Hart District Council selects Capita to deliver

Capita Local Government Services today announced that it has been chosen by Hart District Council to deliver the Council’s revenues and benefits services in a contract worth £9.6 million over nine years. Capita will be responsible for the collection and administration of revenues, council tax and housing benefits using innovative, effective technology and processes. Cost savings through the service improvement program are expected to reach over £500,000.

“The Council already has an impressive track record in customer services for revenue and benefits and we will work with them to further improve the service provided to their 86,000 citizens," commented Mark Chapman, Director of Capita Local Government Services. “Following a period of review, we’ll be demonstrating our ability to deliver service improvements to the Council and its citizens very early in the partnership.”

Under the terms of the agreement, 23 Council employees will transfer via TUPE to Capita and continue to be based from the existing site in Fleet. The combined Council and Capita team will review current processes and IT systems. Top of the list of considerations is greater choice for citizens in how they liaise with the revenue and benefits team and the possible introduction of mobile technology for visiting Council officers.

Viv Evans, Corporate Director of Hart District Council, said, “Local authorities across the country are continually looking to make service enhancements whilst achieving integral cost savings. As a rapidly improving district, our partnership with Capita will help us to harness the best technology, processes and people for the modernisation of our revenue and benefit service.”

The contract was awarded via the Southampton framework agreement between Capita and Southampton City Council. This is open to public sector bodies in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Dorset, East and West Sussex.