Social Value and Inclusive Growth

Social Value and Inclusive Growth Policy

The Council's Social Value and Inclusive Growth Rationale and Policy Document was approved by the Executive on 5 December 2017, and will be applied to all procurements for contracts larger than £25,000 from 3 April 2018.

• Social Value and Inclusive Growth Policy (PDF, 1 Mb)

The Policy sets out our approach for doing more than sourcing the Council’s supplies at a price that it is competitive and good value for money, it set sets our ambition for meaningful Social Value from our suppliers.

Our Social Value focus is to foster an inclusive growth ethos in the district in which every resident has the opportunity to contribute to and share in economic growth. We want to make sure that every penny we spend supports our wider economic goals and that everyone in Bradford feels the benefits of success.

The policy is designed to be flexible in its application so that it is reasonable, scalable and proportionate to the contract opportunities we apply it to. It includes a set of 31 Social Value, Inclusive Growth orientated measures that Commissioners and Procurers can pick from when preparing tenders.

We have ambition to increase our spend with our local suppliers. Over the next five years our plans are to:

• Increase our current level of local spend from 47% to 60%, which in today’s terms would put an additional £45m into the local economy.
• Think about how local suppliers also spend locally - £21m would be re-spent in the Bradford economy.
• An ambition for an additional net effect of £66m.

Social value in Council procurement projects

Social value is central to how the Council is going to achieve more for its public pound by requiring additional benefits from its suppliers and contractors. The key to delivering social value lies in the Council’s ability to encourage suppliers to deliver added social benefits at no additional cost while fulfilling their main contract.