Local food supplier encouraged to work with Shropshire council

22nd January 2010, 9:00am

Shropshire's school pupils will be eating more local food than ever before after the council pledged to work more closely with the county's food suppliers.

Food from local producers amounting to more than £500,000 are used in school meals each year, but councillors are keen to give county businesses the best possible opportunity to work with the council.

There are legal requirements and strict processes to follow when Shropshire Council awards contracts for supplies, but councillors want to make sure local businesses are fully aware of the opportunities available.

Councillor Cecilia Motley, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "Buying local is high on everyone's agenda nowadays, and we want to make sure the council does the same. School meals are already very popular because of the good fresh produce used in the food. We want more local suppliers to get in touch with us to ensure we get the freshest and highest quality food we can."

Councillor Keith Barrow, leader of Shropshire Council, added: "We're determined to do everything we can as a council to support the local economy. We do of course have to be careful to abide by the appropriate rules and regulations when it comes to procurement, but we want to make sure local businesses are fully aware of the opportunities available to them."

Promotion and training events have already been held to encourage more local suppliers to tender for food contracts, and more work is underway to make the tendering process more straightforward for businesses.

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