Please find below a number of frequently asked questions about South West One. If you are unable to find an answer to your query here, please submit your enquiry in contact us section.
Who are the partners in the Joint Venture Company, Southwest One?
The work to establish this joint venture company was initiated by Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council in 2005, both excellent authorities who were keen to improve their services further and deliver even better value for money for their council tax payers.
IBM, global business services provider, signed the contract with the two councils in October 2007.
In March 2008, Avon and Somerset Police became the fourth Founding Partner of Southwest One.
Why a Joint Venture Company?
The councils and the police need to maintain, and want to improve services to their customers. This is not affordable without delivering efficiency savings. The councils and the Police decided that the most effective way to achieve this was to work with and use the skills of the private sector; creating a joint venture company to deliver an exciting combination of improved services and better value for money for council taxpayers.
What are the benefits of creating a new Joint Venture Company?
We are aiming to achieve the following benefits:
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Transform the overall workings of the partner organisations of the councils and police
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Modernise, reduce the cost of, and improve support services
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Improve access to, and delivery of customer facing services
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Invest in world class technologies to improve productivity
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Create an excellent working environment and sustainable employment
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Generate economic investment
What services will Southwest One deliver?
The back-office services which the Joint Venture Company will deliver include Finance, ICT, Procurement, Property and Facilities Management, Human Resources, Design and Print and traded services to schools. They also deliver Customer Services for Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council, manage the Enquiry Office Services for the Police and the Revenues and Benefits service for Taunton Deane.
How large is the contract?
The councils and the police have signed a 10 year contract worth approximately £500m with IBM to deliver improved, more efficient services as well as supporting transformation across each partner.
How will I now contact the councils or the police?
The contact details for the councils and the police have remained the same.
Can other local and police authorities benefit from this?
Yes, this partnership is a 'shared services' initiative and is the first of its kind in the South West. The joint venture includes a framework agreement entitling other public sector organisations to purchase similar services through the partnership through a streamlined procurement process.
How do I find out about current job vacancies with Southwest One?
Southwest One will advertise posts from time to time using a range of media, including local or national press, however most posts will be advertised by our partner organisations using their normal channels.
