Currently all public sector spending is under the microscope following last month’s Government Comprehensive Spending Review with billions of pounds earmarked to be collectively cut from budgets across the UK. Chelmsford Borough Council’s decision to implement the technology was separate to and made before the cuts announcement.

The Council runs a hugely diverse fleet in the region of 160 vehicles plus a variety of tractors and plant equipment. Vehicles include vans, trailers, refuse and recycling freighters, sweepers, caged Ford Transits and a dropside vehicle with crane.

The vehicles, some of which are maintained in-house in the Council’s own workshops, undertake a variety of tasks including refuse/recycling collections, street care and highway and grounds maintenance.

Gavin Sanders, Chelmsford Borough Council’s senior business analyst, said: “The Key2 management system was the best fit of all the systems we looked at against our business and technical requirements. I was also impressed by Jaama’s technical platform and its fit with the Council’s existing IT architecture.”

Previously the authority managed its vehicle fleet workshop using a variety of formats including spreadsheets, data bases and handwritten forms.

Jane Williamson, Chelmsford Borough Council’s customer and business support manager, waste management and operational services, said: “As part of the project start-up we established that we needed a fleet management system in order to further increase efficiency and operational processes.

“Now we have all our fleet data in one central repository which is easily accessible across Council departments by all system users. Duplication of data will also cease.

“Management report information is now available at the click of a button with no requirement to search through spreadsheets and other records for data. As a result, it is hoped that the Council will be able to review operational practices much more easily to ensure it is following best practice and working as efficiently as possible.

“As a result, we may see administration and time savings for staff which should result in improved employee productivity and, we anticipate, generate financial savings.”

Jaama managing director Jason Francis said: “In the last couple of years Jaama has been hugely successful in winning public sector business.

 “Public sector fleet requirements are often very complex due to the diversity of vehicles operated. We also know, as the Comprehensive Spending Review demonstrated, that the public sector is under huge pressure to improve operating efficiencies and drive down costs.

“That includes within their fleet operations. We are confident that Chelmsford Borough Council will view the introduction of Key2 as an investment that delivers significant savings and other benefits to them.”

He added: “The online functionality delivered by the Key2 product range is extremely broad and enables public sector fleets such as local authorities, to manage their broad range of vehicles as well as workshops on one system. As well as transportation, the technology also enables health and safety issues surrounding drivers, for example, time worked, to be easily monitored and controlled.

“Customers’ requirements are becoming increasingly complex, driven by a growing need to control costs and deliver a competitive edge. Key2 Vehicle Management enables those demands to be met at the operational level and management to easily drill into data to access whatever detailed reports are required.”

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