The publication of the fiscal devolution roadmap alongside the Budget underlined the Government's commitment to advancing devolution. The roadmap included a £150 million funding package for strategic authorities to build the capacity and capability needed to manage greater powers, including enhanced fiscal autonomy and purchasing power.
Businesses bidding for public sector contracts is a market already worth c.£90bn a year. With the recent step forward in fiscal devolution there is not only an opportunity to spend more of that money locally, there is a huge opportunity for public authorities to leverage their spending to shape markets, stimulate innovation and drive local economic growth. My question here is simple: are local government layers set up well enough to ‘buy better' and make this happen?
