Sutton and Kingston - a Shared Service

Collaborating to ensure a brighter future for both Boroughs

The London Borough of Sutton and The Royal Borough of Kingston operate a Shared Service that delivers a collaborative range of functions across both councils. The primary aim of sharing services is to improve efficiency by reducing repetition and improving consistency in our processes across both councils.

Our model brings together staff, systems, and processes to create opportunities for our workforce to learn, develop, and network through both councils, whilst delivering an efficient service to residents in both Boroughs. 

Our Shared Service consists of the following service areas:

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Human Resources (HR) and Organisational Development (OD)
Customer Services
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Digital Services
Highways, Transport and Regulatory Services
Finance

HR and Organisational Development

The HR and OD team provides advice, guidance, and professional support to managers and staff on all people related matters, and spans the entire employee lifecycle. The team also provides a range of payroll and HR services to traded partners and schools in the London Boroughs of Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth. We design and implement HR and OD initiatives to ensure our people have the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to help deliver strategic outcomes and efficient services to residents. Our offer includes guidance in the following areas:

workforce strategy
payroll
recruitment
onboarding
performance management
learning and development
diversity and inclusion
staff engagement
employee relations

We have seen a range of benefits achieved from providing a Shared Service, including:

a dedicated leadership for both Kingston and for Sutton, to ensure the needs of both Boroughs are met equally.
financial savings by collaborating on efficient processes and systems that can be used across both Boroughs.
providing more career opportunities for staff where internal applicants are eligible for either Borough.
creating an opportunity to redesign services with more experienced staff, as well as creating new services for the workplace._‍‍

Customer Services

The Customers, Transformation and Strategy division’s main focus is residents. This division delivers transformation projects set out in our Corporate Plan, Ambitious for Sutton. Specifically the division is made up of the following services:

Customer Experience
Revenues and Benefits
Procurement and Commercial
Commissioning
Communications and Engagement
Policy and Transformation

IT and Digital

Digital transformation is a key priority across our two councils, with our IT and Digital teams leading the way with flexible and collaborative working. With a focus on user centred design, we’re always striving for creative, technical ways to deliver key services to citizens.

From UX, content and service designers, user researchers, developers, testers, and delivery managers - we stand with the best in the country when it comes to service delivery and performance.‍