PAINTERS and decorators in and around Stroud are being invited to team up to win a contract worth £1 million per year.

As part of a drive to use local labour, Stroud District Council has come up with an innovative scheme to give even the smallest businesses a slice of its larger contracts.

It is asking tradesmen in the Stroud district to form a partnership and bid for all its painting and decorating work over the next two years, starting in spring/summer 2006.

At present, some of the council's smaller contracts are won by companies based in and around Stroud, while larger contracts usually go to big contractors from outside the area.

Other councils with large, long-term contracts have included minimum targets for local labour. However, this still excludes smaller local businesses.

Coun John Jeffreys CORRECT, cabinet member for housing, said similar schemes are likely to follow with other types of work if the initiative proves successful.

"This is the first small step down the road," he said.

"We don't have anybody in this district who is in a position to tender for work on that scale, but together they may be able to.

"We have to be careful about a conflict of interests because it has to be done competitively, but we are looking to promote local businesses."

A meeting for painters and decorators takes place at 9.30am on Tuesday, January 31 at Ebley Mill.

Contact Stephen Chalmers on 01453 754070 (email stephen.chalmers@stroud.gov.uk) for details.