The Public Services (Social Value) Act that comes into effect in January 2013 will require public bodies to consider how the services they commission will impact on the wider community, measuring value for money not just financially, but also socially, economically and environmentally. The Social Enterprise UK guide is aimed at commissioners and procurement officials, providing an overview of the Act and practical guidance on how social value can be embedded into the commissioning and procurement process.
The new guide was launched at Social Enterprise UK’s Social Value Conference on the 20th November, with lawyers Mark Cook and Gayle Monk from Anthony Collins Solicitors delivering a seminar on how best to utilise the guide.
Mark Cook said: “It is essential that public sector commissioners and procurement officials know exactly how to put this policy change into practice. Recent research demonstrates that there is a strong appetite amongst public bodies for delivering increased social value, although a very high percentage of authorities feel that they lack the experience required to develop this approach further.
“With the right knowledge and support, commissioners can learn how to embed a culture of social value into their procurement processes, feeling confident that they know what to do and when, and ensuring that the social value approach is bespoke to each and every contract. One great benefit of the Social Value Act is that it helps authorities align their activities with local needs, shaping their services in a way that is likely to have the biggest impact on the surrounding community.”
The Lifeline Project was a well-regarded charity. Failure to carry out the targets within the contracts led the charity into insolvency and resulted in a personal, 7-year disqualification order.
On 23 July, trainees from Anthony Collins Solicitors will host an ‘experience day’, which will involve various activities and presentations, with lawyers and non-lawyers from across the firm.
The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) has launched a new scheme specifically for charities and not-for-profit organisations who want to advise EU citizens on UK settlement.
In the second part of our series on contract management pitfalls, we look at the risks and opportunities presented by payment mechanisms in construction contracts.
Under most construction contracts, the contractor takes on the ground conditions risk. However, a recent case has demonstrated that the risk can fall on the employer.
The UK Government has been consulting on how it should promote social value in its procurements. Here is our response that we submitted to the consultation...
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 came into force on 1 June 2019.
A recent case in the Court of Appeal will no doubt bring a sigh of relief for employers, but a corresponding sigh of disappointment may be uttered for equality and gender balance in the workplace.
This briefing assists response to the consultation paper by outlining the consultation questions, providing some background information and prompting some thoughts and potential answers.
A report published on 29 May by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found that since 2009-10, local government spending on services has fallen on average by 21% in real terms.
To receive invitations to our events, as well as information and articles on legal issues and sector developments that are of interest to you, please sign up to Newsroom.