Pendle Borough Council
Market Street, Nelson, Lancashire BB9 7LG
Tel: 01282 661661 Fax: 01282 661130
Pendle Council votes to create Public Private Partnership
Pendle Council has voted to create a Public Private Partnership to run a range of its services.
The Council, based in Nelson, Lancashire, is one of only a few first district councils in the country to create a PPP.
A 15-year contract, worth £100m, will shortly be signed between the Council and Liberata in order to manage Benefits, Revenues, IT, Property, Quantity Surveying, Architects and Personnel.
More than 300 new jobs will be created in Nelson over the next three to five years as part of the deal.
In addition, a £5m business centre will be provided by Liberata to house a one-stop shop and a state-of-the-art telephone based contact centre, both designed to improve information on council services for local residents.
The 50,000 square foot business centre will house the new jobs that the PPP will create as well as 130 current council employees that are transferring across to the PPP.
The business centre would house office space for other companies as well and provide a number of new retail outlets.
A condition of the Partnership with Liberata is that services are improved by certain criteria and that substantial savings will be made to local Council Tax payers over the length of the contract.
Alan Davies, Leader of Pendle Council, heralded the agreement as a new era for growth and opportunity for the council and the people of Pendle.
“Pendle Council has secured an excellent partnership framework here that will bring numerous and significant benefits to Nelson and Pendle: new jobs, investment, improved services and substantial savings to the Council Tax payer.
“This partnership will place Pendle in the national spotlight as an exemplar of best procurement practice and shows what can be achieved in improving efficiency and reducing costs for the Council tax payer.”
Stephen Barnes, Chief Executive for Pendle Council, said: “Pendle is on its way to becoming an ‘excellent' authority and this is just one of the many steps along the journey. This Partnership shows we have learnt the need to look at new and innovative ways of delivering and improving services whilst kick starting regeneration in Nelson.
“Putting customers and citizens first means we have to do things differently and this partnership is designed to do that. We are pleased to be working with Liberata; and their ethos and partnership culture suits Pendle and increased capacity will help improve services even more. We will be working together to create centres of excellence and new levels of customer service for local residents.”
Leaders of the opposition groups, Labour and Conservative, also voted in favour of the PPP at an extraordinary meeting of the Council on Wednesday 2nd February.
Unison also support the PPP.
David Lambert, Pendle Branch Secretary of Unison, said: “I am pleased that Unison has been involved in the negotiations right from the very start. The interests of employees and Unison members have been at the forefront of all negotiations.”
“Naturally, some employees will be anxious about a change in their working environment but Liberata has really strived to create opportunities for employees to discuss their concerns on an individual basis in order to allay any anxiety. This is encouraging.
“Most importantly for employees, they would transfer on all existing terms and conditions and will have continued access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, even if they are promoted or change jobs.”
Mark Holmes, Managing Director of Liberata said: “Liberata are delighted to be working in partnership with Pendle Council as it begins to carry out its ambitious plans to transform the way services are delivered to its community. The Partnership will also be involved in achieving successful regeneration and sustainable development and will build on the excellent work already carried out to date by the Council.
“We have been encouraged by the collaboration, trust and openness exercised by members, officers, unions and employees and other local stakeholders during the past twelve months. As a result, Liberata is confident that we can fulfill the Council's objectives.
“As part of the partnership, Liberata and the Council will work closely together, both locally and nationally to promote the Pendle operation as a ‘Centre of Excellence' with the capability to deliver processing both for other Councils and private sector business. This approach will assist in our joint goal of bringing additional jobs to the local area.”
-ends-
4 February 2005
For further information please contact: Richard Boyd, Communications Team, Corporate Strategy and Partnerships Unit, Pendle Council, Town Hall, Market Street , Nelson , BB9 7LG
Tel: 01282 661984
Fax: 01282 661630
Email: richard.boyd@pendle.gov.uk
