A MULTI-MILLION pound contract could be about to transform local government services and generate thousands of jobs.

Information technology specialist Agilisys is expected to be confirmed as the preferred bidder to work in partnership with nine local councils to improve services for customers and help meet Government requirements during the next ten years.

If successful, the contact, worth hundreds of millions of pounds, will generate 2,000 jobs in the area.

City of York Council and Ryedale District Council are the latest authorities to approve Agilisys as the preferred bidder - along with Hambleton, Harrogate and Richmondshire. Selby District Council and North Yorkshire County Council are considering the bid today and Scarborough Borough Council will decide on April 1.

The partnership of nine councils has been searching for a supplier to deliver customer improvements for 14 months.

Mick Phythian, of the Ryedale Council, said: "We have recommended Agilisys as the preferred bidder. We are confident that, having followed a careful evaluation process, their bid is most likely to deliver the best solution for the partnership - and ultimately improved access to services for all residents in North Yorkshire."

Agilisys was formed 11 months ago, when it broke away from York-based facilities management company Jarvis to become a separate company.

Kevin Lavery, chief executive of Agilisys, said the company would be delighted to deliver change to the authority's services to millions of people across the county.

He said: "The great team that put the bid together will be the team that will work with the councils to achieve improvements to a range of council services and also introduce enhanced services that will be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"At the same time each local authority will retain its own identity, enabling its council tax payers to access a range of services via the Internet and e-mail as well as via existing conventional methods."