Contracts worth more than £10 million have been clinched by local firms since Surrey County Council launched an online initiative last year.

Deals totalling £10.3 million have been secured through the website www.buildsurrey.net created just over a year ago.

The website was launched as part of the county council’s pledge to ensure 60% of its spending is with local businesses. The county council said the figure is the equivalent of almost £750,000 every month since February 2013.

The council said local spending on goods and services has surged beyond 52%. Three years ago, the council spent just over a third of its money locally.

The launch of BuildSurrey helped the county council earn a Government award for being among the top ten authorities in the country to do business with. More than 750 firms are now registered on the site.

Surrey County Council’s deputy leader Peter Martin, said: “BuildSurrey is all about helping our local businesses and economy thrive.

“Awarding £10 million worth of contracts shows the site is doing that, as we push on to our goal of ensuring 60% of our spending is with local firms, and I’m sure it will continue to go from strength to strength.”