Boston Borough Council is set to save £1.8m over the next ten years after Councillors agreed to enter a new partnership with Public Sector Partnership Services Ltd.
At their full Council meeting on Monday (15 February), Councillors approved the move which will see the Borough Council become a shareholder in Public Sector Partnership Services (PSPS), with the company delivering IT, HR, Finance, Customer Contact and Revenues and Benefits on the Council’s behalf.
The Borough Council will become the third shareholder in the company, alongside East Lindsey and South Holland District Councils, who announced last year that they had renewed their joint contract with PSPS after achieving savings of £19m over the course of their initial ten-year contract.
In addition to the savings achieved through the shared services model, the Borough Council will also benefit from PSPS’ ongoing transformation programme, aimed at improving the company’s service delivery and offer, which will in turn help the Councils as they work to modernise and better serve their local communities.
Subject to final due diligence, all colleagues currently working in these services at the Borough Council will transfer to PSPS on April 1, 2021 with a commitment of no redundancies.
The savings identified will be achieved through new and more efficient ways of working, including savings on ICT systems.
Speaking about the decision, Councillor Jonathan Noble, Portfolio Holder – Financial & Commercial, said: “I’m pleased that my fellow Councillors have supported this proposal and I’m very much looking forward to working with Public Sector Partnership Services Ltd. We have seen from the work they have done with our neighbouring authorities just how beneficial the services they offer can be and they can help us achieve some substantial savings which is vital at a time when Councils across the country are finding themselves in precarious financial situations. The move will also better align us with our Strategic Alliance partners, East Lindsey District Council, meaning our future work together can happen in a far more seamless manner.”