The Economy Scrutiny Committee of Manchester City Council is scheduled to consider the economic impacts of social value initiatives and review the council's work and skills strategy. The meeting will also include an overview of key decisions and the committee's work programme.

Economic Impacts of Social Value

A report is scheduled to be presented outlining Manchester City Council's approach to social value. This will include a summary of the overall economic impact of the council's social value programme, highlighting its influence in the areas of regeneration, procurement, and partnerships. The report will also detail how the council intends to continuously improve its social value approach.

The council's social value policy, developed with cross-sector partners, focuses on five priorities: Inclusive Growth, Good Employment, Reducing Inequalities, Strengthening the Voluntary Sector, and Creating a Green and Zero Carbon City. The report is expected to detail how these priorities translate into economic benefits for residents and businesses. For instance, the policy encourages suppliers to offer subcontracting opportunities to Manchester-based businesses, SMEs, and third sector providers to retain wealth locally and stimulate business growth. Furthermore, the council mandates that all suppliers pay at least the Real Living Wage¹ and meet good employment standards, aiming to create a more productive workforce, increase tax contributions, and boost household income.

The report is also expected to highlight the council's leading role in social value, noting that Manchester was the first local authority to assign a 20% weighting to social value in its tenders. Case studies are included to illustrate how social value is applied to different council contracts, such as the Public Health contract with Change Grow Live and the ICT contract with Phoenix. These case studies demonstrate how suppliers are encouraged to create local employment and training opportunities, support local charities, and contribute to community projects.

The report will also touch upon the economic impact of regeneration, with a focus on place-based social value frameworks designed to coordinate and maximise the impact of regeneration activity in specific areas. Examples include the North Manchester Social Benefits Framework and the Our Town Hall project, which have reported significant job creation, local spend retention, and the provision of work experience placements. The report will also cover the social value generated by the MCC Highways Team and the North West Construction Hub.

Overview Report

The Committee is scheduled to receive an overview report from the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit. This report will provide details of key decisions that fall within the Committee's remit, an update on actions resulting from the Committee's previous recommendations, and the Committee's work programme. The work programme outlines the topics scheduled for discussion in future meetings, including the budget and transport for December, economic growth in January, and tourism and economic development in February.

The report will also include a Recommendations Monitor, detailing recommendations made by the Committee in previous meetings and the council's responses. This includes a recommendation from the 6 October 2026 meeting to request a report on how the council supports self-employed and freelance workers, which is to be added to the work programme. Another recommendation from the same meeting, to focus the refreshed Work and Skills Strategy on supporting a green jobs and skills pipeline for young people, has been forwarded for a response.

The report also contains an extract from the Register of Key Decisions, which lists significant executive decisions due to be taken by the council. These include decisions related to the funding strategy for the Northern Growth Strategy and rail infrastructure, and the award of a contract for a new worklessness programme.