About

Central Buying Consortium (CBC) was formed in 1991 and is a non-profit making federation of 24 local authorities based broadly across the southern half of England. Members collective procurement spend is currently in excess of £5,000m with the authorities involved representing over 24% of the population of England.

CBC originated as a collection of local authorities who collaborated around the purchase of goods for stores operations. However with the recognition of procurement’s value and its increasing involvement in all aspects of local authority spend, CBC’s activities have developed to reflect this wider trend.

Objectives

• Collaboration: As a group develop competitive purchasing arrangements for selected services and products that are required by the member local authorities and their associated public sector organisations, which enable them to make financial savings and efficiency improvements.
• Benchmarking: To undertake benchmarking and comparative exercises to enable authorities to learn from others and achieve the optimum solution.
• Learning: To help develop the skills and knowledge of individuals in member authorities.
• Networking: CBC is a network by which member authorities can actively exchange ideas, learn about, and explore opportunities for innovation, improvements, deliver savings, and changes which affect local government procurement, be these legal, supply market, government policy or social and environmental issues.
• Influence: To actively influence and promote relevant procurement ideas and innovations within the wider government circle, to improve outcomes.
• Internal consultancy: Members offer practical support to other member authorities where one authority has skills and knowledge which can benefit another authority which has a specific need or requirement in a particular project.
• Shared Service: Provide a shared service where there is a cost effective solution for one member to provide a particular service to others.