Buy Local Spend Local - reality or window dressing?

Rochdale Economic Partnership (REP) says it is committed to working in partnership with local businesses. In 2006 the REP developed an event ‘Buy Local Spend Local’ which aimed to help local businesses trade with the Council and other public sector organisations in the borough. The event attracted 200 delegates and 30 exhibitors.

The next ‘Buy Local Spend Local' event is on Tuesday 26 February 2008 11.30am  - 3.00pm at Rochdale Town Hall.

The Buy Local Spend Local event will feature:

• An opportunity to book and attend one to one meetings with key decision makers.
• An exhibition featuring local businesses.
• Advice amp; guidance on how to tender for public sector contracts.
• Business networking opportunities

The intent, say the REP, is to help local businesses to learn about new business opportunities, increase their sales, win new contracts and network with other businesses, however, many local businesses are cynical having attended a number of these intitatives over many years and once the event is over, and has been hailed a great success, nothing much changes and still they say council officers who actually do the buying do not take buying local seriously.

One businessman who did not want to be named said: "They do this every year, usually under different names, but it is still impossible to get any business with the council. It is simply about them ticking the right boxes to be able to say they have made an effort but nothing ever changes. We have given up trying to get any business now, it is not worth the time and effort to tender. There is always a 'special reason' why they have to go out of town!"

Another businessman agreed saying: "This sentiment is certainly prevalent in the local business community and the council needs to measure success or failure not by the numbers attending but the actual outcomes and if it has really made any progress in helping local businesses, to date that does not appear to be the case.

"The fact that Rochdale Council has given the business of organising the ROCHDALE Buy Local Spend Local event to a company from BURY, says it all!"