Agenda item

The next report presented by the Leader was the first report of the outcomes delivered from using the Newport Social Value measurement tool, or, Themes, Outcomes and Measures (known as the Newport TOMs), adopted by Cabinet in March 2023.

The Leader was pleased to bring this report to Cabinet Colleagues and thanked the team for delivering the paper that reflected what could be positively gained from public sector investment through procurement.

The TOMs are a mechanism for reporting on Social Value delivery through the Council’s procurement of goods, works and services.

The report highlighted the achievements made for the first six-month reporting period between May to October 2023.

The Newport TOMs were developed from the overarching Welsh TOMs framework, which wasdesigned around the seven wellbeing goals of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

The methodology was developed in conjunction with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) National Procurement Network and the National Social Value Task Force Wales, which was a cross-sector working group combining both public and private sector organisations. Many of the measures within the framework were representative of the monetary value assigned to them and that measure brought in an added social value. These were used consistently across Wales.

For this first reporting period, being May to October 2023, a total of £991,984 pounds worth of social value was delivered through tenders undertaken during this time.

A large proportion of this total was made up of employees that live within the boundary of Newport City Council who had been hired or retained to work on the contracts. This added social value for local employees representing some £890,000 of the total achieved.

All the contracts measured demonstrated that staff engaged were paid at least the real Living Wage Foundation rate, as opposed to the basic National Minimum Wage.

Cabinet noted the content of the report, and the achievements made during this first reporting period, which demonstrated the added social value that contracts brought to the wider community and showed commitment to the wellbeing of future generations.

Comments of Cabinet Members:

§  Councillor Davies was pleased with the £1M social value delivered in six months which was outstanding. Whilst this was a measure that the Council was using, Councillor Davies reflected on the fact that all officers were working hard to put value in what they and public sector partners did, working hard for the community.

§  Councillor Hughes added that the report was about common values and confirmed that strong financial decisions could be made whilst still prioritising the Council’s commitments to cultural, social, and economic values. Councillor Hughes was therefore pleased to note the successes.

§  Councillor Forsey reflected on the excellent work and outcomes outlined in the report which benefited the local area and people. The report showed an increase of 28% from the previous six-month period and exceeded the Council’s target.

§  Councillor Harvey noted that the report covered all services including grassroots sports, foodbanks, and supporting and promoting charities. Councillor Harvey congratulated the Leader and staff on the results in the report.

§  The Leader once again thanked the team of officers for taking this forward and showing the Council’s commitment to the wellbeing of future generations.

Decision:

That Cabinet:

Noted the social value outcomes to date in Appendix A, where TOMs were included in the tender/contract.