Under the plan, the corporate commissioning unit will handle the council's entire print, reprographics and design budget.

"The first thing is to give stronger strategic management in terms of how we buy print, reprographics and design," said project manager Jim Ashe.

It follows a two-year best value review by the council, the third largest in the country, to identify where savings could be made. According to the authority, its EU tender is worth over 7.8m per year.

The print contracts will come into place in April by which time the council hopes to have the corporate commissioning unit in place to manage the work.

Products covered include newspapers, newsletters, booklets, stationery, exhibition graphics, forms, design and logistics and fulfilment. The contracts are expected to be awarded to to multiple printers rather than a single supplier.

The council has considered using a print management firm and looked at other councils taking this approach, but is to handle the process in-house. "We will be buying our own print," said Ashe.

Story by Barney Cox