Neath Port Talbot Council is committed to promoting Sustainable Development through our policies, strategies, and services.
Incorporating social value into a project or contract helps to build stronger communities, reduce social exclusion and poverty, and encourage the development of the economy. It is a way of ensuring there is a long-lasting positive impact on our communities and further supports our duty to comply with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 which requires us to seek to improve the economic, social, environmental, and cultural well-being of the County in all that we do.
With the introduction of the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 procurement plays a crucial role in delivering sustainable outcomes and the Council is committed to embedding social value throughout its practices and purchasing decisions. One of the key ways it can do this is by actively enhancing the wider social, economic and environmental impacts of the goods, services and works it procures and the organisations it does business with.
Social value is defined as the positive impact on local people and local communities and as such the Council encourages contractors and suppliers to consider the following examples of social value activities when awarded contracts:
Engage with the local supply chain to ensure they benefit from contracts by:
- Prioritising the engagement of local businesses
- Provision of key contract opportunities
- Production of a supply chain plan
- Creation of jobs through local and regional supply chain involving local businesses, local infrastructures and engaging with local business forums
- Engage with local suppliers of materials or components
- Engage with local manufacturers and distributors
- Supporting local businesses to upskill and diversify
- Providing information on specific skills, knowledge and progression routes for careers in the relevant sectors
- Work experience and work placement opportunities
- Presentations and workshops in schools
- Attend or arrange career events
- Collaborate with post 16 education providers including colleges, universities and the Council’s training providers Skills and Training
- Focus on employment by investing in new and existing apprenticeship and traineeship programmes
- Offer apprenticeship and graduate opportunities for local residents
- Provide training and skills programmes including pre apprenticeships
- Bursary schemes
- Develop the local workforce through providing employment opportunities including opportunities for the disadvantaged
- Engage with the Council’s Business Support Group
- Engage with NPT Employability
- Upskilling via training courses
Examples of community benefit considerations could be, but not limited to:
- Support local business
- Building capacity in the community
- Contribution to local charitable causes
- Wider skills development programme
- Supporting cultural and sports facilities and programmes
- Supporting local tourism including facilities
- Supporting local facilities to complement statutory provisions
- Environmental, biodiversity, conservation activities
- Community development
When considering community benefits in project development the following should be taken into account:
- Geographical boundaries for proposed benefit.
- Engaging in early discussion openly.
- Engaging in effective local consultation on any proposed community benefits.
- Appoint a single, key point of contact.
- Continue discussions post-consultation with the community
- Utilising the support of the Council’s Community Benefit Officer .
- Develop a record of community benefits and notify the Council’s Community Benefits Officer
Maximise the economic, social, health and environmental benefits of the Council’s decarbonisation and renewable energy strategy: DARE Strategy Summary through:
- Raising awareness of climate change, sustainability, environment and renewable energy in schools
- Recycling of materials
- Reduction of water consumption
- Reduction in landfill waste
- Reduction in vehicle emissions
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