Agenda item

Cllr Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Ian Dyson, Director for Financial and Commercial Services, and Max Button, Commercial Excellence Lead have been invited to present a report on a draft of the refresh of the Council’s Social Value policy.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

Cllr Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Martin Reeves, Chief Executive, Ian Dyson, Director for Financial and Commercial Services, and Max Button, Commercial Excellence Lead, were invited to present a report on a draft of the refresh of the Council’s Social Value policy.

The Cabinet Member and Officers introduced the Social Value Policy by outlining its purpose and the strategic direction it would set for Oxfordshire County Council. The Cabinet Member for Finance emphasised that the policy sought to ensure the Council’s procurement and commissioning activities delivered benefits that extended beyond strict financial return. The intention was to embed social value into all contracts so that local priorities, such as sustainability, inclusion, and economic development, were actively supported through public spending. By positioning social value at the centre of procurement, the Council aimed to strengthen community outcomes and promote long?term wellbeing for residents.

The Director for Financial and Commercial Services discussed how the policy would operate in practice. He explained that it would provide a clear framework for Officers, enabling consistent assessment and maximisation of social value within procurement processes. The policy was designed to ensure Officers had accessible guidance, measurable outcomes and transparent evaluation methods, so that consideration of social value became a routine element in decision?making. He noted that embedding these principles required sustained cultural change, supported through training and ongoing oversight.

The Commercial Excellence Lead added that the policy would strengthen the Council’s ability to work constructively with suppliers and partners, encouraging innovation and collaboration. He highlighted that meaningful social impact depended on strong relationships and the ability to track, monitor and report on commitments. Building a cycle of continuous improvement was essential, ensuring that the policy delivered real change rather than becoming a procedural formality.

During discussion, members raised concerns that social value risked being interpreted too narrowly if seen purely as a procurement exercise. They pointed to County Durham’s “Durham Pound” as an example of a wider approach that considered the full range of a Council’s activities and assets, including land and property. Members questioned why the current policy focused exclusively on procurement when social value could be embedded more broadly across Council functions.

In response, Officers acknowledged that while procurement was the initial focus, the wider potential was recognised. They agreed that future iterations of the policy should expand to include broader applications of social value, particularly in the context of forthcoming local government reorganisation. The Chief Executive reinforced this point, cautioning against a narrow interpretation and encouraging a more ambitious, place?based model aligned with strategic county?wide priorities.

Further questions explored how work on social value beyond procurement would be captured within Council processes. Officers confirmed that the current version of the policy did not yet cover this wider scope but recognised the need for a more holistic approach that integrated social value considerations into land management, property decisions and other operational were. Members expressed support for developing a more comprehensive strategic framework to ensure that social value was embedded across all directorates.

The Committee also examined the application of the policy to tenders over £100,000. Members were concerned that the requirements might inadvertently discourage smaller local businesses from bidding, particularly if the process became overly complex. Officers stressed that the policy had been designed to be proportionate, with expectations scaled to the size and nature of contracts. They reiterated that supporting small and medium?sized enterprises (SMEs) was a key priority and confirmed that the impact on smaller suppliers would be monitored to ensure the policy remained accessible and fair.

Questions were then raised about the Council’s ability to respond when suppliers failed to deliver on their social value commitments. Officers explained that these commitments formed part of the contractual obligations, enforceable through standard contract?management processes. Where delivery fell short, the Council could require remedial actions, withhold payments, or ultimately terminate the contract. Members stressed the importance of clear expectations, strong monitoring, and robust contract management to uphold accountability and secure meaningful outcomes.

The meeting concluded with discussion on how environmental sustainability objectives were embedded within procurement. Officers confirmed that sustainability was a core strand of the policy, with tenders required to demonstrate how they would contribute to carbon reduction, resource efficiency and wider climate?action priorities. Members emphasised that environmental goals must be integrated throughout the contract lifecycle, from tender design through to delivery and evaluation. There was collective agreement that the Council should continue strengthening its approach to ensure alignment with corporate climate ambitions and to promote high?quality, sustainable practice among suppliers.

The Committee AGREED to finalise their recommendations offline, with the broad topics to relate to:

• Consideration of having a light-touch set of social value requirements for smaller contracts

• Increasing the social value options with regards to climate change measures

• Having targets and proven, impactful projects which focus on the key priorities the Council would like to address in relation to social value

• Having the procurement element of social value be more explicitly aligned with the rest of the Council’s approach, and to work towards bringing the Council’s approach into alignment with other local anchor institutions.