The Capita Group Plc (“Capita”) announces that it has been selected as preferred bidder by Sheffield City Council to deliver a partnership to help drive business transformation for the benefit of the entire Sheffield community. The contract is expected to be worth in the region of £200m over seven years with the option to extend by three further two-year periods.
Capita will deliver a wide range of services including ICT, revenue, benefits and cashiering, HR and payroll and financial business transactions. Capita will also support the Council in business transformation for which the first two programmes are likely to be customer services and the introduction of flexible working. Final negotiations are currently in progress with the contract expected to commence in January 2009.
Cllr Simon Clement Jones, Cabinet Member for Finance and Customer Focussed Services at Sheffield City Council, said: “We said we would make Sheffield City Council more efficient and better for customers and this change is a huge statement of our determination to deliver that for the people of Sheffield. There will be benefits for the environment too, as the Council will be reducing its carbon footprint. Above all, there will be a step change for the better in these services, for our customers, the people of Sheffield.”
The strategic partnership will involve the TUPE transfer of approximately 50 staff from the Council and 450 from the previous provider to Capita.
Paul Pindar, Chief Executive of The Capita Group Plc, commented: “We are delighted to have been selected as preferred bidder for this exciting opportunity, which extends further our presence in Sheffield. We look forward to working with the Council in bringing about service improvements and efficiencies for the citizens of Sheffield. We will draw on our extensive experience of transforming public services across local government bringing additional capacity and capability to ensure that the Council and the local community really benefit from this partnership. We welcome all staff who transfer to Capita and look forward to working with them.”
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For further information:
The Capita Group Plc
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7799 1525
Paul Pindar, Chief Executive
Shona Nichols, Corporate Communications Director
Media enquiries
The Capita Group press office
Tel: +44 (0)870 2400 488
The Capita Group Plc is the UK’s leading provider of BPO and integrated professional support service solutions. The Group’s service capabilities encompass customer services, financial services, human resource services, software services, systems and strategic support and property services delivered to both public sector and private organisations. With over 32,000 employees at more than 300 offices across the UK, Ireland and India, Capita is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (CPI.L), and is a constituent of the FTSE100 with revenues for 2007 of £2,073 million.
Further information on The Capita Group Plc can be found at: http://www.capita.co.uk
Capita employs over 3,000 staff in eight locations in Sheffield, making them one of the largest local employers. Over the past decade their socially responsible approach to business has seen them support local charities, schools, colleges and community initiatives create new quality job opportunities and help regenerate various areas of the city.
Capita has staff in Sheffield across several businesses. These include Capita Hartshead, Capita Symonds, Capita Bobrowski, Capita Insurance Services, Capita Education Resourcing, Capita Recruitment Vetting Services and the contract with Dixons Store Group International. This partnership won the ‘Best Outsourcing Partnership’ in the Customer Contact Association Excellence Awards 2008.
Capita has a strong track record of investing in communities and supporting and encouraging their Sheffield based staff to undertake community projects that benefit the people of Sheffield, particularly those who are disadvantaged. Examples of their work in the city include The Right to Read Project and The Archer Project. Capita is also a member of ‘Business in the Community’ and recently won the Volunteer of the Year Award for projects undertaken in the community for example providing outdoor space where young children can play safely and transforming overgrown land into a nature walk.