13 May 2008
Bridgend County Borough Council, Merthyr County Borough
Council and Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council have selected
Capita Symonds as successful bidder for an innovative joint venture
for the delivery of highways, transportation, associated
environmental management, and other related services to the
authorities and across Wales.
The proposed partnership –
which will run for up to 15 years and is valued at around £75m -
will see the creation of a groundbreaking new joint venture company
jointly owned by Capita Symonds and the three Local Authorities.
This will replace and supersede Glamorgan Engineering Consultancy
(GEC) – a joint venture between the three authorities formed to
design and manage local civil engineering projects.
The deal includes the TUPE transfer of 76 staff from GEC to the
new company as well as new offices in the Taffs Well/Treforest area
where the new JV will be based.
This exemplar partnership comes under the banner of the Welsh
Assembly Government’s Making the Connections strategy and
subsequent Beecham Review for improvements in public services – a
wide-ranging policy for transforming the delivery of public
services across Wales. This unique shared services model represents
a major step forward bringing together the best of the public and
private sector, for a range of services – delivered jointly by
local resources in Wales.
The new joint venture will deliver significant savings to the
local authorities, creating over 100 new jobs over the next five
years while providing investment in the local communities such as
the training and development of the local workforce. Partnering
with the private sector will also bring greater flexibility while
enabling the new JV to focus on core targets - community
investment, local job creation and ambitious growth plans.
Capita Symonds has had a similar joint venture in place with
four authorities in South East Wales - Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly,
Monmouthshire and Torfaen Councils - for the last five years. This
successful partnership – based in Capita Symonds’ Cwmbran office -
has delivered similar benefits through high quality service
delivery.
The two joint ventures (with support from Capita Symonds’
offices in Cardiff and Colwyn Bay) will create a substantial
platform for long-term sustainable growth in the area and across
Wales through job creation and the development and implementation
of regeneration and investment funding. The contract details are
being finalised with the final contract due to be signed later in
the summer.
Graham Cogswell, Director Wales & the West, Capita
Symonds, said: “We are delighted to have been named as
successful bidder in this bold and exciting venture. This is a
major achievement and really reinforces Capita Symonds’ position as
the leading consultancy in Wales. Our proven track record of
improving services and job creation in Wales through
multi-authority partnerships should give real confidence and a
message of intent that we will deliver and add real value to the
local economies in South Wales. Our community investment plans will
inspire, challenge, engage and support the new Joint Venture by
continually improving our positive impact on society – helping our
clients transform the way they do business.”