Rotherham Council has stepped up its commitment to ensure that local businesses and employers benefit from its spending.
The Council has partnered with Go4Growth, an organisation that helps businesses and voluntary sector organisations to access public sector contracts.
With a spend of over £400m per annum on public services, goods and products, the Council currently buy from a large pool of suppliers and since October 2019 its policy has been to try to increase the number of those in the local area.
The partnership will provide opportunities for a wide variety of talented voluntary sector organisations and small businesses to access Council contracts.
The programme is fully funded, meaning businesses can join the programme and access the support, guidance, tools and resources on offer at no cost.
In 2022/23, the Council spent £77.2 million in the local economy, an increase of 72% over three years. More than a quarter of the Council’s purchasing power goes directly back into the local economy, with an ambition to increase this further in the future.
Rotherham Council Leader, Cllr Chris Read said: “Our commitment to social value – ensuring that we maximise the benefit of the Council’s spending in our local economy – has already received national recognition. But we know that for many local suppliers, especially smaller businesses, it can be difficult to know where to start.
“That’s why we have brought in Go4Growth who are specialists in the field to give free advice and support to local employers. It’s all part of our mission to see more money spent locally, creating jobs and increasing wages, supporting a fairer local economy that works in the interests of our residents.
“Regardless of where a business is on their journey, if they are aspiring to do more work in the public sector, I urge them to get in touch with Go4Growth.”
Gillian Askew FCIPS – Co-Founder of Go4Growth said: “We are delighted to be working with Rotherham Council to help support local organisations to be able to find and secure work in the public sector marketplace. This is really important work which has only increased in priority and urgency in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crises.”
