Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the development of a Social Value policy for the Council, as part of the Inclusive Growth Strategy.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is recommended to:

                                    i.   note the work in relation to social value that is currently being undertaken;

                                  ii.   note the date for the forthcoming Members’ Social Value Working Group engagement workshop (section 3.6); and

                                 iii.   ensure that a representative is nominated from each political party to the task and finish Social Value Working Group for Members.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Members agreed a Notice of Motion proposed by Councillor Beattie in January 2019 on the development of a social value strategy to further social, environmental and economic goals of Belfast City Council and subsequently in January 2020 to establish a task and finish Social Value Working Group.

3.2       Since Members received the last update in January 2019, work has been progressing, led by a cross departmental officer working group to develop a social value policy and supporting framework. Whilst seeking to achieve a best value outcome for the ratepayer, from our procurement activities, the policy also aims to maximise the impact of council’s expenditure to get the best possible social outcome thereby making a positive difference to the people and communities in Belfast.

3.3       There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to deliver and achieve social value. Research shows that even in cities and regions where social value considerations in procurement have been applied for some time, providers and commissioners continue to learn about how best to achieve and evidence it. The emerging approach that officers have been developing includes a Toolkit to determine appropriate and proportionate social value criteria within a contract. The toolkit also provides a consistent approach to enable the measurement, monitoring and reporting of social value commitments within Council contracts and to, in as far as possible, deliver social value at scale. It is being designed to align with the five long-term outcomes or ‘conditions of wellbeing’ and associated commitments within the Belfast Agenda that people identified that they wanted by 2035. 

3.4       The scope of the policy also reflects council’s wide ranging role and recognises that social value can be delivered not solely through its procurement power. Other aspects to the policy, which will also contribute towards social value objectives include:

·         Transparency & pre-market engagement - We will publish and regularly update our procurement pipeline to help suppliers prepare for future tendering opportunities;

·         Supplier Guidance & Training – We will develop detailed guidance for potential bidders to Council contracts so that they are better able to accommodate social value commitments and to identify ways in which they can increase the economic, social and environmental value of their work;

·         Reserved contracts – We will use reserved contracts, where appropriate, to support social enterprises and co-operatives;

·         Economic development function – We provide support to local businesses, particularly social enterprises whose primary objective is to achieve social and/or environmental benefit; and

·         Physical development and built environment – We will consider social value at the design stage for future capital projects, seeking for example to maximise opportunities for energy efficiency and use of natural resources.

3.5       A draft Social Value Framework is being developed, which sets out the social value initiatives, linked to the Belfast Agenda outcomes, which may be applied to each tender. This will include a number of ‘social value points’ assigned for each social value initiative or measure. It is now timely that the Social Value Procurement Member Working Group is established to consider this policy.  We are now seeking representation from all 8 political parties, before the draft Social Value Policy is brought to Committee. A workshop for the Working Group will be scheduled this month.  It is hoped that the draft policy will be subject to public consultation in the new year.

 3.6      Following Council approval, it is proposed to undertake a public consultation, targeting key stakeholders. It is also proposed that as the policy establishes meaningful criteria sitting at the heart of contractual relations which will have measurable/ reportable outcomes, monitoring reports will be brought to Committee on an annual basis.

3.7       Members will also be aware that the development of the Social Value Policy and the accompanying Framework is one strand of work designed to make a contribution to our Inclusive Growth ambitions. Work is also being progressed in relation to the Belfast Inclusive Growth City Charter and while the project is still within the engagement phase, it is intended that ‘social value procurement’ will be one of the three pillars to the charter.  As such, the timing enables the council to demonstrate its leadership as an exemplar of progressive procurement.

            Financial and Resource Implications

3.8       There are no direct financial implication arising from this report.

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

3.9       There are no direct equality implications contained in this report.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.