Councillors have agreed a plan which aims to make sure most of Swale’s money stays within the borough and encourages jobs for residents.

The “local first” policy was agreed by cabinet members earlier this month to show their commitment to bringing business into the community.

Swale council spends £6 million a year on contracts, services and goods, and the aim is for as much of this as possible to go to small firms and local groups.

It is about encouraging organisations with ideas about improving service delivery to work with the council to help build a “big society”, and aims to support local companies, town and parish councils and the voluntary sector.

The document outlines ways the council will work to ensure that, where possible, contracts for services which are put out to tender will go to companies from the borough.It was an ethos the council was already adhering to, but the policy is to formalise it.

The council’s cabinet member for localism, Cllr Mike Whiting, has welcomed the plan, which he described as “a move towards local jobs for local people”.

It seeks to ensure more residents are employed by those operating and delivering services, and that training and volunteering opportunities are considered when the council makes decisions.

Cllr Whiting said: “This policy seeks to ensure those who offer sustainable jobs to local people, and provide good training and volunteering opportunities have preference when the council awards contracts or buys goods and services.

Price should not be a single deciding factor, and that has to be a good thing. What a business or voluntary group can add in local and social value must be taken into account.

“It’s very important the council supports small business and voluntary groups by helping them through the complicated bidding process, and ensuring they are alerted when new opportunities to bid for work arise.

“I was very pleased the new policy received support from all political parties during its passage through various committees, and I very much welcome the support noted in the report from the voluntary sector.”