A three-year contract to provide security at all the University of Cumbria’s campuses has gone to Carlisle-based Northern Security Ltd.
Northern, based in St Ninian’s Road, Upperby in the city, had been responsible for safeguarding solely the uni’s Fusehill Street campus in Carlisle. The new contract also covers security at the university’s bases at Newton Rigg near Penrith, at Ambleside and Lancaster and all sites across Carlisle.
Paul Heeran, Northern Security’s operations director, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured a major new contract with such a prestigious client as the University of Cumbria. Education is a sector we are targeting to expand into, along with health, and we see this as a significant step forward for the company.” Northern Security won after a competitive tendering process. Paul prepared the company’s presentation. Dr Stephen Bloye, the university’s head of facilities management, said: “The university is pleased to have appointed Northern Security to work across all of our main campuses and sites. Northern Security clearly demonstrated the ability to meet our business requirements and also offer a range of value added additional services within the contract price. The university looks forward to developing a strong working relationship with Northern Security and to Northern Security providing a high standard of security services across the institution, as they have been doing at Fusehill Street for the last few years.”
The services to be carried out include mobile patrols, CCTV monitoring, site visits and lockdowns besides risk assessments. The sites include a mix of rooms, including halls of residents and academic offices.
Peter Smith, Northern Security’s sales director, said: “Our company focus is aimed at excelling in all areas through innovation and good practice, especially in the educational sector. The state of the economy means that supplier/customer relationships are vital and being able to add value through our innovative working practices and expertise has provided the University of Cumbria with genuine benefits which have led to us winning the contract to secure all its properties throughout Cumbria and Lancashire, creating and safeguarding over 20 jobs. We are always looking to add value across our customer base. This approach has helped us to build up an impressive client portfolio and assisted in securing new contracts throughout the country.”
The university contract with Northern began this academic year. Recruitment has been taking place for the Lancaster and Ambleside sites, with the Carlisle and Penrith positions being filled from Northern’s existing personnel.
Paul Heeran added: “We take great care in selecting our staff, including aptitude tests and life experience background, to make sure we get the right kind of personnel to work on particular contracts. All of those involved with the university will have certificates of competence to work in the education sector, specifically with students. We’re also looking for good communication skills and then quality training, putting recruits through NVQ Level 2 in customer care.”
Northern employs more than 150 staff via its headquarters in Cumbria and offices in Middlesbrough and Manchester. Its major education-based contracts also include one for student accommodation in Manchester and a recently acquired one at the University of Sunderland. The security firm was founded in 1998 by Carlisle-born Paul Hopper, 34, who remains its managing director. He was named Cumbria Director of the Year for 2010 by the Institute of Directors.
