WHILE businesses have been facing ever increasing costs and global economic uncertainty, the Comprehensive Spending Review announced on October 20 raised several issues and concerns regarding the changing landscape that the public sector will now operate within.

The NECC has been at the forefront of ensuring that its members across the North-East have been able to tap into expert advice and guidance regarding cost savings and increasing opportunities to generate more business.

NECC’s committee structures allow businesses in each of the sub regions to actively engage with activities and discussions that promote the needs of local areas, business growth and ensure that business can influence business development opportunities.

Several of the local committees have now heard how local authorities and other public sector bodies will need to dramatically reduce operating costs while ensuring that they maintain services.

Working more closely with the private sector to understand how efficiency savings can be made will be a major part of many of the ongoing discussions as cuts in budget allocations are made.

So now, more than ever, procurement of goods and services will be paramount in working towards meeting some of the challenges in the reduction of public sector budget gaps.

As part of its Buy North-East campaign, the NECC has worked with Tees Valley procurement officers to look at current systems and to work towards streamlining the amount of paperwork firms have to fill in to win work, while also helping business to understand what is expected of them by the commissioning body.

The campaign has also been able to highlight to members opportunities available within the public sector.

The Buy North-East campaign has also promoted the benefits of working with the private sector and the direct benefits that local tendering brings to the local economy.

The work of Buy North-East has never been so vital to the understanding of public sector requirements and the continuation of private sector engagement.

■ Joanne Fryett is NECC head of member relations