The North West local authorities were judged to be among the 10 best councils to do business with and were selected for their innovative procurement practices for small businesses by a panel which included industry experts and local and central government representatives.
Speaking at a reception in Downing Street, local government minister Brandon Lewis said: "“Small businesses are the heartbeat of the British economy, central to creating jobs, stimulating economic growth and innovation. But all too often we hear they are being excluded from procurement opportunities through overly bureaucratic processes.
"It’s now time for all councils to act and make sure they cut back on unnecessary red tape which push up costs and make it harder for small firms to get on.”
Lord Young, the Prime Minister’s enterprise adviser, said: "Taking the red tape away from the public sector procurement process will give an enormous boost to entrepreneurs and a big reduction in costs to Government."
Source: The Business Desk
