Monmouthshire County Council is now part of a new procurement service focusing on socially responsible business purchasing.

Launched by Cardiff Council, as part of Ardal – a collaborative procurement partnership with Monmouthshire County Council, Torfaen Council, and the Vale of Glamorgan Council – the service will also see increased collaboration and greater community impact.

Ardal Councils will work to harness skills, knowledge and expertise with other partners.

This will showcase what can be achieved through collaborative, agile procurement.

Monmouthshire County Council Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr Rachel Garrick, said: “There are plenty of exciting opportunities on the horizon thanks to Ardal.

“As a council, we will be able to use these opportunities to help meet our objectives – Giving people the best possible start in life, becoming a thriving and connected county, maximising the potential of the natural and built environment, lifelong well-being and being a future-focused council.

“I look forward to seeing how Ardal benefits the county of Monmouthshire.”

The new collaboration has been formed to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving procurement landscape and to provide solutions in line with Welsh Government legislation, including the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023.

The Ardal procurement service will continue to manage the well-established South East Wales regional collaborative frameworks, SEWSCAP (buildings construction framework), which completed a landmark £1bn worth of projects with the opening of Bridgend College’s STEAM Academy, SEWH (highways framework) and SEWTAPS (technical and professional services framework. For more information, visit ardal-procurement.gov.wales