“New Values Revisited: embedding procurement reform for good local growth and jobs” – Webinar
In October 2024 Localis launched New Values: Public Contracts for Social Prosperity with Norse Group. It is an in depth look into how local authorities can work towards strategic, locally beneficial procurement by adopting a blended approach and using hybrid models to deliver gains in efficiency, productivity and social value.
A year later much has changed in this evolving policy arena. Starting last December with publication of the English Devolution White Paper – and this July with the arrival of the long-awaited English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, and in light of the launch of a new consultation on public procurement from the Cabinet Office, we are looking back at New Values and assessing how the argument, narrative and recommendations have been impacted by the spate of reforms announced in the months since its release.
In our review, we take into account the political direction set by local government secretary Angela Rayner in her speech to the LGA Conference 2025, with its emphasis on insourcing and the removal of bureaucratic procurement hurdles.
This webinar will be a chance to discuss our findings, and updates and address how the state of play has changed over the course of the last year with an audience made up of local government officers, academics and central government officials
Guiding Questions
- To what extent would moves to fix award criteria relating to the quality of the supplier’s contribution to jobs, opportunities or skills for public contracts worth over £5m, and with a minimum evaluation weighting of 10%, help to deliver social value that supports good local economic growth?
- How far would we be shifting the dial towards delivering nuanced local social value benefits from the move to force contracting authorities to undertake a public interest test and publish it when making sourcing decisions?
- To what extent would the direction of procurement policy travel benefit the SME and VCSE sector in their ability to deliver differently for communities and support local supply chains?
Webinar Speakers
If you are interested in joining the event on Thursday 16th October sign up here
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