Flintshire Council’s social value program delivering strong community benefits

The Flintshire Council’s Cabinet is set to receive an update on progress made in delivering the social value program when it meets on January 17th.

The council defines social value as: “A way of thinking about how scarce resources are allocated and used. It involves looking beyond the price of each individual contract when procuring and looking at what the collective benefit to community is when a public body chooses to award a contract.”

“Every time we spend £1 on the delivery of services we will consider whether we can achieve additional collective well-being benefits from that £1 to the wider community.”

A report for Flintshire Council’s Cabinet outlines the social value delivered for the financial year 2021-22 £3.229m and the first six months of 2022-23 £3.156m.

“The actual social value delivered has returned significant social, economic, environmental and cultural outcomes locally to Flintshire.” The report states.

Some of the key highlights recorded for 2021-22 include approximately £2.1m of local spend, 101 apprenticeship training weeks completed, £11,938 of in-kind community funding donated, 364 staff volunteering hours donated to support local communities, 24 local residents employed full time equivalent and 49 hours invested to support educational initiatives with local schools and colleges.

For April -September 2022, key highlights include approximately £2.8m of local spend, 200 apprenticeship training weeks completed, 190 trainee training weeks completed, 135 staff volunteering hours donated to support local communities, and 1,474 hours donated to support young people into employment.

Flintshire’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Paul Johnson, said: “Delivering increased social value continues to benefit people all across Flintshire.”

“We’ve seen the positive impact it’s had so far and we want to build on our achievements.”

“I’m proud that Flintshire is recognized as a leader in Wales for Social Value.”

“Social Value is a key initiative in helping our Council demonstrate how the Welsh Government’s Well-being of Future Generations Act is being delivered on the ground.”

“The council’s ongoing program of social value work and permanent position of Social Value Development Officer demonstrates the council’s commitment to making a positive impact on the local community.”