New integrated system delivers benefits for Hartlepool
02 July 2007
Hartlepool Borough Council and its technology partner, Northgate Managed Services, today announce the successful implementation of a new integrated finance system that is delivering benefits to both staff and citizens.
Working with Northgate, the council has replaced its separate and outdated finance and purchasing systems with a new integrated system designed to deliver efficient and effective financial management across the Council and Cleveland Fire Brigade. Previously, the wide range of tasks they would undertake were managed across different systems, leading to inefficient processes and difficulties in tracking and managing costs.
Implementation completed in February 2007 and a total of 500 Council and Cleveland Fire Brigade users are now live on the new system, which has streamlined corporate procurement, integrated complex finance and job-costing processes, and centralised the administration of invoices. It has also:
- enhanced information sharing for a dispersed community of staff;
- increased efficiency through the streamlining of processes and by the enablement of staff to make decisions based on accurate and accessible costing information.
Northgate has acted as Hartlepool’s strategic ICT partner since 2001, and the first phase replacing the finance system went live last year. Northgate implemented the second phase, delivering the project costing and billing system, in February 2007 as part of a contract that also includes support for the new integrated system to 2011.
Mike Ward, Chief Financial Officer at Hartlepool Borough Council, said today:
“Our aim is to continuously improve our service to citizens through ensuring our internal processes are as effective and efficient as possible. We have a long-standing relationship with Northgate that has seen us deliver substantial improvements since 2001, and we are pleased to build on this successful relationship through the roll out of our integrated finance system.”
James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services, added:
“ We are delighted to announce the success of Hartlepool’s latest transformation project. Our partnership is based on a full understanding of the needs of citizens, and how local authorities can improve their services through delivering ‘more for less’. We look forward to realising further benefits for Hartlepool in the months and years ahead.”
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