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Home > Case Studies > Westminster City Council: Strengthening Public Services Through Strategic Workforce Partnership
Westminster City Council has partnered with Matrix since 2017 to manage its contingent workforce across one of the UK’s most complex local authority landscapes. Over the years, the partnership has strengthened, expanded and adapted to the Council’s evolving needs as demand for specialist talent has risen, legislation has shifted and workforce challenges have intensified.
Today, Westminster City Council benefits from a centralised, insight-led workforce model powered by Matrix Workforce and supported by dedicated expertise, a curated supply chain and complete visibility of contingent spend. The Council continues to re-award Matrix because the partnership consistently delivers value, reliability and measurable impact for its teams and communities alike.
Westminster City Council delivers critical services to one of the most diverse and high-demand communities in the UK. Interim and specialist roles, social care talent and fast-growing teams such as Housing and Commercial Partnerships all contribute to a continual need for flexible, high-quality workers.
Before partnering with Matrix, the Council faced decentralised hiring practices, inconsistent agency mark-ups and limited visibility of spend, creating operational and financial inefficiencies. The adoption of Matrix Workforce in 2017 marked the beginning of a significant shift towards greater clarity, compliance and oversight in contingent recruitment. Now, eight years on in 2025, the partnership has matured into a fully centralised, compliant and insight-led workforce model that continues to strengthen how Westminster City Council manages its contingent workforce.
Hiring managers frequently worked directly with agencies, leading to varied margins, inflated costs and non-compliant routes into the organisation.
Budget holders lacked a single source of truth for monitoring costs, understanding market rates or tracking workforce activity across departments.
The introduction of IR35 and subsequent changes, such as adjustments to National Insurance, created uncertainty and required rapid operational adaptation.
Moving from manual, inconsistent approaches to a modern workforce platform required support, training and a significant shift in behaviour.
Matrix Workforce became the Council’s single, compliant route for all temporary and interim staffing. This ensured fairness across agency charges, reduced off-contract activity and introduced governance aligned with public sector requirements.
As part of the partnership, Matrix helped Westminster City Council refine and strengthen its supply chain, ensuring all agencies were compliant, competitive and equipped to deliver high-quality candidates across both common and specialist roles.
“We get better quality candidates because Matrix understands the London market and has helped us refine our supply chain. Even when we have niche roles, they put feelers out to trusted agencies that work with other councils. That tailored approach really benefits us.”– Harbinder Manku, Westminster City Council
With the adoption of Matrix’s Workforce Technology Platform, Westminster City Council gained real-time visibility of workforce activity, ensuring service areas are aware of their exact spend. Hiring managers and senior leaders now have access to live dashboards, reporting and year-on-year comparisons that strengthen financial and operational control.
A Matrix consultant works directly with hiring managers to improve job specifications, support platform adoption and streamline the hiring process. This embedded expertise has become a key enabler of the Council’s ongoing success.
“There are clear processes now – proper approvals, audit trails and checks. Before, everyone did their own thing. Now it’s structured, fair and transparent, which is essential for a council like ours.”– Harbinder Manku, Westminster City Council
Turnaround times have improved and candidate quality has strengthened, supported by an agency network attuned to the demands of the London market.
“Fulfilment levels are turned around really quickly, and we get very good quality candidates. Hiring managers are more mindful about who they’re bringing in and the improved job specifications and guidance from Matrix make a real difference. It’s so much easier to fill roles when the information is clear and complete.”– Harbinder Manku, Westminster City Council
With transparent reporting and clear insights into day rates and historic spend, leaders across Westminster City Council can now challenge costs and drive better value.
Almost all contingent hiring now flows through the compliant Matrix route, supported by clear processes, governance and audit trails.
Structured approval workflows and documentation ensure hiring is transparent, auditable and aligned to internal and regulatory expectations.
“New employment legislation always brings challenges, just like IR35 or the National Insurance changes. But Matrix supports us through all of it. They help adjust rates, guide hiring managers and make sure we stay compliant.” – Harbinder Manku, Westminster City Council
Matrix has supported Westminster City Council through IR35, National Insurance changes and wider legislative shifts, providing guidance and operational support whenever needed.
Social value is central to Westminster City Council’s expectations of its partners. Matrix has consistently delivered beyond the commitments originally set out in the partnership, reinforcing that the mission of connecting people to work goes far beyond solution delivery or technology alone – it is embedded in how expertise and community engagement are woven into the service model.
Key initiatives include:
“Matrix have gone above and beyond on their commitments. Compared to much bigger partners, they really stand out. Their workshops for young people, unemployed residents and university students create a real knock-on benefit for the community.” – Harbinder Manku, Westminster City Council
With continued legislative change and evolving workforce needs, Westminster City Council sees Matrix as a key partner in helping them adapt with confidence. Whether navigating new employment laws, supporting organisational restructure or meeting the growing demand for specialist skills, Matrix continues to evolve the service with the Council’s needs at the forefront.
Eight years into the partnership, Matrix remains a trusted and strategic provider to Westminster City Council. With improved visibility, stronger governance, high-quality candidates and a commitment to social value, Matrix helps the Council deliver essential services effectively while navigating an ever-evolving employment landscape.
This long-standing partnership is defined by collaboration, adaptability and shared purpose, and continues to evolve to support the Council’s ambitions for its workforce and community.
“Matrix are approachable. They’re not sitting in high towers – they work with us. Everyone here knows who they are, even if they don’t use the platform directly. They’re embedded in the organisation. We have a very good relationship with Matrix. They’re supportive with every request, and having the dedicated on-site support takes huge pressure off. That on-site support is a massive plus for us. The fact that we’ve re-awarded the contract since 2017 speaks volumes. Matrix know what they’re doing, and they make my life easier.” – Harbinder Manku, Westminster City Council
“Matrix are approachable. They’re not sitting in high towers – they work with us. Everyone here knows who they are, even if they don’t use the platform directly. They’re embedded in the organisation.
We have a very good relationship with Matrix. They’re supportive with every request, and having the dedicated on-site support takes huge pressure off. That on-site support is a massive plus for us.
The fact that we’ve re-awarded the contract since 2017 speaks volumes. Matrix know what they’re doing, and they make my life easier.” – Harbinder Manku, Westminster City Council
