Commitment made to develop Calderdale's business marketplace and support voluntary sector

Starting in April this year, Calderdale Council, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, North Yorkshire County Council and Barnsley Council have made a commitment to helping smaller organisations to be able to enter or grow in the public sector.

Each of the four authorities have recognised the need to provide more support and guidance for these organisations.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, Councillor Jane Scullion, said: “We are looking forward to working alongside other authorities in the region, to help our smaller businesses and voluntary organisations improve their access to public sector buying.

"By supporting this programme, we want to show our understanding and commitment to the role our smaller businesses and organisations play in the local economy, especially in the light of the impact of COVID-19.”

Collectively the Council's are spending in excess of £1.4bn per year on public services and currently buy from a large pool of suppliers.

Whilst a proportion of these are small and medium sized organisations across both the business and voluntary sectors, the ambition is to increase this number.

Small to Medium Enterprises and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises support thriving local communities.

Go4Growth is a programme designed specifically to help smaller organisations in any sector to enter or grow in the public sector marketplace.

The programme is funded by us so businesses can join the programme and take the support, guidance, tools and resources on offer, with no cost to them.

Gillian Askew FCIPS, Co-Founder of Go4Growth, said: “We are delighted to be working with these Authorities in Yorkshire to help support organisations to be able to find and secure work in the public sector marketplace. This is really important work which has only increased in priority and urgency in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic.”

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