Local Government need PO number

I have been carrying out works for a London borough for various depts.
The accounts system was changed a little while back where all suppliers where told to get a PO number before carrying out any works.
In April i was approached to carry out works for a large event for a particular dept, costs where confirmed and i asked them to put in for the PO straight away, (im aware they normally take 5 days to get a PO number)
however due to the time involved the event concerned would not of gone ahead with out my services. so it was agreed that i would carry out the works and the PO should arrive just after the event.
It is now 5 weeks and i still have no PO,i have spoken to the dept a few times and initially i was told there was a query to which i sorted out.
what should my next step be.
i have just paid all my suppliers for this event but am now out of pocket due to them not carrying out there responsibilities.

In this instance our suggestion is to go back to your original point of contact at the council. Specifically the individual in the department that approached you to provide your services.

Raise the problem with your original contact and also with the accounts department and if possible engineer a situation where you get both departments to speak to each other directly.

Try calling both and then confirming the conversations by email having carbon copied (CC) in both of your contacts. Hopefully they will take the hint and start working together to sort out the PO problem.

Just be prepared for a lot of to-ing and fro-ing before it gets paid!

i just got off the phone to the accounts dept..
what a joke they only received the PO request on the 17th may but the person who processes them was away for 2 weeks and just got back.
she said shell make it a priority and also change my payment terms to immediate rather than 30 days so hopefully it should be sorted real soon.

well i still have not received a PO number as of yet. tomorrow will be 7 weeks since i carried out the works.
not sure how to proceed with this as i don't want to lose the client but im aware that the problem is with the person who signs off the payment order within the department.

Hi Erwin,

As we said before it's now a case of getting someone to actually pull their finger out and get the PO issued.

Start with whoever placed the original order as they are responsible for this situation. If they are unable or unwilling to go the extra mile to help next stop is accounts.

Alternatively if you know any members of the council try raising it with them as instructions from on high tend to get things moving pretty quickly!