Economies of scale
Councils are exploring economies of scale through joint services and streamlined procurement to reduce costs.
Merton Council's Cabinet approved a new procurement approach in September 2026 for its corporate and schools cleaning contracts, aiming to achieve economies of scale. The council will re-tender both contracts, expiring in March 2027 and July 2027 respectively, through a single process using the ESPO Total Cleaning Solutions Framework, allowing suppliers to bid for one or both lots.
This approach seeks to streamline services, acknowledging differences between corporate and school sites. Earlier, in February 2026, Islington Council approved the renewal of its joint cemetery and cremation service agreement with Camden Council for another decade, maintaining a shared service partnership in place for over 20 years.
Key facts
- Merton Council's Cabinet approved a new procurement approach for cleaning contracts in September 2026. Source
- Merton's corporate cleaning contract is set to expire on March 31, 2027. Source
- Merton's schools cleaning contract is set to expire on July 31, 2027. Source
- Islington Council approved the renewal of its joint cemetery service agreement in February 2026. Source
- The Islington & Camden Cemetery Service partnership has been in place for over 20 years. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on, with background from Wikipedia. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.