Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO)

ESPO is a member of the Pro5 Group of Professional Buying Organisations. The Pro5 Group have a combined purchasing power in excess of £2 billion and are set to offer local authorities outstanding deals in key markets following a historic agreement to work together.

Under these arrangements, the Pro5 Group will identify and promote the best deals for local authorities, including those offered by other professional buying organisations.

The Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation is a local authority purchasing and distribution consortium formed in early 1981 by the County Councils of Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. ESPO was established to provide a comprehensive procurement service to the member authorities' spending departments and other approved customers.

Cambridgeshire County Council joined later in 1981; Norfolk took up full membership in the spring of 1985; Warwickshire joined in September 1991; and Leicester City Council joined in April 1997, followed by Peterborough City Council in April 1998.

In our 25th year in February 2006 we moved from our Glenfield site near Leicestershire County Hall to the purpose-built warehouse and offices at our current address.

For further information, please visit www.espo.org