Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Strategic Partnership

Value £210 million
Start date July 2001
Term 15 years
Services Delivery of a range of council services, including property and highways management with a particular emphasis on regeneration of the area and revenues, benefits, HR and payroll

“Last year saw many changes and a strengthened partnership emerging between the Council and Capita. We want to build on this achievement as we move into 2009. However, an early indication of our joint efforts is demonstrated within the 2008 CPA Assessment.”
Graham Burgess, Chief Executive, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Key objectives:

  • create new employment opportunities
  • deliver a regeneration programme to Blackburn town centre
  • provide cost savings to be reinvested in the authority.

Key results:

  • Successful transfer of 500 Council staff and the creation of a further 720 jobs within the first five years of the contract.
  • New £5 million business centre and refurbishment of a disused mill to create a new contact centre which has subsequently attained Call Centre Association (CCA) accreditation.
  • Reduced highway tripping claims by 39% resulting in £5.15m released from reserves since 2002.
  • Delivered and exceeded Gershon savings and efficiency targets year on year.
  • Reduction in the number of killed or seriously injured (KSI) accidents, by 70 representing a reduction of nearly 50% in the Accident Frequency Ratio.
  • Design and development of REALISE; an integrated property asset management system enabling better Corporate Strategic Planning.
  • Introduced 100% inspection of private utility’s work at no overall cost to the Council (subsequent saving on Highway Maintenance budget not quantifiable but potentially major saving).
  • Created over 155 new professional and technical jobs through the new form of construction procurement and supply chain management.
  • Major partner in the Council’s Pay and Reward review strategy to ensure equal pay across the organisation and assist the recruitment and retention of a quality 6,000 strong workforce.
  • Investors in People (IiP) status.

Background

In July 2001, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Capita began a 15-year partnership intended to modernise council services. Capita’s ongoing goal is to support the Council’s ‘2020 vision’ to transform Blackburn with Darwen in to the kind of place that local people, businesses and other stakeholders want. Specifically, we are looking to do this by transforming the way people operate, creating employment opportunities, improving council services and delivering a borough-wide regeneration programme. Since the partnership began in 2001 it has achieved all of its objectives and met or exceeded all its targets. The strength of the partnership was a major contributing factor in the Council’s success as Local Government Chronicle Council of the Year in 2002 and the achievement of an ‘excellent’ rating in the latest CPA results in 2008.

In 2006 a Fundamental Best Value Review (FBVR) was undertaken allowing an extensive review of the partnership. This review was structured around strategic aims and objectives, the operational management arrangements and servicedelivery, highlighting the partnership benefits particularly in terms of employment and community development. The FBVR demonstrated Capita’s flexibility in response to the Council’s changing needs.

Transition

The partnership commenced in July 2001 and involved the transfer of 500 staff to Capita under TUPE regulations. These staff retained their local government pensions and the appropriate unions were fully involved in the procurement process and offered their full support to the partnership. In order to ensure mutual understanding and shared objectives, we engaged in an extensive change management process, maintaining frequent and effective communication between all stakeholders prior to and throughout the transition process. This enabled staff to access the relevant information and provided key points of contact thereby minimising disruption to the Council and its staff and ensuring a successful and smooth transition.

Revenue Savings

On contract signature in 2001 there was a reduction of £600,000 per annum on the like for like provision of the services transferred to Capita. At the Fundamental Best Value Review Capita reduced the annual cost of the core services by a further £273,000 per annum worth. Capita also made a commitment to deliver efficiency savings of 2% per annum over the life of the contract. Examples of how this has been achieved include:

  • Overperformance against revenue collection targets in 2007/8 which was worth £126,000 to the Council
  • Highway tripping claims reduced by 39%, resulting in a total of £5.15 million being released from reserves.
  • The annual levels of successful claims is now £200,000 perannum against £1.2 million per annum in 2001
  • Transfer of liability (for such items as the staff pension fund where employer contributions have doubled since 2001 and likely to require a considerable payment at end of contract) is likely to generate a further £25m savings for the Council over the 15 year period of the contract.

Regeneration

The ongoing regeneration of Blackburn town centre is testament to the unique relationship between the Council and Capita. Both organisations are committed to a shared aim of delivering a holistic regeneration programme that deals with the fundamental issues at the heart of the social, economic and physical life of the town in a manner that will ensure sustainable growth.

At the heart of the programme is ambition, innovation and a desire to support the Council’s strategic aims and objectives and the needs of the wider community. To date we have successfully delivered a range of projects which continue to support economic and social development within the borough.

Town Centre Renaissance

Capita Symonds were commissioned to develop an urban design concept to regenerate the Public Realm to the west of the town centre. The Sudell Cross and Northgate area was identified as a priority area for improvement as a major transport route and an important pedestrian gateway linking the town centre to the wider area.

One of the main drivers for the scheme was to ease the conflicts between vehicle and pedestrian movement, working in line with the Transport Strategy and the completion of Blackburn’s Orbital Route. The proposals include improved traffic management, creation and improvement of civic and public spaces to reinforce townscape character and sense of place whilst acting as a catalyst for regeneration and redevelopment.

Town Hall Square project

The aim of this project was to transform a public open space into a pedestrian friendly environment. Working in a conservation area and part of the wider Town Centre Renaissance project, Capita Symonds has created a civic space where a range of flexible activities can take place. As the frontage to the Town Hall, a Grade II listed building, a design was created that complemented the building both in choice of materials and also by reflecting the main characteristics of the building, such as the arched windows that are echoed with a florentine paving layout. The scheme also addressed problems with parking and access conflicts and included public art in the final design - collaboration with renowned artist Peter Fink resulted in a changeable lighting scheme to the main elevation of the building.

Town Centre Orbital Route project

Prior to the partnership with Capita, the Council intended to improve public transportation routes while transferring through traffic from the town centre onto the more appropriate peripheral road network. The Council completed the first stage of the proposed orbital route which saw an extension to Barbara Castle Way, allowing traffic to bypass the town centre.

Through the strategic partnership, Capita Symonds has since worked with the Council to secure funding and to develop a formal strategy and cost plan to complete the orbital route.

Capita Symonds has further extended Barbara Castle Way and the Eanam Area which involved the construction of new bridges and approximately 1 km of new link roads. The works included associated drainage, street lighting the modification of existing traffic signs and signals, together with the inclusion of a new traffic signal junction. Additional accommodation works were also undertaken and the demolition of two buildings within the highway corridor.

“Our relationship demonstrates what can be achieved through proactive partnership working. The borough has seen huge benefit in regeneration and creation of jobs from having a FSTE100 company in town. Equally Capita have grown a successful business centre with national reputation for delivering good quality services”

John Slee,
Capita Business Centre Director,
Cumbria and Blackburn Strategic Partnerships

 

Next stage projects

Capita Symonds worked in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen to successfully submit a business case to the Department for Transport securing funding of £8.9 million for future regeneration projects: one such project was Wainwright Bridge which opened in 2008 - an iconic bridge which forms a major part of the Council’s £12m overhaul of major access routes into Blackburn town centre. Capita Symonds’ Highways and Infrastructure Team provided structure design, civil engineering, landscape, and cost and project management services. The replacement of an existing Victorian structure provided congestion relief whilst enabling future regeneration. Further benefits to the local community include reduced travel delay in the town centre, provision of new bus lanes, cycle lanes facilities and an opportunity for existing business to grow. It will also help to attract new business investment in Blackburn.

In 2009 Capita Symonds is working to complete the Freckleton / Montague street link road; the final element of the Orbital Route, and will provide feasibility study, preliminary design, cost planning, programming and preparation of environmental statements to support the planning application process in March 2009.

Corporate Social Responsibility

We are committed to responsible business practice and have a structured Sustainable Responsible Business (SRB) strategy and working group in place. We seek to maximise our resources to meet both business objectives and community needs producing an overall positive impact on society, beyond statutory obligations to comply with legislation. Our strategy is based upon the following four principles:

  • People - We will create a supportive, rewarding and inspiring environment for employees
  • Marketplace - We will deliver operational excellence and added value for all clients and develop mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers
  • Environmental - We will reduce our environmental impact through sustainable and responsible business practices
  • Wider community - We will make a positive impact on communities in which we work whilst positively influencing recruitment and retention of our people

Since 2008 we have supported local charity East Lancashire Hospice with a range of initiatives, including marketing support, fundraising, staff volunteer schemes and other activities designed to raise awareness of the charity.

Conclusion

As a mature partnership, we have a strong track record of joint working to achieve improvements to the local economy and transport infrastructure, greater community cohesion and reduced poverty in the area. Overall, our shared achievements have significantly advanced progress on delivering the Council’s Sustainable Community Strategy and Local Area Agreement.

This was recognised in the 2008 CPA Assessment during which The Audit Commission awarded Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council the maximum four rating and judged it to be “performing strongly” – putting it in the top 16 per cent of single tier and county councils nationally.

Award winning projects and services

BALI National Landscape Award
For the Blackburn Town Hall Square Rennaissance Scheme.

Civic Pride Awards
Refurbishment Project - Winner for The Pavilions, Church Street Landscape Project - Winner for Barbara Castle Way Extension. Public Art Project - Joint Winner for Beehive Roundabout and Town Hall Street Gates and Highly Commended for ‘Transitions’ on Church Street.

Road safety schemes
International Prince Michael Road Safety Award for Improved Public Education – Mosque Marshalling Scheme British Association of Communicators is Business (CiB) 2008 Awards - Class Winner in the Film Category for ‘Missing Matthew’ Road Safety DVD

HR & Payroll services
Pay Magazine’s Payroll Outsourcing Provider of the Year 2008

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