PUBLIC PROCUREMENT NEWS

  

News

5 January 2012

Public procurement saves millions in districts in the UK

Warwick District Council together with seven other local authorities in the UK has been recognised for saving £4.5million of public money in a national award for outstanding procurement performance. Councils from Bromsgrove, Malvern, North Warwickshire, Redditch, Warwick District, Worcester, Wychavon, and Wyre Forest took second place at the 2011 Society of Purchasing Officers’ award for Outstanding Achievement in Procurement.

Melanie Gillman Warwick District Council’s Procurement Manager said, “The benefits of the collaboration and the extensive expertise of the members of the group have allowed all councils to achieve more benefits in a much shorter time.” Examples of the group’s collaborative procurements include an award-winning £1.7m saving on insurance services and almost £500,000 saved on trade waste collection services. Local taxpayers in the collaborating areas have saved at least £4.5m since 2006.

The group was recognised for breaking down barriers between traditionally separate local authorities to collaborate, with regular meetings held at rotating venues seeing decades of professional expertise and experience held by the councils shared in an open and transparent forum. The group is able to better support small to medium enterprises, particularly local and start up businesses, to secure business from the public sector.

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