I was surprised by the article about the proposed ten-year contract to fit new kitchens and bathrooms to the 12,000 council homes in Brighton and Hove (The Argus, November 21).

Particularly the idea that the contract could stipulate that firms must manufacture the kitchen and bathroom units in Brighton, thereby boosting the economy.

In effect, the council seems to want to swim against the tide as it were, given Britain's ever-shrinking manufacturing sector. Of critical importance is the fact that the council cannot do this, due to rules on local government purchases of goods and services. Britain is a signatory to numerous treaties based on the principle of free trade in goods and services. By specifying local production, potential bidders that could not fulfil the local manufacturing requirement would be unfairly discriminated against in the eyes of the law.

What is really surprising is that the council seems to be unaware of the decline of British manufacturing and the rules on free trade despite numerous communiques issued by the EU and local government.

Or, perhaps they are aware of these facts and the promise of local jobs is an attempt to attach good news to bad. The bad news being that one large contractor is likely to receive a lucrative contract spanning at least ten years to bring council properties up to the decent homes standard.

  • James Stephenson, Marine Parade, Brighton