Two District Councils working together through a shared services company have selected Hitachi Consulting UK and Microsoft to deliver the next generation IT solution that is part of the councils’ shared service business plan to make £30 million pound savings over the next 10 years.
Compass Point Business Services, the shared services company established by East Lindsey District Council and South Holland District Council in Lincolnshire, will be implementing a Microsoft Dynamics based system, bringing in innovative, business focused technology helping to lead the way for the UK’s public sector.
The shared services company, which is already up and running and delivering shared services for the two District Councils, is implementing an integrated Finance, HR, ICT and Customer Services solution with Hitachi Consulting.
Cllr Doreen Stephenson, Leader of East Lindsey District Council said: “Both East Lindsey and South Holland District councils had the foresight to start looking at how we could share our services in 2008 and Compass Point is part of our innovative answer to the challenges we face.
“Our decision to launch Compass Point Business Services shows our clear commitment to ensuring our residents receive excellent value for money. We will be leading the way transforming local government by working with Hitachi Consulting and the award of this contract is important news for residents in both council areas.”
Cllr Gary Porter, Leader of South Holland District Council added: “Both councils have taken a bold step which proves that District Councils which are ambitious and forward thinking can call the shots. This will save our two authorities a total of £30 million pounds, and that’s great news in the current climate.
“We believe this will also be of great interest to others in the public sector. We will have a scalable, comprehensive and replicable shared services solution which other councils are already showing an interest in.”
Seizing the opportunity to share and support ICT services is not just the logical response to funding cuts in an austere economy, but it is also the face of public sector service delivery and efficiency moving forward,” said Councillor Paul Przyszlak, Chairman of the Board of Compass Point Business Services. “It was therefore extremely important that we work with a company that has both technical insight, and a specific understanding of public sector requirements. We selected Hitachi Consulting because they had the best vision for delivering modern and agile ICT systems with both the scalability and flexibility to accommodate the needs of different councils.”
Graham Hasting-Evans, Interim Managing Director added: “The Compass Point Business Services’ technology platform will provide front and back office services to our two Local Authority owners as well as providing the capability to rapidly scale and provide similar services at a reduced incremental cost to other public sector organisations in the future.
“Delivery of such a shared service or components requires a different philosophy and technology than normally deployed at District Authority level.”
This is leading the way for the public sector.
