Moray Council has published its Annual Procurement Report for 2024/25, revealing a strong performance in achieving savings, supporting local businesses, and delivering community benefits despite a challenging economic backdrop.
The report shows the Council achieved £1.389 million in recurring savings, surpassing its £1 million target.
An additional £1.224 million was also secured in one-off savings, demonstrating effective financial management across the organisation.
Eighty-nine percent of contracts included non-cash community benefits such as training opportunities, apprenticeships, and fair work commitments, exceeding the Council’s 85% target.
A total of 134 contracts supported the Real Living Wage and Fair Work First principles, underlining Moray Council’s continued commitment to fair employment practices.
More than half of all procurement spend 52.23%, equating to £82.5 million went to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
While this was slightly below the 55% target, it still represents a major contribution to local economic growth and sustainability.
Over £1.2 million was also spent with organisations that support disadvantaged or disabled people into employment, reflecting the Council’s focus on inclusive procurement and social value.
However, the report highlights that sustainability remains an area for improvement.
Only 4.08% of contracts included sustainability targets, well below the 20% goal.
Unplanned procurement activity was also high at 55%, compared with the 25% target, though the introduction of a new category management model in January 2025 is expected to address this in the coming year.
In total, the Council managed £139.5 million in procurement spend during 2024/25, with 759 contracts listed on its register.
Cllr Marc Macrae, Chair of the Corporate Committee, praised the work of council teams and the outcomes achieved despite wider economic pressures.
He said:
“Despite the pressures of rising costs and market uncertainty, we delivered significant savings and supported local businesses.
“I commend the council staff teams working to achieve these ambitious targets and helping us to consistently improve our results.
“Our focus on community benefits and fair work practices shows that procurement is about more than buying goods and services, it’s about creating real value for Moray.”
Looking ahead, Moray Council plans to strengthen its focus on sustainability, supplier development, and forward planning to reduce unplanned procurement activity in 2025/26.
The full Annual Procurement Report 2024/25 can be viewed HERE
