Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee notes the progress made to date in delivering social value in Flintshire and endorsed the proposed next steps; and

(b)       That the draft Social Value Procurement Policy be endorsed.

The Chief Officer (Social Services) introduced the report and advised that the Council adopted its Social Value Strategy earlier this year to set out how greater community benefit could be achieved from existing Council services and expenditure.  The report provided an update on the work undertaken since this date, on the emerging approaches to delivering social value being adopted, and on future areas of work.  Members were also asked to consider a draft Social Value Procurement Policy which created an enabling framework to strengthen the approach to generating social value through the Council’s procured expenditure. 

The Enterprise and Regeneration Manager presented the report.  He provided background information and reported on the main considerations, as detailed in the report, and referred to the areas of social value delivery in the next 12 months, delivering social value through procurement, progress to date, and future activity. 

Councillor Andy Dunbobbin asked for clarification of the term ‘local’ used in the report.  He also asked how the Social Value Policy linked into the Sell2Wales Welsh Government (WG) Procurement initiative.  Councillor Dunbobbin queried whether the software package, required to enable effective management of social value across the Council, had been purchased from a local provider. 

In response to the comments and queries raised by Councillor Dunbobbin, the  Enterprise and Regeneration Manager advised that there were three tiers which were predominantly Flintshire, sub-regional, and Mersey-Dee Alliance.  Referring to the Sell2Wales WG Procurement initiative he confirmed that it could accommodate the social value policy requirements.  On the matter of supply of software the Enterprise and Regeneration Manager explained that it had been put to open procurement but could not be sourced locally.  Responding to a further question raised by Councillor Dunbobbin around sub-contracting the Enterprise and Regeneration Manager said that sub-contracting presented an opportunity for local contractors to become involved in larger projects.

It was agreed that a further report be provided to the Committee in relation to the data captured via the new social value ICT system.

Councillor Tudor Jones referred to the opportunities to deliver significant social value, as detailed in section 1.05 of the report, and expressed reservations around the opportunity for future investment by Aura.

Councillor Paul Johnson welcomed the report and commented on the Preston model where social value was at the core of the Council’s economic strategy.  He asked how the Social Value Procurement Policy could be turned into community wealth building.  The Chief Officer (Housing and Assets) acknowledged the points raised and agreed some similarity with the Preston model had been considered during the development of the Strategy.  Councillor Johnson commented on the need to raise the profile of the Social Value Policy.  The Chief Officer concurred that there was a need to raise the profile of Social Value within Flintshire and commented that on a visit to Preston they had a clearly defined brand and the message was consistent across all service areas.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Tudor Jones and seconded by Councillor Paul Johnson.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38