Issue - meetings

a)    Approve the Social Value Policy at Appendix A;

b)    Delegate to the Head of Legal & Democratic Services the authority to amend Contract Procedure Rules to reflect the new policy;

c)    Endorse the Social Value Maturity Index results and the suggested action plan items for improvement at Appendix C; and

d)   Approve that Cllr Williamson be the lead Member for Social Value and that the Head of Strategic Finance & Property be the lead officer with responsibility for reporting, managing and delivering Social Value across procurement and commissioning.

The Executive Member for Financial Sustainability presented the Social Value report. He said that this was a new policy for the council and aimed to add social value to the procurement and contract service alongside quality and price. A scoring framework has been included based on the national social value framework of themes, outcomes and measures.

Councillor Haysey said the council was going into a consortium with Stevenage Borough Council and she asked how many other district/borough councils would be involved.

The Head of Strategic Finance and Property said that East Herts would be entering into an agreement with Hertsmere and Stevenage Borough Councils but Stevenage have offered and negotiated out to all 10 District/Borough Councils and the County Council.

Councillor Williamson proposed, and Councillor Kaye seconded a motion supporting the recommendations in the report. On being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the Social Value Policy be approved;

(B) the authority to amend Contract Procedure Rules to reflect the new policy be delegated to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services;

(C)         the Social Value Maturity Index results and the suggested action plan items for improvement at Appendix C be endorsed; and

(D)        Councillor Williamson be the lead Member for Social Value and that the Head of Strategic Finance & Property be the lead officer with responsibility for reporting, managing and delivering Social Value across procurement and commissioning.

The Executive Member for Financial Sustainability submitted a report that presented the Council’s Draft Social Value Policy, which detailed a set of local Themes, Outcomes and Measures (“TOMs”) that would assist in leveraging investment in the Council’s SEED priorities through procurement and, on a voluntary basis, until the District Plan was revised for major development planning applications.

The Executive Member for Financial Sustainability said that this was a new policy which aimed to bring in an element or dimension of social value when scoring new bidders or suppliers of contracts to the Council. He said that this policy had been developed as a result of the Public Services Social Value Act 2012 and the Council’s need to consider how the procurement process might improve Economic, Social and Environmental Wellbeing of East Herts.

The Executive Member for Financial Sustainability said that securing the improvements for East Herts was in alignment the Council’s corporate priorities. He explained that the Council would achieve the improvements by aligning with the national social value measurement framework, more commonly known as (“TOMs”). He referred Members to the detail of what was to be included in the policy in Appendix A. He said that Appendix B covered specific matters that already existed within the framework. Members were also referred to Appendix C and the Social Value Maturity Index.

Councillor Goldspink welcomed the new policy and said that the proposals were a very good approach.

Councillor Curtis proposed and Councillor Hollebon seconded, a motion that the four recommendations detailed in the report be supported by Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the Social Value Policy at Appendix A, be endorsed;

(B)   the delegation of authority to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to amend Contract Procedure Rules to reflect the new policy, be endorsed;

(C)        the Social Value Maturity Index results and the suggested action plan items for improvement at Appendix C, be endorsed; and that

(D)       Councillor Williamson be endorsed as the Lead Member for Social Value and the Head of Strategic Finance and Property be the Lead Officer with responsibility for reporting, managing and delivering Social Value across procurement and commissioning.