Earlier this year, Mears commissioned the think tank Localis to look at the ways the public sector should strive to be more ethical and place-sensitive when buying goods and services worth up to
The report published yesterday, entitled 'True Value: towards ethical publicservice commissioning', examines the current state and likely future of the public service marketplace, as well as the role of social procurement reforms to advance the 'levelling up' agenda.
The paper urges the public sector to make the most of the freedom from EU directives to reform public spending on goods and services so the process becomes more strategic, innovative and delivers better services and local outcomes for communities.
Among key recommendations for place-based procurement reform, Localis calls for central government to prove the impact of their procurement spend,especially in priority areas of the country, to show how they are achieving goals outlined in the Levelling Up White Paper.
In its recommendations, the report also sets out a local English charter forethical public procurement centred around seven key themes: good jobs; transparency; good business; understanding local impact; carbon commitments; good training; high standards.
Localis chief executive,
The extent to which better public service commissioning can improve public efficiency and social benefits to communities is seen as a niche issue. But, nearly a decade after the Social Value Act, as a positive force for shaping and improving the daily life of ordinary people everywhere it can't be bettered.
'Local government has a pretty big dog in this fight. Some
'The government's proposed reforms have many positives and notable negatives - but above all else they begin to realise the strategic power of procurement. 'True Value' investigates the potential of this strategic power - and how it can be most effectively delivered locally to best facilitate recovery and levelling up at the level of place.'
Procurement at council level also needs an overhaul. I hope that the procurement changes will create a level playing field and genuinely enshrine social value as a metric on which contracts are decided, rather than simply on price.
'If we all get this right, the prize will see real and immediate benefits andharness the public pound for the benefit of all.'
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