A group of food procurement specialists from a range of cross sector public sector organisations within the East Midlands including some from the Department for Education, Defra, the Ministry of Defence, GOEM, various NHS trusts together with local authorities came together on Tuesday 8 May in a meeting facilitated by OGC and the EM IEP to explore the possibilities for collaboration within the public sector.

Following some scene setting by the OGC the group considered some of the barriers to collaboration and then received a presentation on ensuring a level playing field for SME's. This was followed up by a presentation on the "Public Sector Food Procurement East Midlands" initiative (see web site www.psfpem.org) lead by Nottinghamshire County Council, and a presentation by Defra on the issues around sustainability.

There was general agreement that the time was opportune for a major initiative on cross sector collaboration on food procurement within the East Midlands, but recognised that it was important that more key organisations should be involved, in particular the SHA and NHS trusts and that a lead was required by OGC, the EM IEP and GOEM.

It was agreed that there should be a further meeting which OGC and the EM IEP will arrange.