Message from Ieuan Wyn Jones, Deputy First Minister, Welsh Assembly Government:

"Wales has worked closely with major Government departments over the past few years and I am sure that the successful partnerships that we have developed with departments such as the Office for National Statistics, the DVLA and, more recently, Her Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS), which has set up a significant shared service centre in Newport, will continue to thrive and develop."

"We have an established track record of helping major Whitehall Departments relocate to Wales. We have applied the same principles in the Government sector as applied in the private sector. This customer focused solution based approach has enabled Wales to win major inward investment projects across a wide range of industries and, as a consequence, we have seen many blue chip companies either invest here for the first time or reinvest. Companies like the Sony Corporation which has been in Wales for over thirty years, Legal and General, Amazon, LogicaCMG, Toyota, EADS and LloydsTSB are just a few examples of successful enterprises in Wales."

"Our success has been built on speed of delivery, the loyalty and flexibility of a skilled workforce, low rates of attrition, competitive overhead costs, South Wales’ proximity to Whitehall – just two hours away – and the ‘CAN DO’ attitude approach adopted by Ministers and officials. I would urge you to join the growing number of organisations from both the public and private sectors enjoying the benefits of operating in Wales."

Recent successes:
Home to the Welsh Assembly Government, Wales is widely regarded by many as the leading alternative to London for government activities ranging from business processes and shared service centres to customer services and head quarter operations.

Wales has a proven track record for Shared Service Centres and is paying handsome dividends for organisations such as Her Majesty’s Prison Service, which has recently been awarded the title of Best New Shared Service Organisation 2008 at the European Shared Service Excellence Awards.

The establishment of the centre in Newport is undeniably recognised as a trail blazing initiative, consolidating its HR, procurement and accounts into one shared service centre in Newport, Wales. The main attraction of the SSC which employs over 500 personnel is of course economies of scale.

“We chose Celtic Springs, Newport after a thorough and robust selection process.
Our criteria included good transport links, the quality of the building and the ability to attract the right calibre of workforce – Newport ticked all the boxes”.
Steve Hodgson, Head of HMPS, Shared Services