Council trumpets buy local and spends in London!

Rochdale Council is, again, making a mockery of its commitment to “buy local, spend local”.

In a list titled ‘RMBC & Partners response to the recession summary’, Council Leader, Councillor Alan Taylor included what he called “achievements to date”, amongst the so called ‘achievements’ was ‘Think Local, Buy Local which detailed an event held on 15 July purporting to improve access to the council for local companies.

However, in the same council meeting Councillor Taylor handed out his achievement list, his colleague Councillor Pauline Maguire, the Council portfolio holder for older people, revealed that the council web team are “in negotiation with a company called Tangent/One for work on graphics for the older people’s section of the council website – Tangent/One is a LONDON based company (see below for a list of local graphic design companies - please note that though RO Web Solutions is in the list, RO does not undertake public sector work).

This follows in the past month the Lib Dem council being found to be supporting markets in neighbouring town’s by advertising Todmorden and Hebden Bridge markets on council employee payslips, council ‘partners’ have also been guilty of similar, Link4Life, the council’s leisure ‘partner’ is advertising Bury and Calederdale markets in its ‘Preview’ magazine and Rochdale Town Centre Management has had a brochure intended to persuade people to support town centre businesses designed in Halifax.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/business/G/368/graphic-design