Land at the rear of 15/17 Grosmont Road, Kirkby

About the buyer

Knowsley Council runs as a Merseyside local authority, and buys through STAR Procurement, a shared service with St Helens, Trafford, Tameside, Stockport and Rochdale councils. Suppliers register free on the Chest, the shared e-tendering portal for tender opportunities. Higher-value contracts also appear on Contracts Finder, with the largest posted to Find a Tender. Dynamic Purchasing Systems give suppliers an open route in, rather than a fixed approved list. Quotations cover smaller requirements, while formal tenders are run for larger projects. A dedicated business growth team runs Meet the Buyer events to connect local firms with opportunities.

UK local government drives £140bn in annual procurement, led by social protection (£66.6bn) and education (£57.1bn).

Over the past 5 years, most of Knowsley Council's contract awards have been in construction work, health and social work and architectural and engineering services.