Civica bags £34m council deal

Luton Borough Council drafts in software and services firm to help it save £12.6m

Software and services firm Civica has snagged a £34m, 10-year outsourcing deal with Luton Borough Council.

The council is outsourcing its ICT services through a partnership agreement set up with Luton Learning and Community Partnership (LLCP). Civica is an IT partner for LLCP.

The deal, worth more than £34m to Civica, is part of a broader programme to save the council £12.6m. Under the deal, about 60 council employees will ultimately join Civica via TUPE transfer.

Simon Downing, chief executive of Civica – which already supplies 90 per cent of the UK's local authorities – said: "The provision of managed and outsourced services in areas where the company has specialist expertise is fundamental to Civica's strategy and we are delighted to support a partnership that will become a centre of excellence in local service delivery."

Councillor Robin Harris, deputy leader of Luton Borough Council, said: "This programme will enable us to improve frontline services without additional cost. The transfer of Luton's ICT service to the partnership provides a strong basis for creating IT-based savings and at the same time seeking improved service delivery to meet local residents' current and future needs."