Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

City of Durham extends partnership with Northgate with new housing solution

After an extensive procurement exercise comprising an evaluation of all leading market suppliers, the City of Durham Council announces that it is to extend its work with its partner, Northgate Information Solutions, and implement a new housing management solution to help meet the City’s housing needs.

Under a contract worth approximately £900k over 5 years, the new solution is designed to improve the ability of the council to provide housing related services to citizens and to optimise the management of the council’s housing stock. It will improve information management and streamline existing processes, which will help to provide more flexible citizen-centred services and offer better public value.

The Northgate housing management solution offers a range of benefits to the council, its staff and its citizens, including:

•Improved access to key housing information, enabling staff to improve the quality of services they provide
•Enhanced management of property allocation and purchasing entitlements to give citizens greater choice
•Superior management and monitoring of homeless applicants, helping to reduce homelessness in the area
•Greater consistency and monitoring of housing advice
•The use of wireless technology across the city, enabling staff to work remotely across neighbourhoods and improving the council’s interactions with its citizens
•Seamless and real time integration, using the Northgate Integrator, with other back office systems, including Northgate’s revenues and benefits solution, and the Council’s corporate CRM system, to improve the speed, accuracy and consistency of information transfer
•Improved levels of productivity and empowerment for the Council’s housing staff, enabling them to focus more on the needs of residents and other users of services

Northgate’s experienced and highly competent team will also provide a full training and skills-transfer service. This will ensure that the council’s staff are wholly proficient in the new system, and are able to provide an excellent service first time and every time.

Angelo Moscardini, Head of Property Services at City of Durham Council, said:
“The Council is constantly striving for improvement in the quality of life of our citizens. Extending our partnership with Northgate to the housing management solution is a key long-term decision in the council’s improvement strategy, and will provide a platform for the council to make our neighbourhoods better places in which to live and work.”

Dave Meaden, MD of Northgate Public Services, added:
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with City of Durham Council. The relationship provides a strong foundation based on mutual trust and understanding from which we can jointly address the future housing challenges that face the City. Our housing management solution demonstrates how technology can facilitate the improvement of high value services for citizens and meet their individual needs – and lead to greater community wellbeing.”

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For More Information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7092 1801 / 07966 890401
Alastair Whitehead020 7092 1803 / 07930 566291