Slimmed-down mortgage firm Bradford & Bingley is outsourcing its human resources team to an outside firm after basing all its remaining 900 staff at Crossflatts near Bingley.

The nationalised lender, the rump of the former building society, has transferred 13 HR specialists to AdviserPlus, a Cheshire-based HR consultancy.

The company has opened a new office in the Waterside building at Saltaire to handle the B&B work.

The company provides a range of services from HR, health and safety and business law advice to a range of medium and large companies.

It intends to use the B&B contract as a springboard to expand in West Yorkshire and create more jobs in the Aire Valley.

Former B&B executive Alison Nauman, who heads the new AdviserPlus office, said the deal would ensure a smooth transition with a range of services.

She said: “It is a seamless transition, and, as far as B&B staff are concerned, there will be no difference in the HR support available.”

AdviserPlus will deliver a range of day-to-day HR services such as advice to managers, payroll and expenses.

Alison, who worked at B&B for 30 years and joined AdviserPlus this month, said it would be a partnership.

She said: “We will be working closely with B&B as a business partner.

“Our new team has in-depth experience of that business and will ensure that the range of HR services meets the company’s needs.

“We will also be looking to provide our specialist services to other clients and grow our own business here. We are looking to expand and there is scope for new jobs.”

A spokesman for Bradford & Bingley said the firm was a smaller and less complex organisation and the need for HR support had decreased.

The aim was to preserve employment in the Aire Valley and it was decided to outsource key HR activities in a contract that enabled AdviserPlus to open a local office.

She said: “This has now been completed, and 13 B&B staff have been transferred to AdviserPlus.”

Meanwhile, Bradford & Bingley’s name disappeared today in Bingley as part of the rebranding of branches by Spanish owner Santander.

The former head office branch under the old B&B head office in Main Street closed at the weekend to be replaced later this week by a new Santander branch in the 5 Rise shopping complex nearby.