Dear Headteacher

As a valued customer of Norfolk County Services and Norfolk Property Services, it is with much pleasure that we write to advise you of a recent decision that received County Council approval on 21st November 2001. This decision is for both organisations to continue trading under the Norfolk County Council umbrella, as Limited Companies. The companies will be known as NCS Ltd and NPS Ltd from 1^st April 2002 and will continue to be wholly owned by Norfolk County Council.

This somewhat technical change has become necessary due to new legislation, which will come into force during 2002. The Government has made it clear that it requires public bodies to embrace Partnership working, whilst at the same time recognising that if trading activities are to form a key part to that strategy, they will need to remove many of the restrictions which currently prevent collaborative working.

This modernisation programme gives Norfolk County Services and Norfolk Property Services the chance to facilitate broader Partnership working, which will benefit our many public sector customers. However, to take advantage of these new opportunities we will have to operate within a Limited Company status, whilst continuing to maintain the public sector ethos valued by many of our customers.

We are embracing these opportunities and see the Government proposals as a constructive way forward, which will enable us to maintain our competitiveness and deliver the high levels of customer service expected of us.

There will be no impact to our customers as it is our intention that all dealings with you will continue in the same manner as before. Your contacts and the staff providing the services will be the same, and all staff will transfer to the new organisation under their current conditions of service. The only change you will see is NCS Ltd or NPS Ltd replacing Norfolk County Services or Norfolk Property Services on our documentation.

We will be advising you nearer the time with regards to assigning our current arrangements to the new companies. In the meantime if you have any questions regarding these forthcoming changes we have included a Questions and Answers sheet covering generic questions. If you would like to discuss these changes in more detail please contact Sara Armitage (NCS) on 01603 222132 or Mike Britch (NPS) on 01603 223448.

The Director of Education and the Managing Directors of both NCS and NPS believe that this change will benefit the Authority, Schools and the staff concerned. We hope you will feel able to support this initiative and allow us to continue to build upon the partnerships we have developed with you.

Peter Hawes Michael Britch Dr. Bryan Slater

Managing Director Director Director of Education

Norfolk County Services Norfolk Property Services Norfolk County Council