My wife used to be Manager of a council- run Family Centre, and she had a budget of over a million pounds, from which all expenses came - building rental, salaries of the social workers, and all overheads.
Early in her job ,she was told that all her stationery was to be purchased from the council-approved stationers. She soon discovered that the cost of some items,things like paper for the computers etc, was double the price that she could get it from Staples or Office World. When she took this up with her bosses she was told that it was council policy to stick with their regular suppliers.
My wife refused to accept this - she said that she was responsible for her budget, and if she went over it at year-end she could be in trouble. Why should she knowingly spend more on things than necessary.
She dug in her heels, and the council's Chief Executive reluctantly agreed that she could order any requirements from the cheapest source.
Unbelievable really - easy come, easy go. 'It's not our money', it comes from a bottomless pit provided by those nice council-tax payers!