Darren Miller, AM for Clwyd West, makes an excellent point today regarding procurement from public bodies.
Using the example of the national flower of Wales, he has found that welsh councils are getting supplies of daffodils from England or Holland rather than from Welsh companies.
Most surprising is the fact that Gwynedd Council, of all places, have been using suppliers outside Wales of Wales for bulbs to grow the country’s national symbol.
This blog has made the point, on a number of occasions, that purchasing by public bodies is a key tool in helping small businesses at a local level. Local authorities, in particular, should be looking to source goods and other services as locally as possible.
More importantly, Richard Arnold of the Really Welsh Company said that the prices his company has recently discussed with certain authorities in Wales apparently compare very favourably with the Dutch imports or Cornish supplies.
He also believes that his welsh grown daffodils will offer superior cropping, as they are grown in virgin Welsh ground and not subject to intense rotations employed in Holland and parts of Cornwall and Lincolnshire. Most importantly, the close proximity of our farms to potential customers across Wales will reduce transportation costs substantially, and will also allow Welsh-based buyers to inspect crops throughout the harvest process particularly at lifting and packing stages, and again prior to delivery if required.
Using European procurement rules as an excuse to stop buying locally is no longer good enough.
If the new councillors elected last week across Wales want to really make a difference to their local economies, then they should consider how their local authority's purchasing policies can best help local small firms who can provide quality products and services at a competitive price.
Comments
Let's sort out the reasons for the cost differences first - maybe if more support had been given to Welsh nurseries in the past we wouldn't be in this situation. Too many council nurseries were/are reduced to cut 'overheads'. External purchases come from 'another budget' etc blah blah!
Let's pick on something more fundamental to Wales - Welsh slate - the saga goes on.....
If the local produce is more expensive which part of the budget would you sacrifice to pay the extra?
Local produce isn't more expensive - it's just that most procurement managers have got into the habit of buying goods and services from the same suppliers, supported by outmoded regulations that are biased against smaller businesses.
I have heard numerous horror stories from small firms who were cheaper than the contract winners from outside the region who 'just gave a better powerpoint presentation' to a bunch of lower level council officials.
Then, we see the inevitable hordes of white vans driving down the M4 and the A55 to service these contracts when they could have been done locally at a cheaper price (and at an equal, if not better, quality).
£5 billion is spent by the public sector in Wales every year with only 30 per cent going to local firms. If we could increase that by 2 per cent, it would be more than double the grants currently being given out to businesses with no real return. Businesses want work not hand outs.
By the way, you are extremely naive to think that the Irish nor the French are not buying local. Try getting welsh lamb into either market and you will see. In fact, I have already written on the "Irish Guaranteed" campaign which is encouraging greater purchasing of local produce in the Emreald Isle.
If Welsh firms aren't good enough, theu shouldn't get the contracts but often they are better, and they still don't.
Where's the evidence for this? Are you suggesting procurement managers are not supplying value for money intentionally?
If you check out the post code buying habits of our Local Authorities and public sector you would be amazed at how much goes out of Wales. Keep our money local there are plenty of Welsh suppliers who are competitive and quality. Big problem procurers are lazy and often prejudiced thinking that you get better from suppliers outside Wales. educate them
Firstly, the Wales Tourist Board giving the contract (worth £2million+ !!!) for the useless Visit Wales website to an Australian company when there are perfectly competent bleeding edge Welsh firms capable of doing the job for less than half the price and who understand the market.
Secondly, is Ceredigion County Council giving their calendar print run to a firm in Lancashire who proceeded to omit St.David's Day from the resulting calendar that was then sent to every household in the county! What an insult! Especially as every other Saint's day even the most obscure were mentioned. How crass can you get! There are at least 5 printing companies within 50 miles of Cardigan that could have done a better job. This is not supporting local business , this is taking the piss.
Dylan , I am sure your many readers will tell us about many more instances of dangerous and possibly corrupt stupidity by the public sector jobsworthies that procure products and services for the people of Wales. They are doing us a grave disservice. Please find us a shining example of good practice to give us all hope and to act as an exemplar of good practice which can be applauded.
http://tinyurl.com/5exbnj
Welsh Walker
I think you are placing the blame for those in the wrong place. In both cases the client writes the specification, manages the process and approves the product.
For example, has anyone asked Ceredigion how they missed the exclusion of St David's Day from their calendars? Someone signed it off.
Are there any fully documented case studies? Only hard data will make a difference.
Dylan - I'd be interested to publish a guest article on this question, if you would bite.
Matt Wardman
Please see http://www.welshicons.org.uk , done with no government help. Though the Really Welsh Company mentioned in the main article is a sponsor