Haringey Council’s work with local traders recently received recognition when we won the Best Small Business Friendly Procurement to Support Local Trade accolade at the fifth London Councils Small Business Friendly Borough Awards.
The borough has a dynamic small business economy* (*93% of businesses employ 10 people or less) and, in recent years, the council has invested in initiatives that help existing firms to grow, assist start-up businesses and create new jobs.
As part of those concerted efforts, our Strategic Procurement Department has implemented several projects specifically focused on enabling businesses greater access to public sector contracts and other trade opportunities.
One of the flagship projects – our Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) – is an innovative, electronic procurement tool that proactively supports Haringey businesses. In 2018/19, the DPS helped Haringey-based businesses secure contracts worth more than £100m overall.
Cllr Charles Adje, Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategic Regeneration, said:
We are committed to supporting Haringey businesses to achieve their full potential. We, along with our partners, will continue to work with businesses to deliver effective measures that impact positively on local businesses. We’ll also continue to adopt business-friendly council policies, which create a conducive environment for businesses to locate, start up and grow.
The council has recently intensified its support for Haringey businesses by working with our key business support organisations, as well as funding programmes aimed at providing small businesses with the range of quality advice and support.
These services, among others, include:
- Business loan schemes
- Help to win public sector contracts through the Haringey Dynamic Purchasing System
- Provision of affordable business premises
- Business rate relief support
- Support for industrial estates and town centres
Croydon, Greenwich, Hackney and Lewisham were the four other local authorities in the capital to win at the awards, which are run by London Councils and the London branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
Waltham Forest Cllr Clare Coghill, London Councils’ Executive Member for Business, Europe and Good Growth, said:
We are proud to recognise the councils that support small businesses, and in doing so, London itself. The London Councils Small Business Friendly Borough Awards highlight the importance of building good relationships between boroughs and small businesses. Doing so unlocks potential, encourages innovations, and benefits everyone involved.
Michael Lassman, the London Regional Chair at FSB, said:
We are delighted to celebrate the efforts of the London boroughs at these seminal awards. These awards compliment the partnership work we are looking to undertake with boroughs – and we are keen to see boroughs sharing best practice in the key areas of procurement, reducing business crime and supporting local trade in the coming months and years ahead.
