COUNCIL MUST HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES MORE - BURT

11.26.42am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 15th May 2006

Lorely Burt MP writes to the Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Lorely Burt, Liberal Democrat MP for Solihull and Small Business Spokesperson, has called upon Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council to take action to promote local businesses in tendering for contracts in Solihull.

In a letter to the Head of Corporate Procurement Services at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Lorely has raised concerns about difficulties which small businesses have tendering for council contracts.

She is calling on the Council to organise an open-day or series of seminars and publish a leaflet for small businesses in order to provide guidance to small businesses on applying for council contracts and improve the links between Solihull MBC and small businesses in Solihull.

Commenting, Lorely said,

"Solihull MBC needs to do more to assist small businesses in tendering for council contracts and ensure fairness and open competition when tendering contracts and recognise that many different organisations and groups can provide quality goods and services, including small businesses.

"Other Councils have organised open-days with great success; I think it is high time Solihull Council got on board and encouraged local businesses to successfully tender for contracts."

ENDS