the remaining 4.5 years of the current facility. The company is trading comfortably within its covenants.

Within these committed facilities are two covenant tests. The first test relates to the ratio of net bank debt to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (“EBITDA”) and the second test relates to EBITDA as a ratio of bank interest payable. The former is calculated on a pro forma basis, utilising a full twelve months of trading for any businesses acquired in the previous year, whilst the latter ratio uses statutory reported results. Both covenant tests are based on the Group’s accounting policies as agreed with its banking partners.

In accordance with Rule 2.10 of The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the ‘Code’), Northgate confirms, that it has 582,447,418 ordinary shares of 10 pence each in issue and admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange under ISIN code GB0005583728.

Dealing Disclosure Requirements

Under the provisions of Rule 8.3 of the Code, if any person is, or becomes, “interested” (directly or indirectly) in 1% or more of any class of “relevant securities” of Northgate, all “dealings” in any “relevant securities” of Northgate (including by means of an option in respect of, or a derivative referenced to, any such “relevant securities”) must be publicly disclosed by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the London business day following the date of the relevant transaction. This requirement will continue until the date on which the offer becomes, or is declared, unconditional as to acceptances, lapses or is otherwise withdrawn or on which the “offer period” otherwise ends. If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire an “interest” in “relevant securities” of Northgate, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Under the provisions of Rule 8.1 of the Code, all “dealings” in “relevant securities” of Northgate by the offeror or Northgate, or by any of their respective “associates”, must be disclosed by no later than 12.00 noon (London time) on the London business day following the date of the relevant transaction.

A disclosure table, giving details of the companies in whose “relevant securities” “dealings” should be disclosed, and the number of such securities in issue, can be found on the Takeover Panel’s website at http://www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk/new/.

“Interests in securities” arise, in summary, when a person has long economic exposure, whether conditional or absolute, to changes in the price of securities. In particular, a person will be treated as having an “interest” by virtue of the ownership or control of securities, or by virtue of any option in respect of, or derivative referenced to, securities. Terms in quotation marks are defined in the Code, which can also be found on the Panel’s website. If you are in any doubt as to whether or not you are required to disclose a “dealing” under Rule 8, you should consult the Panel.

Enquiries:

Northgate Information Solutions plc
Chris Stone / John Stier Telephone: 01442 232424

Maitland
Neil Bennett / Liz Morley / Anne Wheeler Telephone: 020 7379 5151

N M Rothschild & Sons Limited
Dominic Hollamby / Warner Mandel
Telephone: 020 7280 5000

N M Rothschild & Sons Limited is acting for Northgate and no one else in connection with the possible Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than Northgate for providing the protections afforded to clients of N M Rothschild & Sons Limited or for providing advice in relation to the possible Offer.

Northgate Information Solutions Plc - Interim Results for 6 months to 31 October 2007

2007-12-10T00:00:00+01:00

NORTHGATE INFORMATION SOLUTIONS PLC Interim Results for 6 months to 31 October 2007 Northgate IS delivers strong organic growth and cash flow following transformational acquisition Northgate Information Solutions plc, the international supplier of specialist software systems and IT services for the human resources and public service markets, today announces its interim results for 6 months to 31 October 2007. Financial Highlights

	2007	2006	Change
Turnover	£246.3m	£165.2m	+49.1%
Adjusted Operating Profit	£31.5m	£25.6m	+23.0%
Adjusted Earnings Per Share	2.84p	2.96p	-4.0%
Dividend	0.29p	0.24p	+20.8%

Highlights:

Northgate becomes a global HR software and services supplier with the completion of the ARINSO acquisition
Strong organic growth across all divisions; up 6.6%
Total order book rises to £642.0m, up 11% organically
Operating profit up 23.0% to £31.5m, including maiden contribution from ARINSO
ARINSO operating margins rise to 9.5% as integration begins
Continued growth in operating cash flow. £32.7m generated in the period
Dividend per share increased 20.8% to 0.29p per share

Full version of Interim Results for 6 months to 31 October 2007 PDF

Stoke Damerel College in Plymouth Enjoys Free Visit to At-Bristol Exhibition Courtesy of Northgate

2007-12-06T00:00:00+01:00

Stoke Damerel College in Plymouth Enjoys Free Visit to At-Bristol Exhibition Courtesy of Northgate

More Schools Invited to take part in 2008

Northgate Information Solutions has taken 50 students from Stoke Damerel College in Plymouth to the ‘At-Bristol’ science exhibition in Bristol, to enjoy a day out at the UK’s leading hands-on science centre. The trip is the latest in a series of visits that have been provided through Northgate’s support of the At-Bristol bursary scheme. With the affiliation continuing through 2008 it is now time for teachers to decide if they want their students to benefit from a free, educational day trip, by contacting At-Bristol’s School Liaison Officer on 0117 909 2000. Northgate is aleading UK provider of ICT managed services and solutions in education.

The bursary is designed to provide schools and other organisations from lower-income areas of Bristol and the South West with the opportunity to explore and participate in the science centre’s educational activities and programmes without paying for entry tickets. To date, Northgate has helped to provide 13 schools and community groups with a bursary visit and as a result more than 500 individuals, including many school children from less affluent areas in Bristol, have visited the exhibition.

The programme not only provides children, young people and adults from across the region free entry to At-Bristol, but also subsidised transport if necessary. Attending students can enjoy attractions including ‘Your Amazing Brain’ which delves into how our senses affect perceptions and feelings, and the ‘Curiosity Zone’ which creates wonder about the phenomena in the everyday world.

Laura Aldridge, attending teacher from Stoke Damerel College, said: “This was a great day for our students – it allowed them to fuel their interest of science by seeing how it impacts on everyday situations. I would thoroughly recommend other schools and colleges to get in touch with At-Bristol about bursary opportunities.”

Darren Lemon, Managing Director of Northgate Education, added: "We are delighted to have helped so many schools and colleges to see this fascinating exhibition. At-Bristol’s goals mirror our own – letting people explore new technologies and bringing learning to life. We will continue to support the bursary through 2008 and ask more schools to apply via At-Bristol directly.”

Northgate Information Solutions will be providing Information and Communication Technology managed services to Bristol City Council as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme.

More information on At-Bristol can be found at www.at-bristol.org.uk

For press enquiries please contact Sarah Scott at Livewire Public Relations, tel: +44 (0)20 8339 7440 or e-mail sarah.scott@livewirepr.com

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Notes to editors:

Northgate, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, employs over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

NORTHGATE OPENS THE DOOR TO IT'S INNOVATION CENTRE

2007-12-06T00:00:00+01:00

NORTHGATE OPENS THE DOOR TO IT’S INNOVATION CENTRE

£50,000 investment as Northgate invites clients to test drive new technology solutions

Northgate Infrastructure Solutions today opened the doors to its Innovation Centre. This new high tech room allows Northgate’s clients the opportunity to get their hands on new IT service and solutions, and experiment with how each will impact upon key business goals through real-time and real-life demonstrations.

Set in a relaxed and informal environment the Innovation Centre provides an excellent opportunity to work in close partnership with clients to deliver tailored IT services and solutions based around individual needs. Once a clear strategy has been outlined, Northgate’s specialist client teams will be able to demonstrate their services and technologies, from key partners such as Microsoft, Citrix, HP, VMWare and Symantec. These include dedicated helpdesks, remote support and operations, system hosting and the facilitation of home-working, and clients will be encouraged to try them first hand.

Northgate’s Innovation Centre represents the organisation’s next phase in its drive to work as closely as possible with clients, and has been designed to support their Infrastructure Optimisation Process. Put simply, the key goal is to ensure customers receive the correct tailored solution, at the right time which will meet all their immediate and long term business objectives.

Commenting on the new Innovation Centre James Turnbull, Managing Director of Northgate Infrastructure Solutions stated, “This latest investment represents a fantastic addition to our pro-active customer engagement and one that I am sure will add real value to our clients. Having the ability to see how new services and technology can assist in achieving business goals prior to installation offers clients the ability to maximise the business benefits to be accrued from the latest technology solutions, while allowing informed decisions about future ICT investment to be made.”

Wycombe District Council signs up to Northgate's managed services

2007-12-04T00:00:00+01:00

Wycombe District Council signs up to Northgate’s managed services

Wycombe District Council today announces that it has strengthened its partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, by selecting it to deliver a new managed service focused on improving citizen service and delivering greater efficiencies.

The new contract is worth more than £4.5 million over five years. Under it, Northgate will deliver a comprehensive ICT managed service that will support the council in working towards its vision of ‘anytime, anywhere’ access to information as well as providing value for money.

The council will benefit from:

• a faster and more efficient service for all council staff, freeing up time for specialist workers to focus on the needs of Wycombe’s most vulnerable communities;
• closer contact with Northgate’s experienced advisers, providing their expertise at a significant reduction to the normal cost of external consultants;
• regular monitoring of the condition and capacity of equipment, with upgrades delivered when required, enabling the council to focus on continual improvement in overall service delivery;
• secure and reliable access to information, with data stored and maintained remotely in an environment that benefits from 24hr monitoring and comprehensive disaster recovery procedures.

Northgate currently provides Wycombe District Council with its leading citizen-relationship management and revenues and benefits solutions. It will now provide the council with onsite desktop support for 650 council workers, including a growing number of home workers. A team of specialists, including a dedicated Service Manager, will be based onsite.

Councillor Helen Wilkinson, Wycombe District Council Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said today:
“Wycombe District Council is committed to providing the best services for its staff and citizens by adopting innovative practices and new approaches to our work. We are delighted to be strengthening our partnership with Northgate as we seek to meet the needs and expectations of local communities for enhanced services, whilst recognising the need to deliver these services more efficiently.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Local Government & Social Housing, at Northgate Public Services, added:
“Northgate is proud to develop its relationship with Wycombe. Our work is based on a shared commitment to addressing the challenges the council faces and developing new and innovative responses to meet them. Northgate’s approach is one of incremental partnership, which offers councils the opportunity to obtain a step change in service provision but with lower risk and greater control. We look forward to supporting Wycombe to realise its vision for effective services and sustainable communities.”
[Ends]
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:

3) Wycombe District Council serves an area of approximately 125 square miles and a population of 162,000. The District has three historic town centres - urban High Wycombe, the small town of Princes Risborough and Marlow on the River Thames. All three centres are surrounded by the scenic countryside of the Chilterns and the Thames Valley, most of which is Green Belt and within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wigan citizens to benefit from revolutionised local services

2007-11-28T00:00:00+01:00

Wigan citizens to benefit from revolutionised local services

Over 300,000 citizens in Wigan could benefit from a new partnership designed to revolutionise local services by transforming council performance, reducing costs and delivering effective and efficient services to the local community.

In an agreement worth £400,000 over four years, Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management service will be introduced at Wigan council, as the authority seeks to build upon its ‘excellent’ CPA rating.

This innovative service will encourage the council to deliver continuous improvement in public services for local citizens and businesses including:

• resolving over 80% of customer queries at the first point of contact;
• equipping staff with the tools to provide proactive and citizen-centred service, allowing instant access to all the information they need to answer multiple service enquiries;
• understanding customer needs through continuously monitoring citizens’ requests, responses and satisfaction levels;
• providing increased opportunities for flexible working – such as home, mobile and remote working – and reducing the administrative burden on staff;
• and delivering efficiency savings across the council’s services.

These enhancements are taking place as part of a wider programme to change the way the council and its partners deliver public services. A Joint Service Centre (JSC) is under development which will enable a range of agencies including the council, the police, fire service and the voluntary sector to deliver citizen-centred services. It is envisaged the JSC will be completed and commence service early in 2011.

Peter Livesey, Assistant Director of Finance and IT at Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council, said today:

“Wigan council is committed to delivering a sustainable programme of improvements based on our citizens’ needs. Northgate has a shared commitment in developing first-class public services that will radically improve customer service and benefit the people of Wigan for years to come. We are delighted to be working with them as we strive to deliver our vision of excellence.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, added:

“Northgate is proud to be working in partnership with Wigan council in order to deliver the best public services for the local community. It is imperative that public authorities meet the increasing needs and expectations of the public. They must also deliver sustainable services to all, including the most vulnerable citizens. We look forward to supporting the council in this innovative programme.”

[Ends]

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Naomi Stevenson 020 7849 3508; 07966 890403; nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

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.

3. ‘Front Office’ is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information. Northgate’s CRM systems now serve over 8 million citizens in England – one in seven of the population. Northgate will provide Wigan with full integration between ‘Front Office’ and a range of other council systems, including Northgate’s housing system.

4. Wigan’s Joint Service Centre will provide: an Information and Learning Zone with a library and One Stop Shop; a Healthy Living Zone incorporating a new pool and ‘dry’ leisure facilities together with health and social care services; and a Neighbourhood zone, bringing together the agencies involved in environmental and community protection including the Council, Police, Fire and Voluntary Sector.

Body Shop gets greener makeover with Northgate HR

2007-11-27T00:00:00+01:00

Body Shop gets greener makeover with Northgate HR ~ cosmetics chain cuts paper with �1 million contract for self-service HR ~ The Body Shop has extended its pledge to �Protect our Planet� to its HR services through a contract with Northgate HR. The four-year deal, worth �1 million, expands the chain�s use of ResourceLink, the integrated HR and payroll solution, to include a �self-service� module that will reduce paper waste. With ResourceLink�s self-service approach to HR, employees can fill in time sheets and holiday or training request forms online � which are then managed entirely by Northgate HR. The tool will cut down both time and paper wasted in the HR processes. The Body Shop first outsourced its head office payroll to Northgate HR in 2003. The company then extended the service to include retail units in 2005. The contract now lasts a further four years and provides additional online services for HQ-based staff. Justin Taylor, HR partner at The Body Shop, commented: �Our work with Northgate HR enables us to improve efficiency and provide a better service for employees. By cutting down on the amount of paper used in HR process, we�re also able to strengthen our commitment to the environment.� Malcolm Aldis, managing director at Northgate HR, added: �We are continuing to develop our relationship with The Body Shop to reduce the time its HR team needs to spend on the transactional areas of HR. This way, they can focus on adding value to the business with more strategic activities.� The Body Shop continues to trade independently after being bought by L�Oreal, and is investigating making the self service HR option available for store managers � as well as extending the relationship with Northgate HR into new markets. (291 words) NOTES TO EDITORS About Northgate HR (www.northgate-is.com/hrs ) With over 40 years� experience, Northgate HR is the UK�s largest supplier of HR, payroll and pensions applications. Northgate HR solutions are developed to provide maximum flexibility and seamless integration. They can cater for the diverse requirements of HR, payroll, benefits and pension management across all market sectors and in organisations of any size. Solutions can be delivered in-house, via an Application Service Provider (ASP) or outsourced, providing forward thinking and state-of-the-art business management tools. With a comprehensive suite of software solutions combined with unparalleled levels of expertise, Northgate HR can fulfil its vision to provide solutions that simplify key business tasks and deliver value added benefits to customers, enabling them to provide vital human capital information to assist in HR management and business strategy. Northgate HR is the specialist HR and Payroll systems division of Northgate Information Solutions. Northgate Information Solutions plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For further information visit Northgate Information Solutions at www.northgate-is.com . For further information, please contact: Suzy Ferguson or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627 Email: suzyf / lisag@lewispr.com Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

Hampshire Constabulary opt for Northgate's innovative speed awareness service

2007-11-26T00:00:00+01:00

Hampshire Constabulary opt for Northgate’s innovative speed awareness service

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces that it is has been selected by Hampshire Constabulary to provide a pioneering managed service – the first of its kind in the UK - for the force’s Safety Awareness scheme.

Northgate, working in partnership with specialist provider, DriveTech (UK) plc, will provide Hampshire with an end-to-end managed Driver Training Course Administration service designed to support the reduction of serious injury and deaths on Hampshire roads.

Drivers caught committing an offence covered by the scheme will be automatically offered a Safety Awareness Scheme course or receive a fixed penalty notice. Those who elect to go on the Safety Awareness course will benefit from a one day course led by the force. The course is designed to heighten driver awareness of the dangers of speeding to themselves and their families, as well as the consequences of speeding on the wider community. Northgate will manage the allocation and payment of course places and ensure that full and accurate records can be accessed by the force.

Hampshire Constabulary will benefit from:
- additional resources and enhanced services for educating motorists, designed to support its Safer Road strategy;
- more time to focus on targeting police activity and providing an intelligence-led patrol focus to tackle road safety issues, in line with the National Intelligence Model;
- improved efficiency and less paperwork as a result of streamlining central ticketing office processes;
- secure management of records, including all correspondence, course offers and attendance, to ensure that drivers have their penalty notice reinstated if they do not complete the course;
- a cost-effective solution based on variable fees according to the number of courses delivered.

Superintendent Mark Bradford who heads up Hampshire Constabulary’s Roads Policing Unit said today: “We are committed to the reduction of serious injuries and deaths on Hampshire’s roads and are proud that we have taken the steps to become the first force to use this innovative managed service. We believe that heightened motorist awareness will lead to a reduction of offences in Hampshire saving us further time in reduced enforcement.

“At 35mph you are twice as likely to kill someone as you are at 30mph and we need to ensure that regular speeders are made aware of this fact. The Northgate managed service will support us in providing motorists with the education that they need to take more responsibility for their safety on our roads.”

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety at Northgate Information Solutions, added: “Pilot studies around the UK have shown that the courses, which tackle drivers’ attitudes to speed, have been successful in reducing re-offending. We are delighted to be working with Hampshire Constabulary to support the effective and efficient management of their Speed Awareness scheme and to promote the importance of road safety in delivering community well being for all the people in Hampshire.”

- Ends -

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Naomi Stevenson 020 7849 3508 /07966 890403 / nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347 /07930 566291 / kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Note to editors:

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.

3. Since April 2006, police forces have been able to offer those who have committed an eligible offence the opportunity to attend a Speed Awareness course locally rather than receive a fixed penalty notice. Through an upgrade to Northgate’s fixed penalty solution, VP/FPO, qualifying drivers caught committing an offence covered by the scheme will be automatically offered a Speed Awareness Scheme course or receive a fixed penalty notices. Nearly one in four of all police forces now has benefited from the new upgrade.

4. DriveTech (UK) plc is one of the UK's leading providers of road risk management and driver assessment & education. The company works both with organisations whose employees 'drive for work' and with members of the public who are offered education, as an alternative to prosecution, by the police. To date, DriveTech has supported over 150,000 drivers through police educational programmes across the UK. DriveTech's vision is 'working together to eliminate road death and serious injuries' by providing the most effective and innovative solutions, using education and technology, to minimise risk for all road users.
Benefits solution (Council Tax, NNDR, Council Tax and Housing Benefits

NORTHGATE DELIVERS GREATER EFFICIENCIES FOR NI's LEADING DAIRY BUSINESS

2007-11-22T00:00:00+01:00

NORTHGATE DELIVERS GREATER EFFICIENCIES FOR NI’s LEADING DAIRY BUSINESS

An investment in the latest data storage technology is enabling United Dairy Farmers to manage its ever expanding volumes of transactional data, resulting from continued business growth.

United, operate five dairy processing plants in the UK under it’s subsidiary company Dale Farm, and collect over 1 billion litres of milk per year. Working in partnership with Northgate Infrastructure Solutions, a new Storage Area Network was identified as a key requirement to handle the vast quantities of data being processed and analysed by United’s group-wide business applications, including it’s main Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This new solution improves system performance and user efficiency whilst also providing an opportunity to simplify data backup and security.

Northgate have also assisted United with the implementation of improved anti-virus and anti-spamming solutions to cope with the growing trend in junk e-mail.
Less time is now wasted dealing with bogus emails and the overall IT infrastructure is now more robust.

To ensure these new platforms and programmes operate correctly, Northgate provide a remote monitoring service to minimise the need for on-site IT support and to identify and resolve problems before they impact upon the end user – allowing the organisation to benefit from increased efficiencies across the business.

And as David Brown, Group IT Director of United Dairy Farmers explains as a result of the increased business activity experienced in all areas of the organisation it was necessary to ensure the appropriate systems were installed.

“United Dairy Farmers manages a significant number of business transactions on a daily basis, most of which involve automatic data capture and interchange. This includes a wide variety of transactions with leading UK retailers as well as customers both in the EU and worldwide. In order to support our growing operation, and the increasing demands placed on technology throughout the business, we required a stable and flexible technical infrastructure. In addition to improving our data security, the key benefit of our partnership with Northgate has been the identification and implementation of a number of key technical solutions that support all major data processing systems within the business.”

Mr. Brown continued, “By reducing the time required to manage and monitor our infrastructure we have been able to concentrate our time on implementing new systems which provide tangible benefits to our business as well as improving customer service.”

James Turnball, Managing Director of Northgate’s Infrastructure Solutions division stated, “We are delighted to support United Dairy Farmers’ diverse and developing business requirements. We remain dedicated to ensuring that our robust managed and support solutions provide the organisation with the flexibility and enhanced customer service capabilities to continue to grow and develop its business both locally and internationally. We look forward to advancing this prosperous relationship and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate United on its many successes to date.”

-ENDS-

Northgate HR scoops top outsourcing award

2007-11-20T00:00:00+01:00

November 2007

Northgate HR scoops top outsourcing award

~ named ‘major outsourcer of the year’ by the IPP
for Alliance Boots project ~

Northgate HR has been named ‘major outsourcer of the year’ at this years’ Institute of Payroll Professionals (IPP) awards ceremony. The HR solutions provider was recognised for its work with Alliance Boots, the high street retailer which employs 66,000 people.

Alliance Boots outsourced its payroll and HR services to Northgate HR, to allow its staff to concentrate on more strategic tasks without getting bogged down with back office duties. The company also wanted to improve response time to employee enquiries.

Judges praised the project for significantly raising the profile of HR and payroll over the last twelve months. The IPP awards, which took place at the Sheraton Grand Spa in Edinburgh, recognise significant contributions from individuals and organisations to improve working lives of payroll professionals.

“After a smooth transition from in-house to outsourced services, payroll staff retention rates within the Boots team have remained high” said Malcolm Aldis, managing director at Northgate HR. “Also, Boots employees who call the HR department now get a much faster response to questions. For example it now takes the team just 10 seconds, instead of a previous average of 67, to answer the phone, and 90 per cent of the time queries can be answered by the first person the employee speaks to.”

He continued: “Payroll employees who have been ‘TUPEd’ to Northgate HR now have a clear career path and are now free to concentrate on more strategic duties, without being distracted by back office processes. We’re proud that the IPP awards recognises this example of a successful outsourcing partnership in action.”

“The service Northgate HR has provided has exceeded all our expectations, and we're very pleased that we've already been able to hand more responsibility to Northgate HR than we had anticipated would be possible at this relatively early stage,” said Andy Sutcliffe, programme manager at Alliance Boots.

(327 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Northgate HR
Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of innovative technology solutions to the public services 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.

In the UK, Northgate works with four out of five local authorities and every police force. Its systems are used in the management of over 1.5 million local authority and housing association properties out of a total of approximately 4 million in England; in the administration of more than £17 billion of revenues and benefits; and in electoral administration systems covering over 18 million people. Founded in 1969, the company has over 3,300 employees.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Desinioti / Lisa Gillingham
LEWIS PR
020 7802 2626
kellyd / lisag@lewispr.com

Mansfield selects Northgate to transform revenues and benefits service

2007-11-12T00:00:00+01:00

Mansfield selects Northgate to transform revenues and benefits service

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today announces that it has been selected by Mansfield District Council to provide a new and improved revenues and benefits service for its 100,000 citizens.

Under an agreement worth around £600,000 over seven years, Northgate will provide Mansfield with a range of services aimed at streamlining the management and reporting of council tax and business rates, improving the administration of housing and council tax benefits, and providing citizens with easier access to the support that they need.

The council will utilise Northgate’s technology and mobile services to speed up the benefits assessment process for citizens, and enable staff to reach out to every local community through conducting assessments in people’s homes.

Mansfield will also benefit from:

- instant access to customer information, from citizens to large local businesses;
- the ability to view customer status and transaction history, enabling staff to answer questions quickly and accurately;
- integration with electronic document management systems to deliver further efficiencies.

Ian Kirk, Revenues and Benefits Manager at Mansfield District Council, said today:
“Mansfield is committed to delivering excellent services to local citizens and businesses alike. It is essential that all members of the community are able to access the benefits that they need. Northgate will enable us to build on our excellent performance, reduce our administration costs, and deliver our vision for an efficient, effective and responsive revenues and benefits service.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, added:
“Northgate’s partnership with Mansfield will allow the council to reach out to citizens in even the most vulnerable communities. Equipping staff with the tools they need to deliver proactive and citizen-centred services will deliver increased take-up and faster access to entitlements. We are delighted to be working with Mansfield to deliver the council’s vision for excellence.”

[Ends]

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:

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.

3. Northgate is providing Mansfield with its leading Revenues and

Mansfield selects Northgate to transform revenues and benefits service

2007-11-12T00:00:00+01:00

Mansfield selects Northgate to transform revenues and benefits service

Mansfield will also benefit from:

[Ends]

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.

3. Northgate is providing Mansfield with its leading Revenues and

Northgate Information Solutions Pre-Close Period Statement

2007-11-07T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions plc, the international supplier of specialist software
systems and IT services for the human resources and public service markets, today
issues a trading update for the six months to October 31st 2007, ahead of entering
its closed period.

Trading update

During the period Northgate has seen strong organic growth and the benefits of the
ARINSO businesses integrated within Northgate’s Human Resources division.

Northgate has continued to build on the progress referred to in the management
statement of 11 September 2007, with further growth in its order book and is
confident that the growth trends will continue into the second half on the back of
orders won and continuing market strength, particularly in the human resources and
public services sectors.

Human Resources

The Human Resources division has continued to win a number of significant new
contracts, benefiting from Northgate’s increased global footprint following the
acquisition of ARINSO.

During the half year these included:

• a £16m, seven year HR outsourcing contract with Pfizer, a global industrial ompany. Under the terms of this contract, ARINSO will provide several housands of employees of Pfizer with outsourced HR services in a number of uropean countries;

• a £14m contract signed with a major European chemical and pharmaceutical roup to provide HR and payroll systems and supporting services to 24,000 mployees across 19 countries;

• a 10 year contract with Agilent to provide HR and payroll systems and
services to its US employees; and

• a 7 year contract with Cadbury Schweppes to deliver HR systems and related ervices for its confectionery business in 68 countries across 5 continents, ne of the largest global HRO deals ARINSO has signed; and

• a £21m, seven year partnership signed with a major European electrical etailer to outsource their human resources, employee relations and payroll ervices for UK employees and to provide an integrated database across 27 ountries for their European employees on a ResourceLink platform.

In aggregate, the Total Contract Value for all major contract wins in the first half
exceeds £120m. We are also at preferred bidder stage for a further £60m which we
expect to close shortly.

Northgate are focusing on continuing the successful integration of ARINSO and on
driving the business forward. The operating margin of ARINSO has improved from
8.5% to over 9% in the four months since Northgate completed the acquisition in
spite of some inevitable disruption during the acquisition and integration period.
Going forward we are committed to further margin expansion.

Opportunities to cross sell through both organisations are materialising. Examples
include the Northgate team helping to close our transaction with Cadbury
Schweppes, and the launch of ResourceLink in the USA in early October.

The Human Resources division has a strong and growing order book and a good
pipeline of new deals which we anticipate will result in further growth in the second
half of the financial year.

Public Services

The Public Services division has made good progress and the improvement in
trading conditions within our Criminal Justice business seen in the first quarter has
continued.

The division has a strong order book and promising new business pipeline. During
the period we secured contracts with NSW Housing in a deal valued at £8.8m and
particularly notable is the growth seen in Northgate’s recently developed Energy
Performance Certificates (EPC) business, a web-based on demand service to assist
surveyors in providing the energy report required for Home Information Packs.

The business is also making good progress growing its outsourcing activities. In the
period a contract has been signed with Wycombe District Council for over £4m for
Northgate to deliver hosting and management services.

Managed Services

The Managed Services division has continued to trade well overall with growth in
revenues driven by significant education contracts won last year. The performance
of the division in the first half is in line with expectations. The division has a good
pipeline of orders in the education sector to continue growing the business, although
the timescale for closing these deals has extended.

Group Level

Post the ARINSO acquisition, Northgate is now a significantly larger international
group which affords greater scope for effective tax planning. Consequently,
Northgate currently anticipates an underlying effective tax charge for the group of
around 15% for the current year, growing to 26% over the next three years.

The Group’s strong cash flow has continued and is being used to reduce debt and
invest in the business. As previously announced, as part of the Arinso transaction,
Northgate intends to make a one off contribution to its defined benefit pension
scheme of £15m in the second half of the current financial year in support of a
restructuring of the schemes to be better aligned with our operating businesses. This
will be charged against current pension provisions and has no impact on reported
trading results.

As previously disclosed at the time of the ARINSO acquisition, the group expects to
incur exceptional costs of £11m for integration and deal costs in this financial year.

Based on the group’s performance to date, the Board expects performance for the
year to be in line with expectations.

The group’s interim results are due for release on 10th December 2007.

Enquiries:

Northgate Information Solutions plc
Chris Stone / John Stier 01442 232424

Maitland
Neil Bennett / Amanda Martyr / Anne Wheeler 020 7379 5151

About Northgate Information Solutions

Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader in providing specialist software,
outsourcing and information technology (IT) services to the human resources, local
government, education and public safety markets.

Northgate, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, currently employs over
6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Northgate has approximately 4,500 large/medium customers and approximately
10,500 small to medium enterprise (SME) customer’s world wide. The many
corporate organisations Northgate works closely with include over 20% of fortune
500 clients, 90% of the UK local authorities and all of the UK’s regional police forces.

Northgate launches state-of-the-art elections service

2007-11-05T00:00:00+01:00

5th November 2007

Northgate launches state-of-the-art elections service

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading supplier of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, today launched a new electoral management service designed to support local government in modernising elections and promoting democracy.

At the first of five roadshows taking place across the country this week, the Northgate Elector and Elections Management Solution was demonstrated in Bristol today to local authorities from across the region.

The new service is user-friendly and will help to speed up and simplify often complex processes. It will enable Electoral Registration Officers to:

- locate elector information more easily, whether searching for individuals, properties or a full history of the voters residing at any address;
- effectively manage staffing requirements, through the ability to view ‘live’ staff information, to quickly allocate officers to polling districts, and to enter and immediately review new information;
- efficiently prepare for and manage boundary changes through creating scenarios at the click of the mouse and the ability to move entire polling districts using an inbuilt ‘wizard’;
- easily generate and amend documents and statistical reports.

Further roadshows will take place this week in London, Birmingham, Cambridge and Leeds.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property, at Northgate Public Services, said today:

“We are delighted to launch our new elections service today, which is designed to meet the changing needs of a modern democratic system. With voter turnout at elections remaining low, it is essential that we do all we can to ensure that the system facilitates participation for all in the democratic process. Providing electoral registration officers with enhanced services will enable them to manage elections efficiently and effectively, and ensure that local authorities are well-placed to manage any future innovations aimed at increasing voter registration and turnout.”

[Ends]

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

Northgate call for eco-town innovation to be rolled out to all communities

2007-11-01T00:00:00+01:00

1st November 2007

Northgate calls for ‘eco-town’ innovation to be rolled out to all communities

The innovative technologies and policies set to emerge from the proposed ‘eco-towns’ must be rolled out to existing communities as soon as is practicable, Northgate Information Solutions said today.

In a recent response to the Housing Green Paper, carried out by Communities and Local Government, Northgate welcomed the focus on delivering sustainable and affordable new housing but called on the government to ensure that mechanisms are in place for the lessons learnt from eco-towns to be shared as widely as possible, particularly where this improves energy efficiency or the effectiveness of service delivery to citizens.

Northgate also welcomed the announcement of additional financial support for the Decent Homes programme. Social housing providers have a strong role to play in delivering sustainable housing and in supporting local authorities in the ‘place-shaping’ agenda, and it is essential that tenants are enabled to make a full contribution to these processes.

The response also calls for:

- greater consideration of the use of financial instruments such as ‘green mortgages’ to incentivise home owners to reduce their carbon footprint;
- local authorities and the private sector to focus on developing ‘performance partnerships’ that deliver agreed outcomes, rather than products or services;
- the piloting and evaluation of innovative schemes to support older people to remain in their homes and deliver proactive services to vulnerable communities.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, said today:

“We welcome the publication of the Housing Green Paper and its focus on delivering sustainable and affordable housing for people now and in the future. There is a pressing need for organisations in all sectors to reduce their carbon footprint. It is therefore essential that existing housing stock is well-managed, well-maintained and energy efficient, and we would like to see the experiences and successes likely to emerge from the eco-towns shared effectively across all housing developments.”

[ENDS]
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

Northgate wins major public housing contract

2007-10-31T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions plc (“Northgate”) announced today that it extended its eight year relationship with the Government of New South Wales (“NSW”) Australia by signing a new five year contract to provide a broad range of information management and customer-focused services for public housing.

The contract with the NSW Department of Housing is worth in excess of £8 million (AU$20 million). It will provide Northgate’s world class housing solution to manage the State’s entire housing stock comprising 140,000 properties and worth AU$28 billion.

Under the agreement, the NSW Department of Housing will be able to deliver enhanced public housing services to the citizens and local communities of the State through:

•   improved access to and consistency of key housing information and advice, enabling staff to improve the quality of the services they provide to tenants.
•   further improved self-service channels for tenants to interact with the Department;
•   enhanced efficiency of asset management and maintenance;
•   improved access for partner organisations to facilitate better and more efficient outcomes for existing tenants and applicants for housing.

Northgate will provide training material and a skills transfer service for the Housing NSW Training Team, facilitating the up-skilling of up to 2500 employees of the Housing NSW Organisation.

Speaking today, Housing NSW Director General, Mike Allen, said: “Housing NSW is committed to building stronger communities by providing housing solutions for people in need. We are pleased to join with Northgate to realise this project, having sought a partner organisation both passionate about the importance of public housing and with hands-on experience in delivering innovative and continuously improving services.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, added: “We are delighted to have been awarded this prestigious and significant public services contract within the Asia Pacific. This marks a major step forwards in building upon our eight year collaborative partnership with the NSW Government. Our housing management service is already operating in over 100 public organisations across the world, and we will work with the Government to provide an innovative, effective and efficient public housing service to meet the current and future needs of the community.”

For further information:

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton           +44 (0) 207 849 3403 (office); +44 (0)7966 890401 (mobile)
Naomi Stevenson         +44 (0) 207 849 3508 (office); +44 (0)7966 890403 (mobile)

Notes to Editors:

1.   Northgate is a global leader in the provision of software applications and outsourcing solutions to the public safety, local government, housing, education and human resources sector. It provides 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.   Northgate supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. In housing it provides services to over 100 public housing organisations across the world. In the UK 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.

3.   The NSW Department of Housing is one of the largest providers of social housing in the world, providing a range of housing solutions to meet the needs of today’s community. In partnership with the community, industry and individuals, the Department provides safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities for those most in need so that they can live with dignity, find support if needed and achieve sustainable futures. Its highest priority is to target assistance to those with the greatest needs and to work with other agencies to support individuals and communities.

Northgate Announces Further Contract Extension With Reading Council

2007-10-29T00:00:00+01:00

29 October 2007

Northgate announces further contract extension with Reading Council

Northgate Information Solutions today announces a further extension to its strategic partnership with Reading Borough Council designed to support the Council in delivering greater efficiencies and responsive services.

The two-year contract, worth £4.5m, extends to 2011 the existing Desktop Services Agreement with Reading, which began in 1999. The new contract will see a renewed focus on cost-savings in line with the council’s corporate objectives and will develop the existing partnership between Reading Borough Council and Northgate.

The benefits include:

- implementation of Northgate’s ‘Model Office’ methodology, which manages incidents, problems, changes and configuration through IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) service management model.
- further development of the iTeam, where a team of Northgate experts based within the Civic Centre delivers jointly agreed key Transformational Service projects to the Council
- implementation of a 4-year technical roadmap and plan which will further enable key projects to be delivered within required timescales;

Councillor Jo Lovelock, Lead Councillor for Corporate Resources at Reading Borough Council, said:

“Through working in partnership with Northgate, the council has already delivered extensive improvements in the services it provides to both staff and to citizens. We are pleased to be extending our agreement with Northgate to enable us to deliver on our Transforming Services and New Civil Centre programmes and focus on continuous improvement to realise our vision of effective and efficient services.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Infrastructure Solutions at Northgate Managed Services, added:

“Working in close partnership with the team at Reading, we have been able to deliver a raft of performance improvements since our work began in 1999. We are delighted to announce a further two-year extension, and look forward to supporting the council to further transform service delivery through the innovative use of technology.”

-Ends-

For more information:

Morrow Communications
Gareth Colhoun: 028 9039 3837 / 07733304415 / g.colhoun@morrowcommunications.com
Claire Bonner: 028 9039 3837 / 07768790238 / c.bonner@morrowcommunications.com

Notes to Editors:

1) Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of ICT and managed services solutions and software to the public services, utilities markets and corporate markets. Whether business process outsourcing, full IT outsourcing or managing specific needs such as application or web-hosting, desktop management or data-centre systems, Northgate advises clients on how to maximise the value of their information technology assets. Founded in 1969, the company has over 6,000 employees.
www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

2) ‘Model Office’ is Northgate’s implementation of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) service management methodology, providing Incident, Problem, Change and Configuration Management.

Northgate announces further contract extension with Reading Council

2007-10-29T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate announces further contract extension with Reading Council

The benefits include:

Councillor Jo Lovelock, Lead Councillor for Corporate Resources at Reading Borough Council, said:

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Infrastructure Solutions at Northgate Managed Services, added:

-Ends-

For more information:

Morrow Communications
Gareth Colhoun: 028 9039 3837 / 07733304415 / g.colhoun@morrowcommunications.com
Claire Bonner: 028 9039 3837 / 07768790238 / c.bonner@morrowcommunications.com

Notes to Editors:

2) ‘Model Office’ is Northgate’s implementation of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) service management methodology, providing Incident, Problem, Change and Configuration Management.

Leeds picks Northgate to deliver effective data management

2007-10-22T23:00:00+01:00

In a contract to run over five years, Northgate will provide Leeds City Council with a new master data management service, providing a unified real-time view of the customer, gathered from data held across a range of other council systems.

The contract will include consultancy, advice, project management and support and the provision of the Initiate Citizen™ solution which enables local authorities to combine data held across a multitude of corporate and departmental IT systems into centralised master records.

The aim is to provide better quality data which provides the council with an overview and history of individual citizens’ needs and requirements.

Leeds City Council will focus on developing and using a customer master index to meet business requirements for a single view of the customer and to support further council partnership working.

Leader of Leeds City Council and executive member for ICT services, Councillor Mark Harris, said,

“We are committed to delivering accessible services to all our citizens and to do this we must ensure that we hold the highest quality data about our citizens to inform the identification of citizen need and the delivery of proactive and personalised services.

“This project will enable us to reach out to citizens who the council have been less successful in engaging with and we are delighted to be working with Northgate.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, said:

“We welcome the opportunity to work with Leeds City Council and to use our relationship with Initiate to help deliver excellence in data management. Accurate and joined-up information is the foundation stone on which citizen-centred services can be delivered, and we believe that increasing emphasis must be placed on improving data quality if we are to meet the needs of a diverse and changing population.”

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. The data quality partnership with Leeds follows an earlier agreement made by Northgate with Brent Council in March of this year.

3.    Initiate Systems, Inc. enables organisations to strategically leverage and share critical data assets. Its Master Data Management (MDM) software and experience as an information exchange leader provide organisations with complete, accurate and real-time views of data spread across multiple systems or databases, even outside the firewall. This allows companies to unlock the value of their data assets for competitive advantages or operational improvements. Initiate Systems operates globally through its subsidiaries, with corporate headquarters in Chicago and offices across the U.S., and Toronto, London and Sydney. For more information, visit www.initiatesystems.com.

4.    Leeds City Council employs 36,000 people and provides key public services to the City of Leeds. Leeds is a lively city, rich in culture and heritage with lots to explore. More than 750,000 people live within the city boundaries and over 100,000 people come to work in the city centre every day. Many thousands more tourists and visitors come to shop, eat out or enjoy the range of attractions Leeds has on offer.

Visit & results notification

2007-10-15T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions announces that it is hosting an analyst and investor visit to Brussels on 7 and 8 November 2007. The visit follows Northgate’s recently completed acquisition of ARINSO International, and is intended to familiarise analysts and investors with ARINSO’s operations and product offerings, the progress being made integrating ARINSO with Northgate’s HR operations and the opportunities this offers.

Northgate Information Solutions will announce its pre-closed period trading statement on 7 November 2007 and its interim results for the six months ending 31 October on 10 December 2007.

For further information please contact:

Maitland (Financial PR)
Neil Bennett / Amanda Martyr/Anne Wheeler 020 7379 5151

Note to Editors:

About Northgate Information Solutions
Northgate Information Solutions plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For further information visit the Northgate Information Solutions website at www.northgate-is.com.

Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader of software applications and outsourcing solutions to the public safety, local government, education and human resources sectors. Headquartered in Hemel Hempstead, Northgate now employs more than 3,200 staff and has approximately 2,700 large/medium customers and approximately 7,000 small to medium enterprise (SME) customers across the UK and Ireland. Northgate works closely with many corporate organisations, as well as approximately 90% of the UK's local authorities, and all of its police forces.

Northgate's ARINSO selected by Cadbury Schweppes plc to deliver global HR IT platform

2007-10-09T23:00:00+01:00

ARINSO, Northgate Information Solutions’ global HR business, has been selected by Cadbury Schweppes plc to deliver HR systems and related services for its confectionery business. The deal is one of the largest in ARINSO’s history and implementation will be across 5 continents in 68 countries where Cadbury Schweppes operates.

The seven-year partnership will use ARINSO’s euHReka technology to create a single SAP-based HR Services platform. The platform, to be completed in early 2010, will become the core Cadbury Schweppes’ global HR information system and give employees online access to services. Cadbury Schweppes will also have the option to explore further the support services offered by ARINSO as the deal evolves.

Chris Stone, Chief Executive of Northgate Information Solutions, said: “Cadbury Schweppes is a global blue-chip company and precisely the kind of business we envisaged working with when we acquired ARINSO this summer. Using the euHReka platform will allow the HR team at Cadbury Schweppes to deliver better quality information, support faster decision-making and improve service and I am delighted to have them on board. They join ARINSO’s already superb client list which includes such global businesses as Shell, Airbus, Exxon Mobil, Finnair and Tetra Pak.” (208 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Cadbury Schweppes (www.csplc.com)

Cadbury Schweppes is the world's largest confectionery company and has strong regional beverages businesses in North America and Australia. On 15 March 2007, Cadbury Schweppes announced that it intends to separate its Confectionery and Americas Beverages businesses.

With origins stretching back over 200 years, today Cadbury Schweppes' products – which include brands such as Cadbury, Schweppes, Halls, Trident, Dr Pepper, Snapple, Trebor, Dentyne, Bubblicious and Bassett – are enjoyed in almost every country around the world. The Group employs over 70,000 people.

About Northgate Information Solutions (www.northgate-is.com)

Northgate, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, employs over 6,000 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

Northgate has approximately 4,500 large/medium customers and approximately 10,500 small to medium enterprise (SME) customers worldwide. Northgate delivers Human Resources solutions to many of the world’s largest organisations as well as working with ,90% of the UK local authorities and all of the UK’s regional police forces.

For further information, please contact: Suzy Ferguson or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626

Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627

Email: suzyf / lisag@lewispr.com

Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

Education in NI Transformed by �46million ICT Investment

2007-10-03T23:00:00+01:00

Education in NI Transformed by £46million ICT Investment

Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane today (4 Oct) unveiled the groundbreaking results of a £46million investment in the latest education technologies.

The Minister was visiting Hazelwood Primary School in Belfast, which is the 250th school in the province to benefit from the new ICT Managed Service for primary schools – procured through the innovative Classroom 2000 initiative (C2K).

Awarded to Northgate Information Solutions, the contract is part of the largest ICT education managed service project to be implemented in Europe. Over five years Northgate will deliver and support the latest media rich education technologies to each of the 883 primary schools in Northern Ireland.

The ICT Managed Service supports C2K’s objective of enhancing and individualising the learning and teaching experiences of approximately 170,000 teachers and pupils province-wide, equipping them with many of the key skills they require for the future.

While the technologies delivered by Northgate are advanced and highly complex, the real benefits to the end users – predominantly children aged between 4 and 11 - will be a much simpler, user-friendly, interactive learning platform.

As a direct result of the £46million investment, the primary school sector will:
 be fitted out with the very latest computing equipment – including LCD monitors, workstations, video conferencing facilities and colour printers;
 be integrated via C2K’s ‘Enterprise Active Directory’, enabling schools to work collaboratively online and more effectively share and enhance the teaching/learning experience for all;
 benefit from a more secure teaching and learning environment – and be less vulnerable to misuse and hackers.

Primary schools will also benefit from Northgate’s pro-active network monitoring and fixing service which enables the company to identify and resolve problems before schools are even aware of their existence. As this covers everything from hardware issues such as printer faults, to network and software problems it ensures schools have a readily available and reliable IT infrastructure.

As an extension to the original contract, over 25,000 laptops are also being distributed to schools throughout NI’s educational sectors – nursery, primary, special needs and post primary – resulting in every teacher having round the clock access to their work and resources.

Speaking during the visit, Ms Ruane spoke of the importance of ICT in children’s education and said: “Every child in our schools, regardless of ability, background, or even the type of school they attend, deserves to avail of the best opportunities available. We are already considered to be a leader in the use of ICT in education and today I have seen how we can build on those strong foundations. Both the scale of investment and the nature of the upgrade will provide our children with unrivalled opportunities to avail of the most up to date technologies in school.”

Assess the positive benefits the ICT Managed Service is delivering to pupils, Chris Stone, Chief Executive of Northgate said:

“This is a significant milestone for education in Northern Ireland and we’re proud to be playing such an instrumental role in shaping the future of teaching and learning here.

“Northgate prides itself on being a partner in this initiative and our priority is to do everything possible to keep NI’s education system at the leading edge – which we can only achieve by fully understanding the technology needs of our schools today. This contract is part of a long term investment programme which aims to unlock the full potential of those who are teaching and those who are learning. It is helping to change the face of education here and is already gaining global recognition for what is being achieved.”

Endorsing Northgate’s achievements for C2K, Jimmy Stewart Director of C2K added:

“Northgate has earned its reputation as leading specialists in the education sector with a proven track record in the provision of large, complex managed service projects to the public sector. This is particularly important when it comes to the long-term strategy such as this which is pivotal to the future of education and to our young people in Northern Ireland. This service will ensure our primary school sector has an advanced technology platform to support its education needs as well as a single point of contact for ICT advice and problem solving. By empowering schools in this way, we are creating an exemplar for the delivery of education across the British Isles.”

Ends

For further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 9039 3837

Notes to Editors:
1. Northgate Information Solutions (www.northgate-is.com) is a leading provider of ICT and managed services solutions and software to the public safety, local government, education and human resource sectors. With divisional headquarters in Hemel Hempstead and Belfast, Northgate has 25 major offices across the UK and 30 international offices. Founded in 1969, the company has over 6000 employees.

2. Based in Northgate’s Managed Service division in Newtownabbey, Northgate Education (www.northgate-is.com/education) is a leader provider of managed services and solutions in the UK. It provides technology services to over 1,200 schools, with more than 350,000 teachers and learners successfully supported by the company. Northgate provides services to every school in Northern Ireland through C2k, the largest and most comprehensive e-learning initiative ever implemented in the UK. The company is also providing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) managed services to Bristol City Council as part of the government's Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF), and to over 150 education sites in Hartlepool, from primary schools through to further education. Northgate is the preferred bidder for ICT for Leicester BSF. In January 2007, Northgate were awarded an ISO 20000-1 accreditation by the British Standards Institution, for provision of IT service management activities.

FremantleMedia agrees pensions outsourcing agreement with Northgate HR

2007-09-30T23:00:00+01:00

FremantleMedia Group has handed over full outsourcing of its pensions administration service, including all accounting and payroll activity, to Northgate HR.

The five-year contract, worth over £400k, has brought FremantleMedia significant cost savings and gains in administration efficiency for the hybrid scheme, which has almost 750 members.

The Trustee’s chose Northgate HR from a number of providers because they felt that Northgate offered the most impressive system solution resulting in cost savings and improved efficiency given that fully automated calculations almost completely remove the need for manual intervention and therefore the chance of human error.”

Both parties also say that the arrangement will improve service levels to scheme members, including through the introduction of an online self-service facility that is scheduled for the second half of this year.

Malcolm Aldis, Managing Director, Northgate HR, said: “We are pleased to be able to provide a service that supports FremantleMedia’s strategic direction. We are also proud to bring another hybrid scheme into our growing portfolio.”

About FremantleMedia (www.fremantlemedia.com)

FremantleMedia is one of the largest international creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world, with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and factual entertainment programming in over 40 territories, including the UK, the US, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia, Latin America and Asia.

The company has production operations in over 25 countries worldwide, providing original local programming as well as local versions of its international TV brands. The production operation comprises some of the most recognised and creative labels from around the world including UFA, Blu, teamWorx, talkbackThames, Grundy and Blue Circle. Every year, it delivers over 8,500 hours of original programming to broadcasters around the world.

About Northgate HR (www.northgate-is.com/hrs)

With over 40 years’ experience, Northgate HR is the UK’s largest supplier of HR, payroll and pensions applications. Northgate HR solutions are developed to provide maximum flexibility and seamless integration. They can cater for the diverse requirements of HR, payroll, benefits and pension management across all market sectors and in organisations of any size.

Solutions can be delivered in-house, via an Application Service Provider (ASP) or outsourced, providing forward thinking and state-of-the-art business management tools. With a comprehensive suite of software solutions combined with unparalleled levels of expertise, Northgate HR can fulfill its vision to provide solutions that simplify key business tasks and deliver value added benefits to customers, enabling them to provide vital human capital information to assist in HR management and business strategy.

Northgate HR is the specialist HR and Payroll systems division of Northgate Information Solutions. Northgate Information Solutions plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and included in the FTSE 250 index. For further information visit Northgate Information Solutions at www.northgate-is.com.

Result of AGM

2007-09-26T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions Plc is pleased to announce that shareholders duly passed all resolutions proposed at today’s Annual General Meeting on a show of hands.

Proxy votes were received from shareholders in respect of 344,763,934 shares amounting to 59.20% of the issued share capital. The total number of shares in issue is 582,385,556. A summary of proxy votes received will be available on the Company’s website,
www.northgate-is.com

For further enquiries, please contact:

Northgate Information Solutions Plc
Chris Stone/John Stier 01442 232424

Maitland (Financial PR)
Neil Bennett/Amanda Martyr 020 7379 5151

Northgate to take nine organisations mobile

2007-09-25T23:00:00+01:00

Nine organisations serving over one million people are to take services out to their local communities through working in partnership with Northgate Information Solutions.

Having signed contracts worth a total of £650,000 with eight local authorities and one housing association, Northgate will roll out its ‘Intelligent Mobile’ system designed to bring public services closer to the communities they serve. It provides officers with access to detailed information, the ability to amend it, and the facility to automatically update the relevant systems without returning to the office.

Across a range of public services, from environmental health to housing and benefits, Northgate’s ‘Intelligent Mobile’ is already enabling staff to ensure access for all and to proactively deliver services to their most vulnerable communities.

Clients include Wandsworth Borough Council, which is implementing ‘Intelligent Mobile’ in its Building Control department. Melton Borough Council is also working with Northgate to implement a corporate system that will deliver mobile working for all the authority’s major departments.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, said today:

“Today, citizens expect high-quality, personalised services to be delivered first time, every time. And public authorities across the country are taking steps to target hard-to-reach groups and ensure that services are accessible to all. For example, East Riding of Yorkshire Council has helped visiting officers from the Pensioner Benefit Help Team to speed up the payment of benefits by 25%.

“Mobile working can support the delivery of efficient and effective services through bringing these services out to our communities and by reducing time-consuming bureaucracy. We look forward to working in partnership with officers across a range of fields to deliver improved and innovative services to the public.”

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton 020 7849 3403; 07966 890401; ksutton@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

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.

Hartlepool uses technology to protect its children and young people

2007-09-12T23:00:00+01:00

Hartlepool uses technology to protect its children and young people

Northgate Information Solutions today announces the successful delivery of an Integrated Children’s System (ICS) for Hartlepool Borough Council, which aims to improve social care services and help safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in the borough.

Under a contract worth £700,000 over 5 years, Northgate, in partnership with Liquidlogic and Hartlepool Borough Council, has implemented and is supporting the ICS for Hartlepool’s Children’s Services Department. The implementation of the ICS is an integral part of the council’s commitment to the government’s Every Child Matters programme, and will enable future joint working with partner organisations such as Primary Care Trusts, doctors and the police – key steps in improving outcomes for children and young people.

The ICS will deliver many key improvements and benefits for children, young people and their families in Hartlepool, and the council, including:

• total security of information, with only authorised, professional users able to access information and only specific and relevant data ever being displayed
• enabling practitioners to concentrate on important issues in a case, by gathering and delivering the information that they need, when they need it, and in an easily understood form – ensuring efficient and effective use of time and resources
• allowing out-of-hours staff, such as emergency duty teams, access to assessments and other work done by the case worker – ensuring continuity and saving vital time
• directly alerting staff and managers when key events (for instance, assessments and reviews) are approaching, due or overdue, and triggering alerts for defined changes or warnings – such as adults who may constitute a threat to a child or front-line worker, or when a child comes into public care, the system can automatically populate the relevant information into external agencies
• providing a common and coherent set of key processes that front line staff and their managers can adopt – from first contact with a child and family, through assessment and interventions, to review – improving multi-agency workflow and information sharing, which ensures that nothing is missed
• the capability to connect to Contactpoint (the national child index) and implement the Electronic Common Assessment Framework (e-CAF) support systems

The ICS has been implemented for 141 professional users, including Children & Families Teams, the Young Persons Service, the Disability Team, Safeguarding Unit, Placement Team and Leaving Care Team.

Paul Walker, Chief Executive of Hartlepool Borough Council, said today:
“We always aim to make the most of new technology, and this system will help us to keep improving the services we provide to children, young people and their families. As our strategic partner, Northgate already provides technology services to over 40 educational sites in Hartlepool, including primary and secondary schools. Through partnerships with other organisations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, we aim to become one of the first truly joined up councils, making the best possible improvements to the lives of local people.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Infrastructure Solutions at Northgate Managed Services, added:
“The ICS is a significant example of how local authorities can, by working in partnership with the private sector, improve the delivery of social care services to vulnerable people through the intelligent use of technology. It will also help facilitate the sharing of information and multi-agency working, which is essential for effective risk management and will ultimately safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in our communities.”

[Ends]

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:

2) Northgate Education (www.northgate-is.com/education) is the second largest provider of managed services in the UK. It provides technology services to over 1,200 schools, with more than 350,000 teachers and learners successfully supported by the company. Northgate provides services to over 40 education sites in Hartlepool; to every school in Northern Ireland through C2k, the largest and most comprehensive e-learning initiative ever implemented in the UK; and is providing ICT managed services to Bristol City Council as part of the government's Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF).

3) In implementing and supporting the ICS, Northgate is using a software platform, PROTOCOL, provided by its partners, Liquidlogic.

4) Hartlepool Borough Council, a unitary authority serving a 91,000-plus population, has been top-rated by the independent watchdog The Audit Commission continuously since 2002. Based on the national performance indicators for councils, Hartlepool is among the best performing local authorities in the country.

Interim Management Statement and Business Update

2007-09-10T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions plc, the international supplier of specialist software, systems and IT services for the human resources and public service markets, today publishes its Interim Management Statement covering the period from the beginning of the Group’s financial year to date.

Trading update

Trading has been good in all areas, the group’s order intake has been maintained and a number of significant new orders have been won. The group remains on track to meet expectations for the full year.

The Human Resources division continues to win new orders to supply HR systems and services to among others the BBC, the Laurel Pub Company, The Body Shop International PLC and Iceland Foods Limited. The greater part of the benefit of these will be seen in the second half of the financial year.

Within the Public Services division there has been an improvement in trading conditions within our Criminal Justice business where order intake has accelerated. During the period we secured significant new contracts for our Criminal Justice Management Information System and a number of new orders from various police forces and other bodies for the CallTouch communications system. In total this order flow was worth approximately £7 million in contract value. Trading in Local Government business is in line with expectations and continues our success from last year.

The Managed Services division is trading well overall and has commenced work on a number of significant education contracts that were secured last year. Earlier this month the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, opened in Bristol the UK’s first new school under the Building Schools for the Future programme which successfully incorporated Northgate’s unique managed learning environment. This confirms Northgate’s leading position in the fast growing and innovative education sector.

Acquisition of Arinso

We are pleased to report that the acquisition of Arinso, the international HR business, has been completed and that the group now owns 100% of the company following the compulsory purchase of the remaining outstanding shares. The syndication of the debt that part financed the acquisition has also been completed successfully, a notable achievement in current market conditions reflecting confidence in the cash generative nature of Northgate’s business. A number of major financial institutions with international strength provide Northgate with a stable and secure source of finance and support to further develop its global ambitions.

The terms of the facility reflect the high quality and visibility of Northgate’s business activities and strong balance sheet. In addition, Northgate has taken out various hedging instruments which provide a range of fixed rates, caps and collars to protect against both currency and interest rate movements.

Arinso continues to trade well and the integration of the group with our own HR operations is proceeding ahead of our pre-acquisition expectations. During the period Arinso continued to win a number of contracts with multi-national clients. The most notable of these was a ten-year contract with Agilent, the global measurement group. This involves the outsourcing of a significant portion of Agilent’s HR needs to Arinso and brings to the group a further significant US client.

Looking ahead we will continue to move forward with the integration of Arinso into the group’s HR operations and prepare to take full advantage of Arinso’s international operations to support Northgate’s international strategy in a growing number of overseas markets.

Commenting on the performance of the business, Chris Stone, Chief Executive of Northgate, said: “We are very pleased with the performance of our businesses during what has been an extremely important period for Northgate, one that culminated in the acquisition of Arinso and the transformation of the group into a truly international provider of IT systems and services. We are also pleased that the acquisition has been completed on schedule and that the financing has been completed so successfully. Northgate is already seeing the benefits of its increased scale and capabilities and we are confident these will deliver significant shareholder value as the integration proceeds.”

Northgate will hold its AGM as planned on September 27th, 2007.

Enquiries

Northgate Information Solutions plc 01442 232424
Chris Stone, Chief Executive
John Stier, Finance Director

Maitland 020 7379 5151
Neil Bennett
Anne Wheeler

About Northgate Information Solutions

Northgate Information Solutions plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For further information visit the Northgate Information Solutions website at www.northgate-is.com.

Northgate Information Solutions is a market leader of software applications and outsourcing solutions to the public safety, local government, education and human resources sectors. Headquartered in Hemel Hempstead, Northgate now employs nearly 6,000 staff and has approximately 2,700 large/medium customers and approximately 7,000 small to medium enterprise (SME) customers across the UK and Ireland. Northgate works closely with many corporate organisations, as well as approximately 90% of the UK's local authorities, and all of its police forces. Northgate operates in 29 countries across 5 continents and is a member of the FTSE 250.

Ireland's Waterways Flow Smoothly Thanks to New Technologies

2007-09-02T23:00:00+01:00

Ireland’s Waterways Flow Smoothly Thanks to New Technologies

Waterways Ireland, the North/South implementation body which manages, maintains and develops Ireland’s navigable waterways has formed a strategic relationship with leading ICT company, Northgate Information Solutions.

Waterways Ireland has agreed a 3-year managed service contract which will result in Northgate taking a proactive approach under their Business Improvement Programme to manage all of Waterways Ireland’s IT infrastructure in various locations Ireland-wide. This includes the rollout of a major migration programme when they move to their new Head Office in Enniskillen. Over the 3 year period, Northgate will also provide professional services to Waterways Ireland which will include the complete upgrading of Waterways computing equipment and servers.

As part of the contract, a Northgate engineer will be permanently based on site at Waterways Ireland, enabling IT staff to focus on more strategic projects. A dedicated Northgate team will also be assigned to the project to ensure consistency of service throughout the duration of the contract.

Brian Cleland, Head of IT in Waterways Ireland said:
“The inland waterways of Ireland offer a wealth of recreational opportunities to a wide range of people and resources are focused on the management, maintenance, development and restoration of these important amenities. Technology is key to the delivery of a seamless service to our many stakeholders – so it is critical we work closely with a company that can provide us with the systems and support necessary to help us work to maximum efficiency.

“In addition to the creation of an IT infrastructure which is tailored to our very specific needs, the main benefit of Northgate’s managed service is that we are gaining from a dedicated support source. This enables us to make more effective use of our staff’s time while the technology itself will help us to achieve our organisational objectives.

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Northgate Infrastructure Solutions added:
“Reliability, cost reduction, flexibility and improved customer service are the main benefits of a managed service to any organisation. We are delighted to be working with Waterways Ireland and to be helping them deliver a first class product and service which will be of benefit to all their customers in the island of Ireland.”
Ends
For further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 9039 3837

Ireland's Waterways Flow Smoothly Thanks to New Technologies

2007-09-02T23:00:00+01:00

Ireland’s Waterways Flow Smoothly Thanks to New Technologies

Simplyhealth finds staffing remedy with Northgate HR

2007-08-13T23:00:00+01:00

Major private health provider invests in new system

Simplyhealth has chosen Northgate HR’s ResourceLink solution to manage its human resources across the group. The organisation – a community of healthcare businesses that has made seven acquisitions and launched one start up business since 2000 – will use ResourceLink to manage HR processes such as payroll, timesheets and training requests. It will be used for all 1,300 employees across seven sites at the end of 2007.

Northgate HR was selected when it became apparent that the existing system – only available at one site – was no longer sufficient to provide valid, useful data for business planning and budgeting purposes. “We needed a system for all our employees, wherever they are based, that provides the business with the level of detail and service needed,” said Suzanne Pool, Director of HR at Simplyhealth. “This was not a luxury investment – it’s a strategic necessity.”

During the tender process, several visits and presentations confirmed that Northgate HR would be the best fit for Simplyhealth. “The quality of the product and its capability met our requirements perfectly,” said Pool.

The teams at Simplyhealth and Northgate HR are working together closely on the project to ensure deadlines are met and that ResourceLink is up and running by the end of November 2007.

“ResourceLink will provide Simplyhealth with an accessible and consistent HR and Payroll service across the group,” said Mark DeBono, New Business Sales at Northgate HR. “HR administration will be streamlined through the phased deployment of Self Service – and will eventually handle core HR requests, absence, training and recruitment processes at the rapidly growing business.”

Pool concluded: “This strategic investment will support us in this time of significant growth, helping us to look after our people now and in the future.”

About Simplyhealth

Simplyhealth is the parent company for a community of healthcare businesses that have come together to help more people feel better. BCWA, HealthSure, HSA and LHF form Simplyhealth Access, the financial services division of the Group whilst Simplyhealth Wellbeing incorporates the non-financial divisions within the Group, these being Adastral Health Limited, Your Health Screening and Totally Active.

The Group specialises in healthcare schemes and services for individuals, families and companies, which range from health plans and private medical insurance, to health screening, occupational health and mobility aids.

About Northgate HR

Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of innovative technology solutions to the public services 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.

In the UK, Northgate works with four out of five local authorities and every police force. Its systems are used in the management of over 1.5 million local authority and housing association properties out of a total of approximately 4 million in England; in the administration of more than £17 billion of revenues and benefits; and in electoral administration systems covering over 18 million people. Founded in 1969, the company has over 3,300 employees.

For further information, please contact:

Jenny Thomas / Lisa Gillingham
LEWIS PR
020 7802 2626
jennyt / lisag@lewispr.com

Newcastle and North Tyneside councils select Northgate

2007-08-12T23:00:00+01:00

Newcastle and North Tyneside councils select Northgate

Northgate Information Solutions today announces that it will implement and support a new email, calendar and archiving system for Newcastle and North Tyneside councils, following a joint procurement exercise designed to deliver efficiencies for both authorities.

The new system aims to deliver business benefits to both councils, enabling staff to work more efficiently and collaboratively, improving the resilience and security of data, and improving customer service.

With local authorities increasingly looking to improve outcomes for citizens through sharing services, the procurement was undertaken as part of an ongoing programme to strengthen partnership working between the two councils.

Under the five-year contract worth over £1.8 million, Northgate will provide infrastructure and services designed to deliver a secure and efficient email, calendar and archiving system for Newcastle’s 7,000 users and North Tyneside’s 4,000 users.

Both councils will be provided with:

• a highly reliable system that prevents unnecessary downtime, with data stored off-site to facilitate business recovery;
• confidence in the security of their email, through anti-virus, anti-spam and content filtering functions;
• efficient archiving processes, ensuring that data can be stored and retrieved in accordance with best practice.

Terry Goulding, Infrastructure Services Manager at Newcastle City Council, said today:
“We are pleased to be working with Northgate to deliver a robust and sustainable email service for our staff. Through undertaking a joint procurement exercise with North Tyneside Council we have also realised additional efficiencies, and we look forward to strengthening this partnership further over the coming years.”

Steve Wride, Infrastructure Manager at North Tyneside Council, added:
“We are committed to providing staff across North Tyneside council with the information they need to support them in their work. Working in partnership with Northgate gives us confidence that our email is being managed correctly, and we have worked closely with Newcastle City Council in order to deliver an efficient procurement.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Infrastructure Solutions, added:
“Email should facilitate good communication for local authorities, not hamper it. With over 85 billion spam emails sent every day around the world, and councils increasingly concerned to meet best practice in relation to data protection, it is essential that hard-pressed staff are freed up to focus on what they do best – delivering responsive services to citizens. Our email services are designed to support organisations in streamlining processes, reducing administration and improving communication, and we are delighted to be working with Newcastle and North Tyneside councils to do just that.”

[Ends]

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 ICT and managed services solutions and software to the public services, utilities markets and corporate markets. Whether business process outsourcing, full IT outsourcing or managing specific needs such as application or web-hosting, desktop management or data-centre systems, Northgate advises clients on how to maximise the value of their information technology assets. With divisional headquarters in Hemel Hempstead and Belfast, Northgate has 25 major offices across the UK and six international offices. Founded in 1969, the company has over 6,000 employees. www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

New service to revolutionise elections management by reaching out to diverse communities

2007-08-07T23:00:00+01:00

Four out of ten voters could benefit from a new service aimed at increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of elections management, and meeting the needs of local authorities and their citizens within a modernised voting system.

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets, is collaborating with local authorities throughout the country to develop its service at a time when councils are under pressure to respond to changes in the democratic process.

The state of the art elections management system, currently being trialled at a number of councils, will deliver:

• The most up to date, accurate information at users’ fingertips through the development of a single fully-integrated search engine, and the introduction of wizards simplifying processes for electoral administration officers and speeding up administration time;
• Closer interaction with diverse communities throughout the UK with the implementation of an advanced language facility, looking to engage with marginalised voters;
• Greater efficiency and effectiveness in locating electors through the use of a GIS (Geographic Information System);
• Easily-accessible and accurate historical citizen information with the introduction of a comprehensive electors database.

The service will be available to existing clients from the end of the year and to local authorities nationwide from early next year. Northgate currently administers electoral records for over 18 million registered voters, and has recently signed over 80 contracts for postal vote identification systems with local authorities committed to eliminating fraud in postal voting and to modernising their electoral systems.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Land & Property at Northgate Public Services, said today:
“Our services are designed to confidently address issues surrounding modern democratic elections systems, whilst assisting local authorities from beginning to end – registering elector information, producing electoral registers, and managing the election itself. This radically improved service will be a great benefit to both citizens and electoral administration officers, enabling them to reach out to wider communities and encourage greater public confidence in the democratic process.”

[Ends]
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:

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.

3. 40% of the UK electorate is registered with Northgate’s electoral administration systems. The new electoral management service is to replace Northgate’s existing Pickwick system at local authorities throughout the country, offering an advanced, user-friendly Windows environment, and simplifying processes for electoral administration officers. Benefits include the ability to search by poll number, name, and address; the ability to view the entire electorate through a link with GIS; access to a full history of electors at any given address; and an improved language facility that offers translation into a number of languages such as Arabic, Mandarin, Gujarati, Punjabi, Polish, Hindi, Spanish, Urdu, Bengali, and Welsh.

Northgate strengthens its housing team with two new appointments

2007-08-05T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions today announces the appointment of Jane Fletcher and Carol Duncan to its housing team as the company looks to strengthen its position as a leading provider of innovative services and solutions to the housing market.

Jane, who has been appointed Housing Marketing Manager, has considerable experience in the social housing sector, and joins from IBS OPENSystems where she worked as a pre-sales team manager. Her responsibilities at Northgate will include market analysis, advising on housing product development, and working alongside account management teams to support business strategy.

Carol, who has been appointed Business Development Executive, also comes to Northgate from IBS OPENSystems, where she was Business Development Manager for the southwest region, specialising in housing, revenues and finance systems. In her new role, she will be responsible for promoting Northgate’s solutions and services in the southern region of the UK.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Local Government & Social Housing at Northgate Public Services, said today:
“I am delighted to welcome Jane and Carol to the team. Their knowledge of the social housing sector will prove a great asset as we look to develop our work and deliver excellent public services.

“Jane and Carol are committed to making a real difference for both social landlords and residents in local communities, believing passionately in placing citizens at the heart of public service delivery. They will benefit our Public Services team immensely.”

[Ends]

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:

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.

3. Jane Fletcher has 15 years experience in the social housing sector, having worked for IBS OPENSystems for nine years, and MicroCompass (now Aareon). She started in the sector in 1992, working for the Bromford Housing Group.

4. Carol Duncan joins Northgate after seven years at IBS OPENSystems, where she worked as the Business Development Manager for the southwest region. Prior to joining IBS, Carol worked for MDIS (now Northgate).

Leading insurer banks on Northgate for HR services

2007-07-31T23:00:00+01:00

Thomas Miller cuts time and improves efficiency reduces errors with ResourceLink

Thomas Miller, the provider of specialist insurance services, has selected ResourceLink, an HR management tool from Northgate HR, to manage its human resources, payroll and training services.

The company, which manages some of the biggest and most important insurance mutuals in the maritime and logistics sector, employs approximately 600 people across four continents. All of its London based staff will be paid using ResourceLink for the first time this month.

“Before installing the service we used to rely on manually inputting information on to spreadsheets, which is time consuming and open to error,” said Jay Anderson, Head of HR at Thomas Miller. “Payroll systems weren’t integrated with the rest of our HR information, and none of it was integrated with the company finance function. Reporting to the finance team efficiently was very difficult.”

ResourceLink is a single-person database that can be accessed and updated across an organisation, according to individual security access levels. This way, users update only the information that is most relevant to them. Managers and employees access the information online, which avoids sending forms to a central HR department every month.

“Small numbers of users spread over disparate locations present a significant challenge for any HR department,” said xxx at Northgate HR. “We’re able to work with small and medium sized companies to provide services that other large vendors often overlook. Thomas Miller has benefited from tailored support throughout the roll-out and we’ll continue to work closely with them to get the best from ResourceLink.”

About Northgate HR

Northgate Information Solutions is a leading provider of innovative technology solutions to the public services 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.

In the UK, Northgate works with four out of five local authorities and every police force. Its systems are used in the management of over 1.5 million local authority and housing association properties out of a total of approximately 4 million in England; in the administration of more than £17 billion of revenues and benefits; and in electoral administration systems covering over 18 million people. Founded in 1969, the company has over 3,300 employees.

For further information, please contact:

Jenny Thomas / Lisa Gillingham
LEWIS PR
020 7802 2626
jennyt / lisag@lewispr.com

Northgate secures £2 million contract wins for CallTouch

2007-07-26T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions, a leading provider of innovative technology solutions and services, today announces that it has secured contracts worth over £2 million in the last six months to manage the complex communications needs of eight major organisations.

Northgate’s CallTouch will be used in the control rooms of London Underground, Network Rail, Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5, and five police forces – South Yorkshire, Thames Valley, Hertfordshire, Tayside and Dorset – to enable them to improve call-handling times, speed-up responses, and direct resources more effectively.

Control rooms and call-handling centres are often unable to join up communications and IT systems, leading to reduced efficiency and longer inquiry times. CallTouch is a fully-integrated system which enables simultaneous control of a range of communications channels, including telephone, radio, CCTV and IT systems.

In a police control room setting, operators answering calls from the public are immediately provided with on-screen details of the identity and location of callers. Using an integrated geographical information system (GIS) they can then locate, inform via radio and mobilise the nearest and most appropriate resource for any incident.

CallTouch delivers:

- increased efficiency in locating and dispatching resources through a user-friendly, touch-screen display;
- improved call-handling through supplying the operator with details of any previous contact with the caller;
- a reduction in response times through faster processing of individual inquiries.

CallTouch is already being used by organisations throughout the country including police forces, fire brigades, ambulance services, utilities and the Ministry of Defence.

Speaking today, Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Criminal Justice & Public Safety at Northgate Public Services, said:
“In the pressurised environment of a busy control room or call-handling centre, effective communication is vital. Northgate is committed to addressing the challenges facing organisations required to manage complex communications and respond quickly to incidents.

“CallTouch gives control rooms the confidence that communications will be handled swiftly, smoothly and efficiently, helping organisations to improve their operational efficiency and encourage greater public confidence.”

[Ends]

For further 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

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.

3. Northgate CallTouch is a fully integrated communications platform, designed to assist with the efficient handling of all communications within a control room environment. The core modules within Northgate CallTouch include Integrated Communications Control (ICCS), Call Handling, Call Out, Mobile Data and Automatic Resource Location. It integrates the widest range of communication systems, including Telephony, GSM/GPRS SMS/MMS, Analogue and Digital Radio, Video, CCTV and a range of IT systems such as GIS.

4. Northgate’s CallTouch is currently used by over 45 customers across the UK, including 15 emergency service organisations.

Preliminary Results for 12 Months to 30 April 2007

2007-07-03T23:00:00+01:00

Preliminary Results for 12 Months to 30 April 2007

Northgate Information Solutions plc (“the Group” and “Northgate”), the UK’s leading supplier of specialist software and IT services for the Human Resources, Education and Public Services markets, today announces its preliminary results for 12 months to 30 April 2007.
Highlights:

Turnover up 6% to £351.7m (2006: £332.7m)
Underlying organic growth accelerated from 1.7% in H1 to 7.7% in H2
Operating profit1 up 9% to £60.1m (2006: £55.0m)
Profit before tax up 4% to £31.9m (2006: £30.6m)
Adjusted basic EPS2 up 13.1% to 6.90p (2006: 6.10p)
Operating cash flow3 grew 21.5% to £75.6m (2006: £62.2m)
Order book grew 6.5% to £389.8m (2006: £366.0m)
Preferred bidder status achieved for the BSF contract in Leicester worth £27m over the contract term and a £15m extension to the Lot 6 contract in Northern Ireland
Dividend per share increased 20% to 0.72p (2006: 0.60p)
The acquisition of ARINSO, announced after the period end, will transform Northgate into a global provider of HR systems and services

Download full version of Preliminary Results for 12 Months to 30 April 2007

Northgate appointed ICT Supply Chain Partner for Leicester by Miller Consortium

2007-07-03T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate appointed ICT Supply Chain Partner for Leicester by Miller Consortium

Northgate Information Solutions is delighted to announce its appointment by the Miller Consortium, preferred bidder on the Leicester Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project, as its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Partner. The project will entail a total of 16 secondary schools being entirely rebuilt or refurbished over the next few years, with the first 4 schools scheduled to be ready in 2009. The ICT service given to the schools as part of the project will last for 5 years initially and carries an approximate value of £27 million.

The appointment comes in the wake of Northgate's contract win last July to supply ICT services to Bristol City Council, one of the first contracts to be awarded under the Government's BSF programme. The contract, which will ultimately deliver state of the art managed learning services to 6,500 children in the city, is worth around £9 million over the initial 5 year term.

New integrated finance system delivering benefits for Hartlepool

2007-07-01T23:00:00+01:00

New integrated finance system delivering benefits for Hartlepool

Hartlepool Borough Council and its technology partner, Northgate Information Solutions, today announce the successful implementation of a new integrated finance system that is delivering benefits to both staff and citizens.

Working with Northgate, the council has replaced its separate and outdated finance and purchasing systems with a new integrated system designed to deliver efficient and effective financial management across the Council and Cleveland Fire Briagade. Previously, the wide range of tasks they would undertake were managed across different systems, leading to inefficient processes and difficulties in tracking and managing costs.

Implementation completed in February 2007 and a total of 500 Council and Cleveland Fire Brigade users are now live on the new system, which has streamlined corporate procurement, integrated complex finance and job-costing processes, and centralised the administration of invoices. It has also:

- enhanced information sharing for a dispersed community of staff;
- increased efficiency through the streamlining of processes and by the enablement of staff to make decisions based on accurate and accessible costing information.

Northgate has acted as Hartlepool’s strategic ICT partner since 2001, and the first phase replacing the finance system went live last year. Northgate implemented the second phase, delivering the project costing and billing system, in February 2007 as part of a contract that also includes support for the new integrated system to 2011.

Mike Ward, Chief Financial Officer at Hartlepool Borough Council, said today:
“Our aim is to continuously improve our service to citizens through ensuring our internal processes are as effective and efficient as possible. We have a long-standing relationship with Northgate that has seen us deliver substantial improvements since 2001, and we are pleased to build on this successful relationship through the roll out of our integrated finance system.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director of Infrastructure Solutions at Northgate Information Solutions, added:
“We are delighted to announce the success of Hartlepool’s latest transformation project. Our partnership is based on a full understanding of the needs of citizens, and how local authorities can improve their services through delivering ‘more for less’. We look forward to realising further benefits for Hartlepool in the months and years ahead.”

[Ends]

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:

2) Northgate works with four out of five UK local authorities, supporting excellence in e-government. Its systems are used in the management of over 1.5 million local authority and housing association properties; in the administration of more than £17 billion of revenues and benefits; and in electoral administration systems covering over 18 million people. With divisional headquarters in Hemel Hempstead and Belfast, Northgate has 25 major offices across the UK and six international offices. Founded in 1969, the company has over 3,300 employees. www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

3) Northgate provides Hartlepool Borough Council with a wide range of ICT services including advice on procurement, implementation services, infrastructure support and technology refresh. Northgate supports the council’s network, servers, datacentre, email, desktops, laptops, and mobile technologies.

Total Voting Rights and Share Capital

2007-06-17T23:00:00+01:00

NORTHGATE INFORMATION SOLUTIONS PLC
(‘The Company')

Total Voting Rights and Share Capital

Further to the announcement made by the Company on 15 June 2007 in relation
to the issue of additional shares as consideration for the purchase of Arinso International NV, the Company notifies the market of the following:

   -Successful application has been made for 45,349,200 shares to be admitted
    to the Official List of the UKLA and the London Stock Exchange's market for
    listed securities

-Admission will become effective and dealing will commence in the
additional shares at 8:00am this morning

Following the admission of additional shares, the Company's issued share capital
is 582,148,374 ordinary shares with a nominal value of 10 pence each. There are no shares held in treasury.

The total number of voting rights in the Company is therefore 582,148,374.

The above figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company, under the Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

For further information please contact:

Maitland (Financial PR)
Neil Bennett / Amanda Martyr/Anne Wheeler 020 7379 5151

Note to Editors:

About Northgate Information Solutions
Northgate Information Solutions plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For further information visit the Northgate Information Solutions website at www.northgate-is.com.

NORTHGATE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF MAJORITY STAKE IN ARINSO RESULTS OF EGM

2007-06-14T23:00:00+01:00

NORTHGATE INFORMATION SOLUTIONS PLC

Further to the announcement by Northgate Information Solutions plc (“Northgate” or the “Company”), on 2 May 2007 of its proposed cash and share offer for 60.43 per cent of the issued share capital of ARINSO International N.V, Northgate announces that, at its extraordinary general meeting convened and held at Stirling Square, 5-7 Carlton Gardens, London SW1Y 5AD on 15 June at 9.00 am, the proposed ordinary resolution put to shareholders (as set out in the notice contained in the circular to Northgate shareholders dated 30 May 2007) was duly passed.

Copies of the resolution will shortly be available for inspection at the UKLA Document Viewing Facility situated at: the Financial Services Authority, 25 The North Colonade, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HS.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Northgate Information Solutions plc
Chris Stone / John Stier +44 1442 232 424

ARINSO International NV
Luc Osselaer / Marleen Vercammen +32 2 558 06 70

Rothschild (Financial Adviser)
Dominic Hollamby / Matthew Metcalfe +44 20 7280 5000

Citi (Financial Adviser)
Mark Fisher +44 20 7986 8525

Citi (Broker)
Andrew Chapman / Mathew Wootton +44 20 7986 0505 / +44 20 7986 9299

Maitland (Financial PR)
Neil Bennett /Amanda Martyr +44 20 7379 5151

NM Rothschild & Sons Limited, which is regulated by the Financial Services Authority for the conduct of investment business in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for Northgate and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this document and NM Rothschild & Sons Limited will not be responsible to anyone other than Northgate for providing the protections afforded to clients of NM Rothschild & Sons Limited, nor for providing advice in relation to such matters.

Citigroup Global Markets Limited, which is regulated by the Financial Services Authority for the conduct of investment business in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for Northgate and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this document and Citigroup Global Markets Limited will not be responsible to anyone other than Northgate for providing the protections afforded to clients of Citigroup Global Markets Limited, nor for providing advice in relation to such matters.

Notes to Editors

1. Northgate (www.Northgate-is.com), listed on the London Stock Exchange, is a market leader of software applications and outsourcing solutions to the public safety, local government, education and human resources sectors. Headquartered in Hemel Hempstead, Northgate now employs more than 3,200 staff and has approximately 2,700 large/medium customers and approximately 7,000 small to medium enterprise (“SME”) customers across the UK and Ireland. Northgate works closely with many corporate organisations, as well as approximately 90% of the UK's local authorities, and all of its police forces.

Reading shares service transformation with technology partners

2007-06-13T23:00:00+01:00

Reading shares service transformation with technology partners

Reading Borough Council announces an innovative extension to its partnership with Northgate Information Solutions in order to support transformation in the delivery of its services to meet Council and Government targets and to reduce the Council’s costs.

Under a £500,000 extension to its 10 year outsourcing contract with Reading, a team of experts from Northgate will become the Council’s ‘iTeam’. Based at Reading’s Civic Centre, the iTeam will enable a faster pace of improvement in the Council’s services under its ‘Transforming Services 2020’ programme – which will ultimately deliver more personalised and responsive services for citizens and businesses.

By extending its partnership arrangement in this innovative manner, rather than procuring external resources, the Council can:

• effect knowledge and skills transfer to the Council and its staff through the training of a permanent in-house iTeam and thus ensuring future flexibility and sustainability of the service transformation programme;
• deliver better value for money for the citizens of Reading and gain closer access to Northgate’s wealth of experience and expertise at a significant reduction to the normal cost of external consultants.

Northgate’s iTeam will also assist the Council in the faster realisation of efficiency gains through service transformation, as well as sharing the risks and providing accountability to the Council, which will help to ensure the success of the programme.

Councillor Jo Lovelock, Lead Councillor for Corporate Resources at Reading Borough Council, said:
“Working with Northgate in this innovative partnership model to implement the technical aspects of the ‘Transforming Services 2020’ programme will allow the Council to tap into the depth of their local government experience and technology expertise at a fraction of the normal cost. Ultimately, the iTeam will enable Reading to achieve its aim of enhancing and supporting the quality of people’s lives through the effective use of technology.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions Division of Northgate Managed Services, added:
“Northgate is proud to deepen its relationship with Reading and establish a truly flexible partnership, founded on trust and centred on the business needs of the Council. By placing a team on-site, Northgate is demonstrating its commitment to helping Reading to deliver citizen-centred services in a sustainable way that ensures long-term success of the service transformation programme.”

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Naomi Stevenson 020 7849 3508; 07966 890403; nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

3) The contract variation with Reading Borough Council has been made to the remainder of Northgate’s 10 year hosting contract. The iTeam will collaborate with the council on the technical integration of the various components of the its ‘Transforming Services 2020’ programme, which includes a Citizen Relationship Management system, Corporate Middleware, Corporate Workflow, an Electronic Document Management System, and mobile working technology.

Reading shares service transformation with technology partners

2007-06-13T23:00:00+01:00

Reading shares service transformation with technology partners

By extending its partnership arrangement in this innovative manner, rather than procuring external resources, the Council can:

[Ends]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Naomi Stevenson 020 7849 3508; 07966 890403; nstevenson@fellowsassociates.com
Kuntal Biswas 020 7849 3347; 07930 566291; kbiswas@fellowsassociates.com

Notes to Editors:

NORTHGATE INFORMATION SOLUTIONS PLC POSTING OF SHAREHOLDER CIRCULAR

2007-05-30T23:00:00+01:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Not for release, publication or distribution in or into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States)

Further to the announcement on 2 May 2007 regarding the proposed acquisition of ARINSO, the Board of Northgate announces that a shareholder circular, convening an extraordinary general meeting to be held on Friday, 15 June 2007 to approve the Acquisition Agreement and the mandatory public offer for the whole of the remaining balance of the issued share capital of ARINSO, was posted to holders of ordinary shares in Northgate yesterday.

The shareholder circular will shortly be available to the public for inspection during normal business hours on any weekday (Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays excepted) at the Document Viewing Facility at the Financial Services Authority, 25 The North Colonnade, London, E14 5HS.

Definitions used in this announcement shall have the meanings given to them in the announcement dated 2 May 2007, except where context requires otherwise.

END

NORTHGATE ACQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL 7.70 PER CENT. SHAREHOLDING IN ARINSO

2007-05-28T23:00:00+01:00

Following the announcement on 15 May 2007 that Northgate Information Solutions plc (“Northgate”) acquired 1,264,064 shares in ARINSO International NV (“ARINSO”) in an off market purchase, Northgate today announces that it has acquired an additional 1,155,499 shares in ARINSO. The ARINSO shares acquired represent approximately 7.70 per cent of the outstanding share capital of ARINSO and were acquired for €25.00 per share in cash for a total consideration of €28.9 million.

In a separate purchase, Northgate also acquired an additional 79,500 shares in ARINSO on 16 May 2006.

Northgate now owns, in aggregate, 2,499,063 shares in ARINSO representing approximately 16.65 per cent of the outstanding share capital of ARINSO.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Northgate Information Solutions plc
Chris Stone / John Stier +44 1442 232 424

Maitland
Neil Bennett / Amanda Martyr +44 20 7379 5151

NORTHGATE ACQUIRES AN 8.42 PER CENT. SHAREHOLDING IN ARINSO

2007-05-14T23:00:00+01:00

The Board of Northgate Information Solutions plc (“Northgate”) today announces that it has acquired, in aggregate, 1,264,064 shares in ARINSO International NV (“ARINSO”) in an off market purchase. The ARINSO shares acquired represent approximately 8.42 per cent of the outstanding share capital of ARINSO and were acquired for €25.00 per share in cash for a total consideration of €31.6 million.

On 2 May 2007, the Board of Northgate announced that Northgate had entered into an agreement with Mr Jos Sluys, the Chief Executive of ARINSO, to acquire his holding of 9,069,840 shares in ARINSO (representing approximately 60.43 per cent of the outstanding share capital of ARINSO) for a consideration comprising €18.75 in cash and 5 Northgate shares per ARINSO share. Completion of this acquisition, which is conditional on Northgate shareholder approval, will trigger an obligation for Northgate to launch a public offer in Belgium to acquire the remaining ARINSO shares pursuant to the Belgian rules on public takeovers.

In accordance with the Belgian rules on public takeovers, Northgate’s mandatory offer will have to be made at the higher of €18.75 in cash and 5 Northgate shares or €25.00 in cash on the date when the terms of the mandatory offer are formally announced. If Northgate is required to launch an offer of €25.00 in cash per ARINSO share, the Board of Northgate expects to be in a position to accelerate proceedings and procure a formal announcement on the terms of the offer during the second half of June 2007.

Following completion of the acquisition of shares from Mr Jos Sluys and the acquisition of shares announced today, Northgate would own approximately 68.85 per cent of the outstanding share capital of ARINSO.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Northgate Information Solutions plc
Chris Stone / John Stier +44 1442 232 424

Maitland
Neil Bennett / Amanda Martyr +44 20 7379 5151

Enquiries:
Northgate Information Solutions plc Chris Stone, Group Chief Executive John Stier, Group Finance Director	Tel: +44(0)1442 232424
NM Rothschild & Sons (financial adviser and Rule 3 adviser to Northgate) Dominic Hollamby Warner Mandel Jeremy Millard	Tel: +44 (0)20 7280 5000
Citigroup Global Markets Limited (joint financial adviser and joint corporate broker to Northgate) Mark Fisher Andrew Chapman	Tel: +44(0)20 7986 4000
Hoare Govett Limited (joint corporate broker to Northgate) Andrew Foster Tom Perry	Tel: +44(0)20 7678 7106
Goldman Sachs International (financial adviser to NIS Acquisitions) Mark Sorrell Nicholas van den Arend Nimesh Khiroya Phil Raper (Corporate Broking)	Tel: +44 (0)20 7774 1000
Finsbury (PR adviser to NIS Acquisitions) Simon Moyse	Tel: +44(0) 20 7251 3801
Maitland (PR adviser to Northgate) Neil Bennett