Hawkesbury Council Procurement Policy was tabled at the meeting along with the local Business Register and the list of businesses that have successfully tendered for work worth more than $150,000. The documents are available on the BLOR BC website as well as Hawkesbury City Council website.

The following was discussed:

·       The Local Business Register is not linked to the Council’s Procurement Policy. An email from Hawkesbury Council Chief Financial Officer Vanessa Browning to BLOR BC dated 11/3/2024 states:

“In relation to governance documents in relation to the Local Business Register, the Procurements of Goods & Services OMS references promoting and supporting local suppliers. Council does not have governance documents on managing the local business register itself. The current practices is for Council’s Procurement Section to discuss with Project Managers if a good or service can be purchased locally and refer them to the Local Business Register prior to quotations being sought.”

·     Of the list of businesses used by Hawkesbury Council to procure goods and services 120 out of 126 are located outside the Hawkesbury Local Government Area.

Network participants expressed shock and dismay at Council’s treatment of local businesses. The following comments express the sentiments of participants.

“This is a disgrace and shows Council’s lack of integrity in dealing with local businesses.”

“Is this happening because none of the senior Administration live in the Hawkesbury and so they don’t feel confident in using local businesses, preferring to use businesses from the city where they live?” – Lionel Buckett

BLOR BC gave a commitment to follow up and lobby Councillors to direct Council Administration to develop a policy and procedure for businesses on the Register to be considered first and always for every tender and that the Administration report quarterly at an ordinary meeting of Council the number of tenders issued and how many were awarded to local businesses.

REFERENCES: Council Contract Register https://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/your-council/policies-and-registers/registers

Local Business Register https://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/_resources/forms/local-business-register