 01/11/2006 - News Update
Modernisation of Business Process at Stockport Council
This week has seen the introduction of major changes to the way Stockport Council operates. These changes will benefit residents and businesses in the borough by making the Council's services and business processes more efficient.
The changes involve three functions.
Two new companies were formed on 1st November: Stockport Direct Services, the Council's direct services organisation, became Solutions SK Ltd and Corporate Property Services became NPS (Stockport) Ltd. In addition, the Council's new financial management system went live on 30th October.
Solutions SK Ltd is a wholly-owned Council company with around 1,000 employees. It is now able to enter new markets, trade externally, and generate income for the Council. Stockport councillors and officers will be represented on the Board.
Its services include streetscene services, street cleansing, security services, transport services, building maintenance and venue catering. Waste management, which includes refuse collection and is currently provided by an external contractor, will transfer to Solutions SK in April 2007.
NPS (Stockport) Ltd is a joint venture with Norfolk Property Consultants Ltd, a company run by Norfolk County Council. It directly employs 82 staff, all transferred from the Council's Property Services.
It will invest in training and technology, leading to a more flexible, higher quality and cost-effective service. Stockport Council will own 20% of the company shares, and a Stockport councillor and senior officer from the Council will be on the Board of Directors.
Services provided by NPS (Stockport) Ltd will include estates and asset management, building and quantity surveying, architectural design, facilities management, mechanical and electrical engineering, energy management and project management.
The new state-of-the-art financial management system (SAP system) goes lives at the end of October. This will dramatically modernise all the Council's financial transactions, budget handling and forecasting.
It will streamline and speed up everything from ordering and invoicing, to monitoring spending and income to a very high degree of accuracy. It will also reduce financial, administrative and management processes across the Council.
Councillor Brian Millard, Leader of the Council, said: "These major changes represent an exciting new era for Stockport Direct Services and Corporate Property Services. It is a big programme of change and I want to thank officers from across the Council for the skills and effort which went into the planning and preparation.
"It is a large step forward in modernising the Council, and should provide many benefits to the authority, making us more efficient" Councillor Millard added.
Councillor Paul Carter, Executive Member for Finance, added: "The new financial system will streamline the way we deal with tens of thousands of internal and external transactions every year and help us improve the way we manage our finances to the benefit of the people of Stockport."
Whilst the Council remains the prime customer, the two new companies will be promoting their services to public sector organisations which are members of the Local Strategic Partnership. Other public and private sector organisations in Greater Manchester and the North West will also be potential customers.
NPS (Stockport) Ltd can be contacted on: phone 0161 474 5395 email richard.todd@nps-stockport.co.uk and website www.nps.co.uk
Solutions SK Ltd can be contacted on: phone 0161 474 5564 email md@solutionssk.co.uk and website www.solutionssk.co.uk
Picured: In the foreground are, from the left, Councillor Paul Carter; Councillor Brian Millard; Councillor John Pantall who is on the Board of Solutions SK Ltd; and Councillor Chris Baker, who is on the Board of NPS Stockport Ltd; in the background are, from the left, Steve Houston, Corporate Director of Stockport Council's Business Services; Carol Summers, Managing Director, NPS Stockport Ltd; and Nic Cox, Managing Director, of Solutions SK Ltd. |
