Lancashire County Council puts supplier partnerships at the heart of new commercial approach

The Council spends around £1 billion each year with more than 1,000 suppliers through over 500 contracts. Those organisations help deliver everything from highways and public health to children’s and adult services, meaning the way the Council works with them has a direct impact on the services residents receive.

The Council believes becoming not only a strong commissioner, but a better client, is key to delivering better outcomes. That means engaging with suppliers and partners earlier, being clearer about future opportunities and creating opportunities for organisations to help shape services before procurement begins.

It also means making it easier for organisations of all sizes, including SMEs, voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations and larger providers to engage with the Council, bringing fresh ideas, innovation and local expertise into the way services are designed and delivered.

That new approach was demonstrated at Lancashire County Council’s first Supplier & Partner Forum, which brought together more than 160 people from across the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Attendees included existing suppliers, potential new providers, SMEs, VCSE organisations, larger providers and strategic partners, alongside representatives from Adult Services, Children’s Services, Public Health, Highways and Property, Economic Development, Business Growth and other council service areas.

Rather than a traditional supplier briefing, the forum was designed to encourage conversation. Alongside presentations on the Council’s priorities, local government reorganisation, future commissioning activity and procurement pipelines, attendees met directly with commissioners, procurement colleagues and service leads to discuss future opportunities, exchange ideas and begin conversations that will continue beyond the event.

The forum also marked the launch of the Lancashire Supplier & Partner Charter, developed with suppliers and partners. Rather than creating another document, the Charter sets out how Lancashire County Council and its suppliers will work together in future, with shared expectations around earlier engagement, open communication, transparency and long-term partnership working.

County Councillor David Dwyer, cabinet member for Resources, Property and Efficiency said:

“Every day, organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors help us deliver services that Lancashire residents rely on. If we want those services to keep improving, we have to build stronger relationships with the people and organisations delivering them.

“We’ve heard clearly that suppliers and partners want earlier conversations, better communication and the opportunity to contribute before decisions are made. We agree, and we’re changing the way we work in response.

“This isn’t about asking suppliers and partners to do things differently on their own. Lancashire County Council is changing too. The Charter sets out our commitment, but people will judge us by what we do next. Bringing more than 160 people together for honest conversations showed there’s a real appetite to work differently, and we’re determined to build on that.”

Jonathan Edwards, director of Environment and Regulatory Services, said:

“The way we work with suppliers and partners has a direct impact on the quality of the services we provide and the value we deliver for Lancashire residents. Every commercial decision ultimately affects people, communities and the organisations that support them.

“That’s why we’ve strengthened our commercial approach and created a dedicated Commercial Service. Becoming a better client means engaging earlier, listening more carefully and working with suppliers and partners to shape better solutions before procurement begins.

“We want organisations of every size to feel they can engage with Lancashire County Council, share their expertise and help us think differently about the challenges we face. Better relationships lead to better decisions, better services and better outcomes for residents.

“The Supplier & Partner Charter gives us a shared framework, but it won’t deliver change on its own. That depends on the conversations we have, the trust we build and the way we work together every day. The forum showed what’s possible, but it’s only the beginning.”

The Supplier & Partner Forum is the first step in a wider programme of engagement with suppliers and partners.

Lancashire County Council will continue creating opportunities for organisations to engage early, contribute their expertise and help shape future services. By becoming a better client and building stronger partnerships, the Council aims to make sure every pound it spends delivers the greatest possible value for Lancashire residents.