Wyndham councillor Walter Villagonzalo has outlined a “bold” plan to boost jobs and economic growth in the area.
Last Tuesday, the Chaffey ward representative called on the council to consider including “social procurement” when spending ratepayer money by using companies that supported Wyndham businesses and created jobs.
He said social procurement was “effective and practical”.
“We want more local jobs – that is the bottom line,” Cr Villagonzalo said. “Let us buy Wyndham, let us hire Wyndham.”
Social procurement involves organisations choosing to purchase a social outcome when they buy a good or a service.
All Wyndham’s councillors voted in favour of investigating the council’s social procurement capacity before July, when the council is due to begin a four-year update of its procurement program.
Cr Josh Gilligan commended the proposal as a “bold step”, while mayor Henry Barlow labelled it “a very worthwhile motion”.
Cr Tony Hooper said that last year, a Brotherhood of St Laurence report showed the west, including Wyndham, had a 17.3 per cent youth unemployment rate – something social procurement could possibly help to address.
But he said while he supported a community discussion about social procurement, he was not sure if residents would endorse the idea if it proved too costly.
LeadWest chief executive Craig Rowley said if the council implemented a social procurement plan, it could help boost both the economy and community in Wyndham and the west.
“This is an effective way for local government to use its purchasing power to address local issues,” Mr Rowley said.
“I congratulate them [the council] on looking that way and hopefully it will encourage other councils in the region to consider social procurement in their … policies too.”
