Merton Council was named as a finalist for its efforts in good value purchasing at the Society of Procurement Officers National Awards ceremony held on 7 November 2007.

Merton went up against a number of other local authorities and bodies and was listed in the top three for the award that celebrates outstanding achievement in procurement.

The Awards, first introduced in 2002, recognise the variety of approaches to procurement made by local authorities. This is the only national award that is specific to local government procurement .The criteria for judging the entries included whether there were cost savings made and whether innovative approaches were used to increase awareness of procurement and the direct and indirect benefits of a successful procurement team.

This is the second procurement award nomination being celebrated recently by Merton Council. Earlier this month it was also named as a finalist at the Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code Awards which not only look at money saving techniques, but also the contribution made towards a greener environment through successful purchasing methods.

Councillor David Williams, Leader of Merton Council, comments:

“The London Borough of Merton is very proud to have been recognised as a finalist by the Society of Procurement Officers. Offering good value for money to residents is a fundamental element of being a successful council.”

‘To guarantee efficient, cost effective and high quality services for our residents, we have a duty to ensure that we get a good deal in our purchasing. We are delighted to have been included in the top three for this award as it demonstrates that Merton is working hard to make efficiency savings and ensure the best result for council taxpayers.”