Since 2001 Capita Symonds’ strategic partnerships have been
transforming and improving the delivery of local government
services across the UK.
We are currently involved in eight such
partnerships, many of them offering a full range of
multidisciplinary and technical professional services to the
partnering councils as well as the broader private sector market
and even other local authorities.
Of course, there is no 'one size fits all' solution. We develop
and implement bespoke partnerships that establish a solid
foundation through trust, commitment, openness, honesty, clear
governance structures and realistic planning.
The central theme within our partnerships is growth. We are able
to take Local Authority staff with tremendous potential and provide
them with tailored training and personal development plans which
enable them to further develop their skills and seamlessly transfer
them to the private sector. Subsequently, we are not only able to
greatly enhance and improve the delivery of Local Authority
services, we are also able to grow highly successful standalone
businesses.
Our partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Borough
Council is a key example. What began in 2001 as a
relatively small Council department with 120 staff has grown into a
280-strong, £13m commercial business in its own right. Comprising
disciplines such as architecture, engineering, highways and project
management, the partnership has also improved local services and
delivered £600,000 in annual savings to the Council. Blackburn with
Darwen Borough Council was voted Local Government Chronicle (LGC)'s
'Council of the Year' for 2011.
Another example is Urban Vision, our joint
venture partnership with Salford City Council and Morrison. Winner
of Local Government Chronicle’s ‘Public Private Partnership of
the Year’ award in 2008, Urban Vision has harnessed skills
from across the public and private sector to deliver an extensive
range of property development and regeneration services. Having
increased staff numbers by 150 since its formation in 2005, Urban
Vision now has over 400 employees delivering a wide range of
schemes and services, from Building Schools for the Future to
development control services for other local authorities across the
UK.
You can find out more about individual partnerships in
this section of the website.