Ararat Rural City Council has adopted a new Procurement Strategy 2026-2031 that sets out a sensible, practical framework for how Council will buy goods, services, and works over the next five years, ensuring every dollar is spent carefully and transparently for the benefit of the community.
The Strategy was endorsed at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 30 June 2026 and aligns procurement activity with the Community Vision 2035 and Council Plan 2025-2029.
The Procurement Strategy is built around three key themes: social and economic prosperity, environmental leadership and circularity, and governance, innovation, and value. Together, these themes ensure Council's purchasing decisions support local businesses, protect the environment, and deliver strong value for money over the whole life of projects and assets.
A strong focus of the Strategy is a "local first" approach, which prioritises using local suppliers and disaggregating larger projects into smaller work packages wherever possible so that regional businesses can fairly compete. To track progress, Council will measure annual increases in spending with local businesses, with a target to grow local supplier participation by at least 10 per cent each year.
The Strategy also reinforces Council's commitment to ethical and transparent supply chains, including actions to reduce the risk of modern slavery and exploitative labour practices.
Environmental leadership is another cornerstone of the new Strategy, with clear objectives to transition Council's light vehicle fleet and small plant and equipment to electric options, assess clean energy alternatives for heavy machinery, and power all Council facilities from clean energy sources such as rooftop solar and biomass. Council will also mandate feasibility assessments for using recycled and recovered materials in infrastructure projects and prioritise community furniture, play equipment, and bins that are made in part or entirely from recycled materials.
To make sure procurement delivers genuine value for money, the Strategy embeds whole‑of‑life cost assessments into major purchasing decisions, looking beyond upfront price to long‑term maintenance, operating, and disposal costs. It also commits Council to modernising procurement systems through digital workflows, stronger contract management, and regular internal audits, including an annual "Procurement Impact Report" and bi‑annual contract auditing for high‑value contracts.
Mayor Cr Bob Sanders said the Strategy was a common‑sense roadmap for how Council will manage public money over the next five years. "Our community expects us to be careful with every ratepayer dollar, and this Strategy gives us a clear, practical way to do that," Mayor Sanders said. "We're backing local businesses, tightening up our contract oversight, and looking at the whole lifespan of what we buy so we're not saving a bit now only to pay more later. It is about being budget‑conscious, keeping things straightforward, and making sure our decisions stack up when people ask the simple question: 'Is this good value for Ararat Rural City?'"
Mayor Sanders said the focus on local suppliers and ethical, sustainable practices was particularly important for a regional community. "Procurement is where Council needs to' walk the talk', and it's part of how we support local jobs, protect our environment, and maintain trust in the way Council operates," he said.
Council will now begin phased implementation of the Procurement Strategy 2026-2031, supported by training for staff with financial delegations, improved procurement guidance and templates, and clearer roles and responsibilities for contract managers, budget owners, and project staff. Progress will be monitored and reported through internal governance processes and public reporting on procurement outcomes, with measures refined as Council's data maturity improves and operating conditions change.
Community members can view the Procurement Strategy 2026-2031 on Council's website at www.ararat.vic.gov.au.
