Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council have joined forces with global business services provider IBM to establish a new shared-services £400 million, 10-year deal.
The new company Southwest One claims it will deliver services including customer services and access, workforce development and procurement to half a million residents in what it terms a ‘unique’ way.
Richard Jones, government industry leader, IBM, and acting chief executive of Southwest One, said: “Teaming with the councils in this new joint venture, IBM will enable them to deliver significantly improved services to both the authorities and the wider population of Somerset over the next 10 years. Southwest One will combine the breadth of IBM’s world-class business transformation and managed service capabilities with the depth of council staff skills and experience.
“This in turn will enable the team to create an innovative services model which transforms the way civic services are delivered to constituents, as well as address some of the challenges associated with their wider economic agenda.”
The joint venture, which will be run by staff seconded from both the councils as well as IBM, will also be open to more than 30 other public sector organisations in the region, which will be able to take advantage of the shared services on offer.
