 Merger case study – Citizens Advice Services Corby & KetteringOrganisations involved in the merger: Corby Borough Welfare Rights and CAB and Kettering CAB Merged organisation: Citizens Advice Services Corby & Kettering Region and town / city operating in: Corby & Kettering, Northamptonshire Activities the organisation undertakes: Citizens Advice Services helps people resolve their legal and money problems by providing free independent and confidential advice and by influencing policy makers. Employee numbers: 18 Volunteer numbers: 45 Merger date: 30th September 2011 The Corby and Kettering merger came about in response to the current economic situation. It became obvious to both organisations that there are not enough funds to support both organisations. Both wanted to continue to be able to offer clients the same level of service and support, to do this they would have to become more efficient and provide a more cost effective service. It is expected that client demand will grow beyond current capacity and both organisations recognised that they would need to identify ways to ensure that they meet the needs of these clients. In September 2010 a working party was established consisting of two trustees and two managers from each bureau and a representative from Citizens Advice. The working party’s tasks were to assess the current status of service provision, the status of resources and to determine the most effective and accessible service delivery options. The group would also evaluate efficient use of resources and look into the most effective governance structure and organisational form. After the decision was made to merge the two organisations the next step was to contact current funders as they must be on board with an organisational change of this nature. Representatives from each organisation had to put the business case to their funders for approval. This process was successful and generated a positive reaction so the merger could move forwards. Debbie Egan, Bureau Chief Officer at Citizens Advice Services Corby & Kettering explained “when you start the merger process you suddenly realise how much there is to do and how time consuming simple processes can be. For example, just organising a time for all involved to attend regular meetings. It is so easy to underestimate how long things will take but it’s really important to be realistic when it comes to timescales.” When undertaking a merger it is imperative to be in constant communication with employees and volunteers, involving them in the process and informing them of any decisions that may affect them. This is something that both organisations felt strongly about and ensured relationships stayed solid throughout. Staff responses to the merger were generally positive as they could see that it was being done for the right reasons. At times there was anxiety which can only be expected but as staff could see that merger was the right move to make it was met with enthusiasm. With a newly merged organisation comes the requirement to rebrand. It was important to both organisations that the new organisation’s name should reflect both original organisations. This responsibility was placed with Trish Dewar, Bureau Chair at Citizens Advice Services Corby & Kettering. Once the new name had been put to the working party it was discussed with staff and agreed on. In terms of the logo there was no real need for change here as both organisations previously used the corporate Citizens Advice Bureau logo. Once everything was in place for the merger to take place a celebration launch event was organised to inform external audiences of the merger. The event took place at Wicksteed Park, Northamptonshire. Local communities, organisations, funders and councillors were invited along. It provided an opportunity to explain what the merger means, the benefits and planned outcomes. The merger is currently in the change management stage. As employees and volunteers are on board it is important for the managers of Citizens Advice Services Corby & Kettering to build relationships with staff at both offices. Although the organisations have merged to become one they will continue to use two offices, one in Kettering and one situated in Corby in order to offer the best service possible to clients. When asked for helpful hints to give to others thinking of merger, Debbie Egan stated, “The key to a successful merger is to plan properly and manage your time effectively. It is important to engage stakeholders early on in the process, insuring that it is an inclusive process by communicating with staff and volunteers.” Debbie suggested that “as long as your business case is solid and the outcome of a merger would benefit clients, funders and both organisations involved, the process is likely to run smoothly with a successful outcome. It must make sense.” “I really would recommend having budget set aside for a merger, there are always going to be costs involved in the process that you don’t anticipate. From meetings through to a launch event to announce your newly merged organisation, it’s helpful to have the funds behind you from the beginning.” Dave Berry, Network Development Manager at Citizens Advice commented “this has been one of the smoothest mergers I’ve been involved in, the reasons for this is that it was obviously the best way forward for both organisations, it was undertaken for all the right reasons.” The next steps for Citizens Advice Services Corby & Kettering is to keep up the good work. If you would like to speak to Debbie about her experiences she can be contacted on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or telephone 01536 265501. Note: this case study will be revisited in six months time to find out how things have progressed and to look into the outcomes of the process.
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