Brisbane City Council will actively seek out local small businesses to contract for the council's procurement spend, lord mayor Adrian Schrinner has pledged, but opposition councillors have criticised his promise as "hollow".

At Tuesday's meeting, Cr Schrinner made the promise to invest 80 per cent of the council's procurement spend in Brisbane and south-east Queensland businesses to support the region's industry.

Brisbane's lord mayor Adrian Schrinner has pledged new small business contracts. Credit:Brisbane City Council

Cr Schrinner said the council would also weight quotes from Brisbane businesses with an additional 30 per cent in their favour when considering tenders.

"Going forward I'd like to see the vast majority of our business going to south-east Queensland businesses," Cr Schrinner said.