Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2024.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 19 November 2024 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made.

To consider a presentation given by the Director of Finance.

The panel is recommended to comment on the presentation.

Officer contact: Laura Mercer on 0161 218 1799 or email laura.mercer@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Finance gave a presentation on STAR procurement and social value.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The differences in the figures for social value achieved relate to that social value which had been delivered and that which had yet to be validated.

·         FOI requests had been submitted to other GM local authorities to verify that firms had delivered the social value contained within their contract. There was an inherent reputational risk if contractors did not fulfil the social value elements of their contracts. STAR procurement was working with local authorities to ensure that contract management was sufficiently robust to ensure that low or no delivery contractors were fulfilling their social value commitments.

·         There was a significant cost element where FOI requests were made.

·         STAR was making improvements to the procurement process to ensure that it became more transparent in order both to address those FOI requests and to help businesses to win contracts.

·         There was no formal process in place for future relationships between local authorities and those contractors who had a poor performance in terms of social value delivery; forthcoming legislation was likely to enable authorities to put contractors on a debarment list.

·         The second highest benchmark of social value was the delivery of jobs; it was possible to validate that element of social value prior to delivery.

·         The council could go further in terms of jobs created by way of social value, ensuring that they went to those most in need such as care leavers.

·         Work was ongoing to ensure that tender documents were explicit in terms of what social value local authorities wanted to achieve.

·         The council set requirements for contractors on net zero and other targets.

·         Looking to the future, the council had ambitions to go further and faster in terms of social value.

·         Members commented that the presentation and discussion had been useful and eye opening.

·         Members, officers and representatives from STAR procurement were thanked for their contributions to a successful Scrutiny Review.

RESOLVED – (1) That the presentation be noted.

(2) That the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Panel include:

·         a mandate for all tenders to include ‘Match My Project’

·         Section 106 funds to be included within social value projects

·         measures of social value delivered along with an analysis of what was not delivered

·         to extend and build upon relationships with other local authorities on social value contracting.