A bid has been launched to get Cornwall Council to spend more locally and use providers which are environmentally friendly and socially responsible.

Labour councillor Jayne Kirkham is set to table a motion at next week's full council meeting urging the council to spend more of its budget with local firms.

And, at the same time, she is aiming to encourage the council to give those firms which share the council's environmental and social aims more priority.

The Falmouth councillor has been backed by Conservative councillor Philip Desmonde and said that there was clear cross party support for the idea.

In her motion, which will be tabled at Tuesday's (July 7th) meeting, states:

"This council resolves to use its spending to improve our local communities, economy and environment."

The motion states that due to the impact that COVID-19 has had on the economy "it is critical that we use the money we have to drive economic recovery in Cornwall on a scale that we have never seen before".

Documents going to the council meeting state that 47.4% of the money spent on contracts for Cornwall Council goes to businesses registered outside of Cornwall.

In addition 33% goes to large businesses outside Cornwall – those with more than 250 employees.

Cllr Kirkham said that the council should be looking to encourage and support more small and medium sized businesses in Cornwall to be able to win contracts.

Speaking about her motion she said: "It is an unusual case where Labour and Conservative interests have aligned. Cllr Desmonde is looking at it from a Cornish business angle while I am thinking about it in a much wider way.

"It is not a new idea, councils in Manchester and Preston have already done this and have boosted the local economy and helped local companies and organisations.

"On the social policy value we should be looking to use suppliers that look after employees, provide apprenticeships and also have a local supply chain themselves.

"For the environment side we should be looking to use more local suppliers to cut down on the distance that needs to be travelled to provide those services – we should not be getting things from the north when they can be supplied more locally. It doesn't make sense.

"I want these things to be the thread that runs through everything that we do."

Cllr Kirkham is also hoping to encourage the council to simplify its procedures to make it easier for local companies to bid for contracts saying that at present it can be complicated.

She also said that where the council was looking for services which could not be provided in Cornwall then it should be working with companies which could train staff to acquire the skills needed to provide those services.

"As a council that is something that we could commission, we can bring people down here and get local people trained and set up so that we end up having similar suppliers in the local area.

"All this will help to build up Cornwall, create jobs and a decent wage for people."

Cllr Kirkham said that she thought people would be surprised by how much Cornwall Council spends outside the Duchy.

She added: "If you keep that money in Cornwall you keep the profit in Cornwall which would, in turn, be spent in Cornwall, with Cornish businesses.

"If it flows out then that profit goes out of Cornwall and will never come back."

The motion is not expected to be debated at full council but will be sent for consideration by the Cabinet which will then make a recommendation to full council.