The East Midlands Property Alliance (empa) has been formed by Local Authorities in the East Midlands to improve the delivery of property services to their communities. empa is tasked with providing best practice and efficiency savings to the local authorities for construction and related services. As at October 2009 twenty-eight East Midlands local authorities are members of empa.

Revenues of over £1.8 million have been claimed back by seven Nottinghamshire district authorities who have worked together effectively to tackle false single person discounts council tax claims. This EMIEP funded project saw the councils hire a private  company to cross check their records against the electoral register, public records and County Court Judgements and bankruptcies.

The economic downturn is impacting employment, communities and businesses up and down the country. Local authorities are addressing their responsibility to respond to the challenges the recession brings in different ways.

Welland Procurement Unit has been established as a shared service, serving initially five small councils, with active support and funding from, amongst others, the East Midlands Centre of Excellence (the forerunner of the Improvement and Efficiency Partnership).