The Centre has already launched a series of projects aimed at adding a regional twist to the efficiency work already well under way in many local authorities across the SW. For example, many local authorities already have a contract database storing useful information about contracts held with suppliers.

The Centre's project, managed by Gillian Brindle, is aimed at joining these databases together. Gillian is also working with two eprocurement consultants and a team of procurement experts from local authorities across the SW to gain agreement on the region's e-procurement strategy.

Like with much of the work of the Centre, this does not mean a "one-size-fits" all approach, but does mean collaborating to share learning and avoid "reinventing the wheel". Gillian is also co-ordinating the regional e-auction activity where savings of up to 25% have been made nationally.

Under the guidance of Kelly Forrester, the Centre is accumulating a spend analysis capturing information on 70% to 80% of spend on goods and services across the SW.

Again, many local authorities have routinely performed this type of analysis, but the Centre is adding value by co-ordinating the approach across the region to identify:

• common suppliers
• opportunities for driving efficiency
• tracking the mix of smaller businesses

Kelly is also co-ordinating activity in training, regional supplier strategy and the region's approach to buying utilities.

The Centre has supported the property organisation CoProp to kick-start activity and on 18 July helped host a regional workshop looking a ways to reduce spend and cost of property building and maintenance.

The workshop was very well attended by 13 out of the 16 counties and unitaries in the SW and agreement was gained on six areas to move forward.

21 March saw the region's first web-conference on the subject of driving efficiency in local government. 56 attendees from 27 local authorities joined the web-conference by phone and over the internet (including 17 districts) to be taken through the requirements of the efficiency agenda and Annual Efficiency Statements due 15 April, by Neil Reeder (ODPM), Heather Jasper (Worcestershire County Council) and Julian Morley. The event saved between £10k and £15k in officer hours lost through travelling.

29 March the Centre hosted a number of Member Procurement Champions from across the SW in Exeter to provide an update on the work of the Centre including the tie-in with the efficiency agenda and the National Procurement Strategy milestones.

If you require any more news about the work of the Centre please contact Claire Morecroft (details below).

• Centre Administrator
  Name: Claire Morecroft
  Email: c.morecroft@dorsetcc.gov.uk
  Tel: 01305 757230
  Full details for Claire Morecroft