Authorities automate processes with outsourcing specialist’s expert help

In a move to create a “centre of excellence” for local government services management in mid-Lancashire, South Ribble Borough Council and Chorley Borough Council are sharing their financial management and reporting capabilities with an £86,000 investment in software system from Civica - a market leader in specialist systems and outsourcing services that help organisations improve service delivery and efficiency.

South Ribble Borough Council – which provides essential services to residents in central Lancashire – has strengthened its partnership with neighbouring Chorley Council, which already uses Civica Financials software, to use the platform under a shared service agreement to simplify general ledger administration and reporting.

Civica’s experts were able to engineer the cost-saving shared services arrangement thanks to the councils’ consolidated experience in using Civica software products. The programme will deliver a common platform for integrating financial processes, based on Civica consultants’ knowledge of departmental processes and expert technical support. In addition, the teams across the two authorities will be sharing resources as well as expertise.

South Ribble’s new approach will reduce reporting cycles and provide a clearer and more regular overview of debtors and creditors. Civica Financials will also help the finance team improve the authority’s cash flow management as it generates payment requests to debtors at pre-set intervals.