BT: Transforming South Tyneside's services
Regenerating South Tyneside borough and boosting the local job market
In 2008, South Tyneside Council
identified a strategic need to regenerate the borough and
boost the local job market. With an uncertain economic climate
facing the council and pressure on it to cut costs
significantly as a result of lower government spending, it
turned to BT for help with this challenge.
Through its partnership with BT, the council is creating new opportunities for public sector workers facing possible displacement or redundancy. More than 400 council staff have been transferred to the partnership along with the operation of a number of council services. Many initiatives have been introduced to improve those services.
One of the services transformed is the benefit claims system. With new IT and client relationship management systems and a focus on the customer, the benefit claims process now involves just a simple phone call followed by a face-to-face interview. Claims are processed in an average of 3.4 days, significantly faster than under the previous system. Many are processed on the same day, and the number of appeals has been reduced by 30%. This both improves service levels for residents and saves the council money.
Within the first two years of the ten-year partnership, 375 local jobs have been created and £4.5m saved on procurement processes. Over its whole life, the partnership between BT and South Tyneside Council is expected to create 750 jobs and in excess of £50m procurement savings.
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