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Birmingham City council, Service Birmingham – the joint Capita and Birmingham City Council venture, SAP and Axon have today entered into an agreement that will reaffirm the city’s status as a leading global location for business transformation.
The partners will create a national and international reference site of best practice for business transformation, and look at innovative ways of delivering services that benefit the citizens of Birmingham – with several aims including the hosting an international conference to the city on the topic.
Helen O’Dea, Service Birmingham’s chief executive, said: “Birmingham has the potential to be a world-leading city, technologically and intellectually advanced, and capable of attracting major investment. The partnership will make sure Birmingham’s business transformation agenda, growing economic vibrancy and use of technology by citizens and businesses gains national and international recognition.”
Cllr Paul Tilsley, deputy leader of Birmingham City Council, added: “The partnership between these four leading organisations can only enhance the potential of economic and social development for the citizens of Birmingham.”
The memorandum of understanding agreed by the partners outlines their intention to share knowledge and best practice on a national and international scale, demonstrating Birmingham’s capabilities in business transformation, ICT and sustainability.
Commenting on the partnership, Mark Wyllie, transformation director at Axon, said: “Birmingham City Council has already won a national award for its leadership in transformation and this partnership will allow us to ensure that Birmingham remains at the forefront of European local government transformation thinking and achievement.”
Steve Elsham, SAP
sector manager for Local Government and Health said: “We will use
the combined experience of the partnership to underpin the transformation
programme in Birmingham and leverage this knowledge to other global public
sector organisations.”
The partnership will support Birmingham City Council’s objectives
to transform the city. The partners will assist with the development of
a business transformation innovation centre, academic alliances and host
events that raise the City’s profile globally and within the UK.
Countdown to EPCs
A guide for business on the new Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)
being introduced from April was launched 27 February by the CBI, with
commercial real estate advisors CB Richard Ellis.
A recent CBI survey1 revealed that many firms were unaware of the requirement
being introduced this year for landlords to obtain an EPC for their buildings.
Half of firms (51%) were either unaware of have yet to take action.
Non-domestic buildings will need an EPC when they are built, sold or leased,
with the largest buildings requiring one from April and the rest by October.
Property occupiers will need to be aware of the certificates when acquiring
or disposing of property and can make use of the information in their
decision making as EPCs are a good way to judge a building’s likely
efficiency and running costs.
The CBI has also published a revised edition of the popular CBI ‘Property
for Business; an essential guide for business executives’. Sponsored
by Deloitte. This publication provides important strategic guidance and
best practice advice for businesses, regardless of size or sector, on
how to develop an effective property strategy for managing property productively
and supporting wider commercial and environmental objectives.
Both publications can be downloaded from the CBI website, free of charge
at: www.cbi.org.uk/property