Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
Treasury estimates total procurement spend of UK local authorities at £88 billion per year. The FSB polled all local councils to see how and where they spend their money. Of the 148 local authorities that responded, the FSB found more than a third (38 per cent) of councils do not actively record the location of their spending and almost a half (49 per cent) don’t know the size of business they trade with.
The FSB wants to see more accurate and public recording of spend so that it can properly inform strategy and decision making. It is calling for all local councils to put mechanisms in place to record and analyse where and with which businesses money is spent. This should also measure the size of business by micro, small and medium. The data should be transparent and publicly available, says the FSB.
John Walker, National chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said: “We are pleased that so many councils took part in the research. It has allowed us to build up a good picture of what is going on and identify some really good practice. However, we were surprised that so many councils aren’t being more proactive in terms of the how they record their spending. Knowing where spend is going in the local area, as well as what type of businesses are getting contracts, would help councils focus on improving their procurement processes.”
To read more please click here
Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
The Isuzu D-Max is a rugged workhorse that can fulfil a myriad of purposes as both a business and personal vehicle. Consequently, the D-Max is a particularly popular choice when it comes to farming, construction, and trade industries. Uncompromising in nature, the D-Max strives to be the ideal companion for many business needs.
UKREiiF has quickly become a must-attend in the industry calendar for Government departments and local authorities.
The multi-award-winning UK Construction Week (UKCW), is the UK’s biggest trade event for the built environment that connects the whole supply chain to be the catalyst for growth and positive change in the industry.
At GeoEnergy Design, we're on a mission to disrupt the traditional way heating and cooling ha
Professor Harith Alani, director of the Knowledge Management Institute at the Open University explains how AI can be used for good and bad.
Alex Lawrence, head of health & social care, techUK sets out techUK’s Five Point Plan for CareTech.