Since 2001 Capita Symonds’ strategic
partnerships have been transforming and improving the delivery of
Local Authority 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.
Another example is Urban
Vision, our joint venture partnership with Salford City Council
and Morrison Highways Maintenance. 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 500 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 Partnership
Businesses in this section of the website.