SMALL businesses are calling for more opportunities to bid for council contracts.

They want more chances to supply local authorities with goods and services.

Now all seven Dorset Branches of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) are working together to lobby Dorset councils.

Over the next three months every council in Dorset will be asked where they stand on the subject of procurement when branch members submit questions to full council meetings.

The FSB also wants Dorset councils to ensure that small businesses are considered when preparing policies on procurement and for those who have not already done so, to sign up to a Small Business-Friendly Concordat.

The campaign is a result of research that highlighted varying opportunity and equally varying policies throughout the county.

Weymouth and Portland branch chairman and Wessex region vice-chairman Valerie Stevens said: "Following on from responses to a questionnaire that we sent to the councils on public sector procurement we now wish to ask formally where they stand.

"Some of the councils offer good opportunities for small businesses, whilst others appear to fall short of the mark.

"We would like to see more opportunities, easier access to tenders, more e-procurement and, above all, an equal chance for our members to supply goods and services."

Dorset regional organiser Colin Jamieson said: "These questions are based on responses from local authorities over a five-year period where we have been monitoring policies across a number of subjects.

"Each council will receive the questions in advance based on our annual survey, so that responses can be prepared.

"Questions include whether or not the authority uses the government's supply2gov procurement website and also its pre-qualification questionnaire, both of which assist small and medium enterprises to access tenders and offer services and also whether the council has signed up to the Concordat.

"The responses will highlight just how small business-friendly each of the Dorset authorities are and will allow us to lobby where it is most needed."