New dawn for frontline public services in Waveney

Added: 02/07/2008
Category: Norfolk County Council

Important frontline services in the Waveney area - including street cleansing, refuse collection, car parking and maintenance of parks and open spaces - are to transfer to a new company this month in a deal worth more than £120 million.

Norfolk County Services (NCS) Ltd, a company wholly owned by Norfolk County Council, beat off stiff competition from private sector competitors to be awarded the contract, which will see the set up of a new partnership company known as Waveney Norse.

Set up as part of a continuing drive to improve services while delivering excellent value for money, Waveney Norse is a joint venture between Waveney District Council and NCS Ltd and will see the transfer of 165 staff who currently work for the council to the new company on 1 July.

The work is valued at about £8.25 million a year, with a 15 year contract period. Both Waveney District Council and NCS Ltd are convinced the change represents best value, enabling further improvements to service quality, efficiency and delivery.

NCS Ltd brings strength and expertise to the partnership, built up through similar, successful partnerships it operates with North Norfolk District Council, Suffolk Coastal and Great Yarmouth Borough Council to provide environmental services and building maintenance services.

Specialising in facilities management and contract services, through strategic partnership arrangements, NCS Ltd expects the joint venture to benefit residents, bringing economies of scale and greater investment in equipment. Initially, the new partnership will focus on driving efficiency and developing business growth using expertise from across the NCS group.

Tony Williams, Cabinet member for Commercial Services and Efficiency and Director of NCS Ltd, said: "This venture demonstrates the market leading position of NCS Ltd as a service provider able to successfully compete against stiff public and private sector competition. By offering a winning combination of strong commercial awareness and best public sector management practises, we are able to bring unique value to the marketplace.

"We are delighted to be working in partnership with Waveney District Council to help deliver excellent frontline services to residents. By working together, local communities will benefit from assured high quality, integrity and best value services, while staff will enjoy networking opportunities with colleagues across Suffolk and Norfolk."

Peter Hawes, Managing Director of NCS Ltd, said: "Our commitment to delivering excellent customer care in an efficient, cost-effective way has seen our portfolio of public/private partnership arrangements go from strength to strength.

"We have pioneered this approach - which replaces traditional client/contractor relationships - to create strategic partnerships that can not only improve services but make best use of the public purse."

Stephen Ardley, Portfolio Holder for Health and Well Being at Waveney District Council, said: “This Joint Venture Company will operate some of the most the prominent, public-facing services we provide. It was our aim to ensure continuous improvement and sustainability of services and find a partner that shared our objectives of providing a first class service that offered increased customer satisfaction. It was therefore essential that we retained our influence and the Council will be represented on the board.

“We are looking forward to working with Norfolk County Services Limited and sharing in the future success of these services. We will be supporting staff through this process of change as they continue to provide the best possible service for our residents and customers.”

Waveney District Council voted to approve NCS Ltd as its preferred provider at its Cabinet meeting on Friday June 6. A signing ceremony took place on Wednesday 25 June.