About Social Value

Social Value is the positive impact that businesses and organisations can have on the local community. This can include supporting the environment, creating jobs, and improving the lives of residents.

The Council is committed to including Social Value in its contracts. This means that when we buy goods and services, we will consider how the provider can benefit the local community. 

Social Value can be split into three areas

Social

This includes volunteering in the community, hosting community events in local businesses, and flexible working for staff.

Economic

This includes activities such a work placement, creating apprenticeships and jobs in the borough, employing local people, using local suppliers, and providing resources and advice for young people.

Environmental 

This means we will reduce our energy, water, and carbon usage. We will support improvements and maintaining of our public spaces and parks along with using sustainable products and materials.

Social Value can be either a mandatory part of the contract specification or an additional initiative proposed and implemented by the supplier. The Council appreciates both approaches.

Why considering social value is important 

Social Value is not just a nice thing to do; it's a critical part of our corporate mission and a way to optimise our use of public funds. As financial constraints increase and demand for services expands, it's more important than ever to think creatively about how we spend our money. 

We must constantly ask ourselves:

• What matters most to our local communities?
• How can we deliver services in ways that positively impact the community and the environment?
• How can we support local businesses?
• How can we collaborate more effectively to engage hard-to-reach individuals?
• How can we address current local challenges through community partnerships?

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 mandates that public bodies in England consider the inclusion of Social Value when procuring goods, services, and works subject to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. This legislation doesn't alter the procurement process itself. Instead, it emphasises the public sector's responsibility to assess the broader impact (social, economic, and environmental) of its procurement decisions.

What the Council is doing

Take a look at what we are doing to drive Social Value from Council contracts.

Take a look further into our framework and guidance on social value: