Councils could save millions in smarter procurement giving council taxpayers better value for money, according to a new government review. The Roots review, carried out by former Westminster City Council chief executive, Bill Roots, examined the procurement of goods, services and capital purchases in councils. He found improvement but highlighted scope to reduce the £42bn spent on external contracts by local government in 2007. Mr Roots said: ‘I believe a ‘champion within local government is needed to lead and co-ordinate procurement efficiency, and Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEPs) are ideally placed to become one-stop shops for expert advice and "best buy" information.' Among other key recommendations are for RIEPs to promote better working between councils and small and medium Enterprises, and provide online advice on model contracts and for councils to carry out annual procurement arrangement reviews. Local government minister, John Healey, said: ‘In many cases, councils are already delivering significant savings, but with everyone feeling the pinch, they must examine every function to see how they can work even more efficiently.' The LGA's improvement board chairman, Cllr David Parsons, said: ‘There is no complacency, and councils will continue to work together and with partner organisations to improve efficiency even further while maintaining the highest standards.'
