Sutton Council Sees Tangible Benefits from JCAD LACHS Implementation
Sutton Council continues to innovate in local government claims management by streamlining operations through JCAD’s claims handling system, LACHS. With a complex remit covering multiple boroughs across London and Surrey, Sutton has leveraged the flexibility and depth of the LACHS platform to consolidate data, simplify operations, and generate measurable cost savings.
Significant IT Cost Reductions Through Cloud Migration
As Sutton prepares to upgrade to LACHS 6, the move to a fully browser-based, cloud-hosted platform is expected to yield substantial savings on IT infrastructure. Nathan Ayres, Sutton’s Insurance Claims Manager, explained that transitioning from their current Citrix and Microsoft-heavy environment to a web-native model will reduce dependency on legacy systems and licensing costs.
“Hosting data with JCAD instead of managing our own infrastructure will offer savings in both cost and complexity,” Ayres said. “We will be reducing the need for local support, patching, and upgrades – JCAD will handle all of that, making it easier and more cost-effective for us.”
The Council has already seen early gains after moving hosting to Amazon Web Services (AWS), with enhanced visibility into storage costs and a smoother path toward full cloud adoption. Ayres also highlighted that removing the need for team-wide access to Citrix is a direct area of potential savings.
Managing Multiple Boroughs Efficiently
Sutton’s team handles claims for twelve boroughs – four in London and eight in Surrey – each with unique service arrangements. By tagging boroughs as directorates within LACHS, the team can generate borough-specific insights with ease, a critical feature when working across varied stakeholders and agreements.
This unified view enhances data visibility and reporting, cutting down on administrative overhead. Sutton’s team receives 140 new claims per month with approximately 1000 open claims at any one time.
Mitigating Subsidence Risks with Data-Driven Action
One standout application of LACHS is in mitigating long-term risks such as subsidence, which is a growing concern as climate patterns shift. Using data stored and extracted from LACHS, Sutton compares historical trends and identifies high-risk areas, allowing for proactive interventions.
“Through consistent monitoring and early mitigation such as targeted tree maintenance, we’re seeing a real impact,” said Ayres. “Those who invest in early action see drastically reduced costs and claims.”
This proactive use of data aligns closely with best practice in risk management, turning reactive claims handling into a preventative strategy.
Preparing for a Consolidated Future
Despite working across multiple LACHS databases today, Sutton is actively exploring how to consolidate systems to further streamline operations and reduce costs. Integration with tools like Power BI has already begun, allowing deeper insights across all boroughs.
“As we move to LACHS 6 and centralised hosting, the goal is to eventually unify these systems where feasible,” said Ayres. “It’s not just about cost; it’s about smarter working and delivering a better service.”
Conclusion
Sutton Council’s approach demonstrates how modern claims handling technology – when paired with forward-thinking operations, can deliver both efficiency and risk reduction. From mitigating seasonal claim surges to preparing for potential changes in local authority structures, JCAD LACHS remains a crucial partner in helping the Council adapt and thrive.
