The increasing devolution of funding has the potential to bring decision-making closer to communities, which could lead to more opportunities for local organisations to deliver employment and support services. This perspective comes from a bid manager in the third sector who applies for publicly procured contracts.
However, the current commissioning landscape is described as increasingly complicated and inconsistent. Different local and combined authorities are reported to take varied approaches, with some having strong procurement practices while others have fragmented, less transparent processes.
A stated benefit of devolution is the ability to engage more local suppliers, including smaller voluntary and community organisations. Yet, these smaller groups are often the least equipped to navigate multiple procurement portals and differing requirements, unlike larger national organisations.
Concerns have been raised that transferring substantial public money must be accompanied by investment in local commissioning expertise, procurement capacity, and meaningful scrutiny. This is particularly relevant as England is undergoing a reorganisation of local government, with 185 councils being reshaped across 21 areas into new unitary authorities, alongside six new mayoral authorities.