anchor insititutions

Power in procurement: anchor networks could be the engine of the Procurement Act

The new National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) marks a decisive shift in the government’s approach to public spending. It sets out a clear ambition to increase public sector procurement through small businesses and social enterprises and to foster greater collaboration between contracting authorities in order to secure broader social and economic value.

With the Procurement Act (2023) now in operation, the London Anchor Institutions’ Network (LAIN) and CLES convened a workshop to explore how an anchor network approach could help bring these ambitions to life and, in doing so, strengthen local economies. LAIN, convened by the Mayor of London in 2021, is committed to driving inclusive economic growth through anchor institutions buying more of their goods and services from smaller and diverse-led local businesses. The Network was keen to share practice with other anchor networks around the country and explore ways for anchor institutions to capitalise on the opportunities afforded by the Act.

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Anchor networks – the delivery engine of Total Place 2.0?

It’s time to break free from the siloed, centralised straitjacket of public spending. That’s the bold message from the Institute for Government’s latest report, which urges a radical rethink of how money flows through public services.

Instead of ringfenced budgets and top-down controls, the report – The Case for Total Place 2.0 – calls for a return to joined-up local decision-making, where councils, the NHS and other local bodies collaborate to meet the real needs of their communities.
“a rare win-win that today’s system urgently needs”
The OG Total Place – an ambitious initiative first launched by Gordon Brown’s Labour government in 2009 – empowered local agencies in 13 pilot areas to pool resources, tackle complex problems together, and deliver smarter, more human solutions. The results? Better outcomes for residents and long-term savings – a rare win-win that today’s system urgently needs to rediscover.

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