January 8, 2013

South Burnett Regional Council will officially “Think Local First” following major changes to their procurement policy adopted at the last Council meeting for 2012.

“The amendments to Council’s procurement policy means local businesses will have even more opportunity to be Council’s preferred supplier of goods,” Mayor Wayne Kratzmann said.

“We have made two major changes that will mean Council doing more business in the South Burnett.”

Council has made it a policy that where there are business located in the South Burnett that can provide the goods or services required then staff are encouraged to obtain quotations from those businesses in the first instance.

“It is our policy to obtain three quotes for any product over $1000 and if there are three local businesses that supply it then we will get quotes from locals,” Cr Kratzmann said.

“We have also increased our pricing variance from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, so that if a local businesses is within 10 per cent of a quote we have obtained from a business outside the region we will choose the local business as our first priority.

“Considering the tough economic times and cuts in our funding, the decision to make these changes demonstrates how much we want to help kick start our local economy.”

Finance spokesman Cr Keith Campbell said the intent of the policy was to encourage purchases in the South Burnett and develop the local economy.

“The new policy is designed to give local businesses a better opportunity to be able to supply Council’s goods and services,” he said.

“It signals that the South Burnett Regional Council wants to do more business with businesses within the region.”

Mayor Kratzmann said it was a “mission” of his to increase the amount of spending done locally by both Council and residents within the region.

“I am very proud of the sticker on my car that states ‘I shopped in the South Burnett and loved it’,” he said.

“I invite residents of the region to join with Council and buy local, after all it’s up to all of us to support the region.”