Under its Working for your Business banner, Harrogate Borough Council has recently adopted a statement of procurement to open up opportunities for local businesses.
Under the statement, all invitations to tender for the council’s contracts valued between £10,000 and £50,000 must have, where possible, at least one supplier included from North Yorkshire or the Leeds City Region.
The statement is supported by other measures including the publication of a contracts register, making it easier for local business people to see when contracts were let, to whom, the value of the contract and when the contract is to be renewed.
Council Leader, Cllr Don Mackenzie, has welcomed the council’s adoption of this statement, which reinforces its earlier commitment to small and medium sized enterprises through its Small Business Concordat.
Cllr Don Mackenzie added:
Whilst we have a duty to the council taxpayer to obtain the best value for money for the goods and services we buy, it is also important that we give local businesses as much information and opportunity as we possibly can to win our business in what is a highly competitive market. This statement of procurement seeks to do this without compromising the council’s fundamental duty to ensure high quality and best value on behalf of our residents.
We have a firm commitment to help and support local businesses. Our other initiatives include free business advice and a prompt payment code to make sure we pay suppliers on time.
