Member Article

Oldham jobs boost just the ticket

Oldham Council’s external partner NSL - a parking enforcement firm - is boosting its workforce in the borough.

The UK market leaders in on-street parking enforcement – who run contracts on behalf of more than 60 local authorities including Oldham – has seen its services expand from the Shared Service Centre in Chadderton.

Only a handful of workers were based at NSL’s hub when it opened two years ago – now 70 are on the rota – with the majority of the workforce hailing from Oldham.

As well as services processing Penalty Charge Notices and parking contracts, the centre has recently gone live with the NHS Patient Booking Service for the whole of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.

The multi-purpose base – which takes a staggering 500,000 calls a year – also deals with the licensing of the estimated 20,000 Hackney Carriages for Transport for London.

Andy White, NSL Client Account Manager at the Shared Service Centre hopes the centre will expand in the future bringing in more jobs to the Borough.

He said: “By gaining the latest NHS Patient Booking Service contract, on top of the trusted services we already deliver – it clearly shows the hard work this centre is providing to the rest of the country.

“Huge credit must go to the sterling work the staff are doing – with the majority coming from Oldham.

“We see great potential in the Shared Service Centre and we want to expand – which would add to our workforce.

“We have had a great relationship with Oldham Council for many years and we hope to work closely with them for many more in establishing this North West hub.”

The Council has a contract with NSL which runs until 2019, which involves on-street enforcement, off-street car park management, and cash collection services.

NSL also deliver Oldham Council’s Customer Contact and Notice Processing for on-street car parking enforcement.

Councillor Amanda Chadderton, Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, said: “Significant savings for Oldham tax-payers and the Council are being delivered by sharing resources within NSL’s hub at Falcon Business Centre.

“I recently visited the Shared Service Centre and I saw for myself that it is a great example of the Council working co-operatively with an external partner. NSL has clearly shown over the years they deliver more and improved services for less.

“As a Council we are committed to working with businesses that provide jobs to local people through our Get Oldham Working campaign. NSL are clearly growing here in the Borough and are a trusted business to work with, bringing extra jobs, skills and revenue.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .