Buckinghamshire Council is moving its revenues and benefits administration to a cloud based solution delivered by Northgate Public Services.
It is making the move to streamline the relevant IT systems following its creation from the merger of five councils in April of last year.
Aylesbury Vale and Wycombe Councils have been using Northgate’s system for their revenues and benefits, while Chiltern used Civica software, South Buckinghamshire used Capita and Buckinghamshire County Council did not have a responsibility for the process.
A spokesperson for Northgate said the change began earlier this year under a five-year contract and that the unified system is scheduled to go live in December.
Northgate said the consolidation will support dealing with customer queries quickly, along with the automation of more day-to-day tasks and increased self-service for residents and businesses for processes such as electronic billing, applications for discounts and setting up direct debit payments.
In addition, the browser based nature of the Northgate solution means staff can access all the data when working from home or in the office.
Improving experience
Councillor Tim Butcher, deputy cabinet member for resources at Buckinghamshire Council, said: “The former councils used different systems to manage their revenues and benefits. Now, as a unitary council, we are working with Northgate to provide a single, improved customer experience.
“Our vision as an innovative council is to create positive changes for local people, communities and businesses and that includes innovating and improving our services by working efficiently and making best use of technology.
“By automating some of the processes, we can free up our staff from routine tasks and use their skills and expertise elsewhere. Giving our officers a complete picture of any individual’s circumstances will transform our service. It will allow us to offer the best possible support for our residents.”
Image from iStock, Comiicz
