Haringey Council is coming under criticism after failing to sign the Small Business Friendly Concordat Good Practice Guide. The strategy, set up by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, is designed to support small businesses and the local community by encouraging diversity in council procurement. The ODPM’s strategy “sets out a specific milestone for all local authorities to have adopted the Concordat by the end of 2005.”

The idea behind the scheme is that councils across the country should actively pursue working relationships with local businesses and employers in order to ensure that smaller businesses are not squeezed out of contracts. The voluntary scheme has been signed by some 51 district and city councils across the country, but Haringey has yet to sign up.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Jonathan Bloch, who is also a businessman, comments:

“It is a real shame that Haringey Council has not seen fit to support our cherished local businesses. They are the lifeblood of our community and the Council should make sure that smaller businesses do not get barged out of contract negotiations. I urge the Council to sign up to the concordat as soon as possible.”