More than 70% of the county council’s current procurement contracts have been awarded to Nottinghamshire suppliers, helping to boost the local economy by millions of pounds.

The news comes as 19 new contracts worth an estimated £113 million have been started in quarter three of the 2024/25 financial year – with the council’s procurement team working on a further 113 projects.

Up to 74% of county council contracts are awarded to suppliers based in Nottinghamshire and 56% to small or medium-sized business (SMEs) in the county.

The council currently has contracts with 604 suppliers based in Nottinghamshire worth more than £3.6bn.

Councillor Andre Camilleri, Deputy Cabinet Member for Finance and Resource, said choosing local companies when procuring services is not just about convenience – but about investing in Nottinghamshire.

He said: “By keeping money local, we support jobs, strengthen the economy, and build lasting partnerships.

“Local businesses offer faster response times, personalised service, and greater accountability. They also help reduce our carbon footprint by cutting down on transport.

“When we support local suppliers, we’re not just buying a service – we’re building a stronger, more sustainable future for our community. By working with local businesses and organisations, we are helping to make a real difference where it matters most.

“Additionally, reducing the reliance on distant suppliers helps cut transport costs and lowers our carbon footprint.

“As a council, we have a responsibility to invest in our communities – not just through the services we provide, but in how we procure them.

“Therefore, by having partnerships and working with local businesses, we build resilience, create opportunities, and ensure that taxpayer money benefits the very people we represent.”

One firm which has benefitted from having a three-year contract with the county council via its partner Arc Partnership is Nottinghamshire Fire Safety Ltd in Mansfield.

The company, which is based on the Millennium Business Park, offers fire safety training to services delivered by the county council and its partners – including Inspire, which manages its cultural services, and highways partner Via East Midlands.

It also instals fire extinguishers in buildings such as new schools, including the new care homes, libraries and children’s centres.

Managing director, Phil Kennell, a former retained firefighter who works alongside his wife Lynn and four engineers, said: “We have worked with Arc Partnership for a number of years and previously with Nottinghamshire County Council since the start of our business model in the 80s.

“I feel that this has strengthened since the formation of Arc Partnership through Nottinghamshire County Council.

“The contract sees us visiting sites throughout the county of Nottinghamshire to deliver our services of fire extinguisher supply and annual services, we also provide fire safety training to county council employees.

“Having the Arc contract in place enables us to deliver our services locally and by our staff that are all Nottinghamshire residents, thus keeping our travel down to a minimum.

“Our working relationship with Arc is made stronger by having regular contract meetings with them and working together on a number of projects to meet deadlines so that they can open buildings on time to meet the demands of the community.

“We have just installed fire extinguishers and evacuation equipment at the new Yeoman Park School in Mansfield.

“We have further projects lined up with them to install at other new schools in the area and look forward to working with Arc and the county council going forward.”