Moray Council exceeded savings targets and delivered community benefits in 2024/25
Moray Council has published its Annual Procurement Report for 2024/25, highlighting strong performance in delivering savings, supporting local businesses, and creating community benefits despite challenging economic conditions.
The Council achieved £1.389 million in recurring savings, more than its £1 million target, and delivered an additional £1.224 million in one-off savings.
The report also highlights 89% of contracts included non-cash benefits such as training opportunities, apprenticeships, and fair work practices - above the 85% target.134 contracts supported the Real Living Wage and Fair Work First principles with 52.23% of total spend (£82.5 million) going to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Slightly below the 55% target but still a significant contribution to local economic growth.
Over £1.2 million was spent with organisations that help integrate disadvantaged or disabled people into work.
Sustainability remains a challenge, with only 4.08% of contracts including a sustainability target against a 20% goal. Unplanned procurement activity was high at 55%, compared to the 25% target. A new category management model introduced in January 2025 aims to address this.
The Council managed £139.5 million in procurement spend during the year, with 759 contracts listed on its register.
Cllr Marc Macrae, Chair of the Corporate Committee, 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.”
Plans for 2025/26 include a stronger focus on sustainability, supplier development, and reducing unplanned procurement through improved planning and collaboration. The full report for 2024/25 can be found here.