Partner Article

New director for austerity age at NEPO

THE organisation responsible for local government purchasing across the North East has appointed its first Director.

Ian Taylor, former President of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply and one of the government’s most senior commercial directors, has been appointed director of NEPO, the North Eastern Purchasing Organisation.

His task will be to oversee the delivery of a new business plan which will reduce costs and improve value-for-money for more than 20 local authorities, police forces and fire and rescue services in the region.

NEPO is a purchasing and contracting consortium made up of 12 of the region’s local authorities and 10 other members, including police forces, probation services and fire and rescue services. It has an annual spend more than £1.5bn.

It was established in 1976 as a means of pooling contracts and purchasing expertise between the original five Tyne and Wear local authority members.

Mr Taylor said: “This is an exciting opportunity for me to lead the development of NEPO’s new role.

“I want procurement across the North East to achieve great things for the region and I look forward to working with my new colleagues and customers to deliver this.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .