Residents of Barking and Dagenham are set to benefit economically, socially and environmentally from the council’s Social Value Policy.



The policy, which was agreed by the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 19 May, will see every company or organisation that bids for council contracts worth over £100,000 required to submit clear plans for how they will help the council to achieve its goals.



It will seek to tackle low pay and unemployment in the borough by promoting the London Living Wage in the council’s supply chain and give particular consideration to bids that offer jobs and apprenticeships to local people and commit to buy goods and services from local businesses.



Councillor Sade Bright, Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Aspiration, said: “I am extremely grateful to my colleagues for making this policy come to fruition.



“Our Social Value Policy is a contract between the council, our residents and contractors which will ensure businesses wanting to work with and for the council are prepared to give something back.



“In essence the policy will ensure our residents and local businesses also benefit so that in our pursuit of growth for the borough no one is left behind.”



The policy will aim to ensure contractors will be asked to meet a target to buy 25% of the value of goods and services with businesses based in the borough. It also has at its core: 

•  Investing in local people – tackling unemployment and low pay by promoting payment of the London Living Wage, securing quality employment, work experience and apprenticeship opportunities with additional consideration for opportunities created for those facing disadvantage in the labour market. 
• Investing in the local economy through supporting local job creation by sourcing goods and services from organisations with operations based in the borough and supporting initiatives to build the capacity of local suppliers.
• Environmental sustainability through reducing waste and single-use plastics, promoting recycling and sustainable energy, supporting local growing initiatives and other activities to improve the local environment and air quality.
• Community participation and engagement by procuring from organisations with a social purpose, involving citizens in service design and decisions, and helping to build the capacity of local civil society organisations such as, through volunteering, mentoring and provision of facilities.
• People, resilience and independence by supporting local initiatives to improve health and wellbeing by tackling key local issues such as high levels of obesity, anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse.