Local firms have been winning work worth almost £1 million a day as part of a Surrey County Council pledge to back business.

Annual figures have revealed that 4,300 local companies secured £363 million worth of contracts from the council – the equivalent of almost £1 million a day.

The county council stated the news means that local spending on goods and services has surged to 52%, as the council pushes towards its target of 60%.

Three years ago, the council spent just over a third of its money locally.

The annual figures have come after a raft of measures were introduced to make it easier for firms to do business with the county council.

These have included an online initiative called BuildSurrey to help companies clinch building contracts, and a scheme incentivising businesses to take on hundreds of apprentices.

Surrey County Council leader David Hodge said: “Local businesses are the bedrock of every community and if they thrive, we all thrive.”

Coun Hodge said: “Our job is to help them do what they do best – create jobs, promote growth and ensure their communities prosper. “That is why we’ve pledged to ensure 60% of our spending is with local firms.

“And there can be no better way for the council to contribute directly to Surrey’s economy than by putting £360 million into their bank accounts in one year alone.”