14 November 2006

The Welsh assembly government has claimed that it has made large cost savings due to e-sourcing, e-procurement and an e-auction.

When purchasing computer consumables, the government has adopted the new Internet techniques, resulting in savings of 72 per cent - amounting to £6 million if all organisations stay within the framework.

This equates to 180 extra teachers or nurses in the country, asserts Sue Essex, minister for finance, local government and public services.

"When we produced our Making the Connections policy this is exactly the sort of result we were talking about - real money that can be re-invested in better public services," she remarked.

Additionally, the new Internet purchasing has allowed the government to use more sustainable practices such as purchasing recycled equipment, it notes.

Cheltenham Borough Council recently announced that it had slashed the cost of service maintenance by holding a 'reverse auction' online, with the contract awarded to the lowest bidder.

© Adfero Ltd

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