More contracts to local suppliers, promises council with whopping £300m budget for buying in Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes Council has set out plans for how it will create more jobs and use more local businesses through its future spending of its £300m a year budget.

As part of the council’s commitment to a fair and prosperous economic recovery, the Progressive Alliance is introducing its ‘More for MK’ scheme.

The plan that enables the council to award more contracts to local suppliers and to work with more local partners to deliver community improvements and social value through its procurement activity.

MK Council spends around £300m annually on buying products and commissioning services to deliver a diverse range of operations including children’s social care, housing and environmental services.

It is committing to putting community first by taking into account the social value that can be created through its procurement and encouraging local partners to do the same.

‘More for MK’ will work with local partners and businesses to try and capture more spending locally by using more local and smaller businesses in its supply chain, prioritising companies that pay the real living wage and employ local people. It builds on community wealth building models used in other areas, such as Preston, but goes further in that the council will be looking for private sector employers to also commit to using more local supply chains.

Councillor Rob Middleton, Labour's Progressive Alliance Cabinet member for budget and resources, will be working closely with local partners and businesses to deliver social value contributions in local communities.

He said: “Across the country, public sector spend totals £290 billion every year. As we begin our economic recovery from the pandemic local Councils should take into account the positive impact that procuring more products and services from local businesses would have on their local economy”

He added: “As a core local organisation we recognise the key role that MK Council can have in delivering greater social value through its own procurement and championing this commitment with its partner organisations and businesses, and it’s exciting to see this plan being put in place.”

“We will use the power of the council not only to award contracts to more local and smaller businesses that will create jobs locally, but we will encourage others to do this as well.”