Council partnership yields jobs in Burnley

The council has just started its third year of its partnership with Liberata with the announcement that the private contractor is ahead of schedule in locating new jobs to the borough, with a further eight posts having been recently created to support other local authorities.

The company was brought in to take over the running of some services from the council. These included customer services, revenue and benefits, and environmental health.

The partnership was part of Burnley Council’s planning around maintaining essential public services while meeting ever-increasing financial challenges.

At the end of the second year of the contract 44 new skilled jobs had been created, ahead of the target of 40. Of those new employees, over 37 are working to deliver services to other local authorities across the country, including the London boroughs of Bromley and Hillingdon, with eight more in training.

Council leader Mark Townsend said: “Bringing in a strategic partner has paid dividends in a number of different ways, not least of which is the creation of new jobs in our borough.

“Services will continue to develop and change. Liberata has the objective of retaining jobs, skills and talent in Burnley and it is looking to further grow jobs and services in our borough.”

Burnley Council entered into a 10-year contract with Liberata in 2015. It took over the operation of Customer Services and Information Technology services; Revenues, Benefits and Debt Management; Payroll and Human Resources systems; Asset and Facility Management services; and Environmental Health and Licensing.