Purpose

To present the
Corporate Social Value Framework for approval and the plan for
implementing the framework for noting.

Content

The Cabinet
considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services, which
sought approval of the Corporate Social Value Framework. The report
also informed of the plan to implement the framework.
 
The Head of
Corporate Policy, Performance and Improvement was in attendance to
present the information and to address questions and comments of
the Cabinet Members.
 
The Officer
informed that the Framework had been developed as a supplementary
document to the Corporate Commissioning Strategy and set out the
Council’s definition of social value, its six social value
priorities, and the approach to embedding social, economic and
environmental benefits within procurement activity.
 
The Framework
aimed to strengthen consistency, improve understanding across
services, and maximise the wider community benefits that could be
achieved through commissioned goods, works and services. It aligned
with the Social Value Act 2012, the Procurement Act 2023 and
provided a structured methodology for evaluating, monitoring and
enhancing social value commitments.
 
The report also
outlined plans for implementation, including recruitment of a
temporary Social Value Officer, development of a brokerage process
to match community social value requests with supplier offers, and
support from Social Value Delivery Champions across priority areas.
The Framework was expected to contribute positively to inclusive
economic growth, local employment, environmental sustainability and
support for the (Voluntary, Community, Faith, Social Enterprise
(VCFSE) sector.
 
Resolved:

1.    
That the Corporate Social Value Framework as seat out in
Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

2.    
That the plan for the implementation of the Social Valeu
Framework be noted.
 
Reason for
decision:
The Corporate
Social Value Framework had been developed as a supplementary
document to the Corporate Commissioning Strategy, focused on this
aspect of the procurement process.
 
The framework set
out the council’s definition of social value. This included
an explanation of the different types of social value, the social
value priorities for Rochdale Council, the council’s approach
to social value. This meant how it would be included in tenders and
how it would be evaluated. The council’s ambition to improve
how social value would be monitored and measured.
How the council
would work to provide more information to suppliers about the exact
types of social value needed in the communities.
 
The Corporate
Social Value Framework would support the council to maximise the
benefits that social value could deliver. It would help to increase
the understanding and knowledge of this part of the procurement
process and provide more consistency in how social value was being
applied across the organisation.
 
Alternatives
considered and rejected:
That the Corporate
Social Value Framework was not endorsed, and the council continued
to operate in the current manner regarding obtaining and
implementing social value.
 
Should the
framework and plan for implementation not be approved, the council
would not benefit from the improvements that were outlined in this
report – namely that there would be better understanding,
application and delivery of social value.