City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council Social Value Policy 2025

Social value presents an opportunity for all people and organisations in Bradford District to achieve more towards our shared district vision. When we make decisions about spending money, or when we design and deliver services, we can each do this in a way that maximises positive social, economic and environmental impact for our community. This policy sets out for commissioners, procurers and the Council’s supply chain what the Council is seeking to achieve and how we maximise this opportunity.

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What is Social Value?

The term 'social value' is increasingly used to describe the total positive impact of an organisation or a project. Social value:

• Is not just 'social' value; it means creating social, economic and environmental benefit – for people, for the local economy and for the physical environment.
• Involves a measurable change for the better.
• Is achieved by sharing resources and working together.
• Redefines "value for money" from cost-saving to value adding.
• It usually means going beyond the core purpose of a service or an organisation's core mission.

Since 2012, when The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 was introduced, there has been an increased responsibility on public bodies and private companies to make a commitment to bettering the social, economic, and environmental wellbeing of the areas in which they operate. It requires us to reflect on our core services and products, and to consider how we might design and deliver these in a way that generates even greater value for our communities. It strongly aligns and supports the requirements in procurement legislation which is being enhanced further in February 2025 when the new Procurement Act takes effect.

Importantly, public services make up a very significant amount of all contract spending in Bradford, so the impact contractors can make through leveraging their knowledge, experience and resources can be extensive. When private companies engage in social value, they enhance their brand reputation and drive customer longevity. It allows companies to differentiate themselves, attract top talent, and identify new market opportunities. When promoting social value, Government and Councils can improve public services, promote social inclusion and address societal challenges. It helps build trust with citizens and demonstrates accountability.

There are many ways of delivering social value and for businesses to embed themselves within communities for their mutual benefit which include:

• Working with their supply chains – contractors considering social value through who their work with and the expectations they set.
• Developing strong relationships with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.
• Investing in training, apprenticeships and other employment programmes.
• Delivering environmental impact (biodiversity opportunities, reducing transport miles, approaches to use of materials and waste).

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The Policy’s purpose and intentions

This policy sets out how we will work together as an organisation to deliver social value for Bradford District. Including how all staff, partners and suppliers can play their part. This policy exists to ensure that all Bradford Council’s activity is designed to generate additional positive contributions which directly meet the needs of our communities.

In respect of our activity, this policy applies to all contracts, frameworks and single purchases by Bradford Council's Procurement and Contract Management teams with third-party suppliers. In future, there may be decisions outside of commissioning, procurement and planning, such as leases, grants and joint ventures when this policy could also apply, and where significant social value could be unlocked.

Beyond our organisation, we are also committed to working with partner organisations, including: Incommunities, Bradford Children and Families Trust, national health partners, Fire and Police, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, businesses and voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations to increase the amount of social value delivered collectively by the district through jointly agreed approaches.

The detail and process for applying this policy is set out in supporting guidance materials for commissioners, procurers and suppliers and will be reviewed on a regular basis in line with legislation and best practice. This guidance will be kept up to date to reflect our changing political and financial landscape, and to continue to build alignments with our key partners both locally and regionally.

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The Policy’s specific aims

The aim of this policy, and the accompanying guidance, is to set out how Bradford Council will deliver maximum social, economic and environmental value, not only through its commissioning, procurement and contract management activities but also through enabling wider collaboration and resource sharing between people and organisations across the district.

We will know we are successful when:

• There is measurable evidence of the social, economic and environmental value created through Bradford Council third party contracts.
• "Sharing resources to achieve shared outcomes" becomes normal practice across the district within and between each sector – residents, the voluntary, community and faith sector, the business community and the public sector.

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Our guiding principles

In delivering on this policy, our guiding principles are:

• Easy to understand, relevant and meaningful: Social value should clearly contribute to the current social value priority areas and will therefore be of direct benefit to residents. For suppliers this also means being proportionate to the size and type of the contract.
• Measurable: Positive changes in communities should always be measurable, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, and where relevant social value can also be presented in financial terms.
• Flexible and collaborative: We should demonstrate and promote a strength-based approach to community engagement and responsiveness to communities' changing priorities.
• Sustainable: Social value should be focused on long term outcomes and on building enduring, productive relationships.

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Measuring our impact

The management and delivery of social value will be supported by the adoption of a set of measures that will underpin and empower the objectives of this policy. This will allow us to monitor, measure and report social value during project cycles, whilst ensuring we meet our local needs.

The measures we utilise will be rigorously supported by credible, open-source evidence and research so that we have legitimate information on which to base our evaluation, measurement and monitoring of social value. The measures will be aligned to our local priorities as identified in our Council Plan and District Strategy, as a means of achieving maximum impact for our place.

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Policy criteria

To maximise the effectiveness of the social value policy, the following criteria will be applied to the delivery of social value across our commissioning and procurement processes.

Mandatory social value

• Social value will be mandatory in all contracts over £100,000.
• For those under £100,000 social value will be recommended but optional
• All contracts over £100,000 are required to include at least one ‘Employment and Skills’ (apprenticeships, work placements and work experience) related measure. Should this not prove viable for a particular contract, approval from Council leadership will be required for it to be disregarded.

Social value measures

• From the Bradford District choice of measures, commissioners and procurers will provide bidders with a shortlist for the suppliers to respond to in their tenders. These should be chosen as those most relevant to the nature of the contract.

Social value weightings

• Social value will make up a minimum 10% of the overall contract evaluation weighting, as part of the quality score.
• This weighting of 10% may be reduced in certain circumstances with the approval of Council leadership.
• Where appropriate to the contract a higher weighting could be applied.
• Social value commitments will be assessed from both a quantitative (financial value) and qualitative (delivery) perspective.

Reporting and monitoring

• Reporting and monitoring will be supported by a digital online system – all relevant stakeholders will receive training and support on the adopted system.

Approach to frameworks

• Frameworks will require commissioners and procurers to identify suitable social value criteria, taking account of framework value and duration, and set these out in tender documents. However, in each circumstance it will be necessary to consider whether it is more suitable to seek proposals from bidders when advertising the framework opportunity (for example a large single supplier framework for goods), or at call-off stage.

Contract requirements

• Social value will dovetail with the requirements set out through our procurement processes, which set clear expectations to suppliers on the need for compliance with all relevant legislation and good business practice. This would cover modern slavery, equality and diversity, health and safety and fair working practices including paying the Living Wage. Meeting these requirements is a fundamental pre-requisite for suppliers and are as such additional to any social value requirements.