Scrutiny Review of Procurement: Social Value and Buying Local

Committee report · Place Scrutiny Committee · Thu 27 Nov 2025 · East Sussex County Council

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What it recommends

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“The Place Scrutiny Committee is recommended:”
“To note the updates to the progress against the further recommendations of this review from Place Scrutiny Committee in September 2024’.”
“To consider and endorse the East Sussex Social Value Model (Appendix.”
“and revised draft Social Value Policy (Appendix 2), and note the proposed change to the associated Council Plan measure (Appendix 3).”

What the meeting decided

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In plain English

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Recommended · This went to the meeting on Thu 27 Nov 2025. What was decided is in that meeting's minutes.

Place Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note progress on its Scrutiny Review of Procurement recommendations, and to consider and endorse the new East Sussex Social Value Model and revised draft Social Value Policy, and note the proposed change to the related Council Plan measure. p6 p7

A qualitative trial of the Social Value Model has run in Adult Social Care & Health procurements since May 2023, and has been received positively by commissioners and bidders, particularly SMEs and voluntary and community organisations. p19 p20

The proposed measure and target is that 60% of in-scope procurements in 2026/27 include a weighting of at least 10% for social value criteria in their quality evaluation. p40

The revised Social Value Policy would be considered by the Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change in December, and the proposed Council Plan measure would go to Place Scrutiny and Cabinet before being considered by Full Council as part of the annual Council Plan review. p22 p50

Show the 7 passages this is based on

p61) To note the updates to the progress against the further recommendations of this review from Place Scrutiny Committee in September 2024’; and
p72) To consider and endorse the East Sussex Social Value Model (Appendix 1) and revised draft Social Value Policy (Appendix 2), and note the proposed change to the associated Council Plan measure (Appendix 3).
p192. Supporting information 2.1 A qualitative trial of the Social Value Model has been undertaken since May 2023. The trial was welcomed by BSD and ASCH and has been received positively by commissioners and bidders.
p202.2 Some of the positive effects of the trial were that bids, especially those from SMEs and VCSEs were more aligned with required outcomes and use of qualitative criteria was favoured by evaluators. The use of the model during market engagement led to bids which had better information with which to provide assurance of delivery.
p222.4 One of the drawbacks of using the Government’s Social Value Model (SVM) is that on its own it is not as closely aligned with ESCC’s priorities and outcomes specific to communities in East Sussex and this may mean that bidders do not commit to the exact priorities and needs within the County. For this reason Procurement have worked with stakeholders to design an East Sussex County Council Social Value Model (ESCC SVM) (Appendix 1). It is proposed that the ESCC Social Value Model be incorporated into the Council’s Social Value Policy. A revised policy will be presented to the Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change in December, a draft of which is included at Appendix 2.
p403.3 The measure & target proposed is that 60% (for 2026/27) of all in-scope procurements include a 10% (or greater) weighting against social value criteria as part of the quality evaluation. Full details of the measure are included in Appendix 3.
p504.3 Place Scrutiny Committee is asked to consider and endorse the East Sussex Social Value Model (Appendix 1) and the proposed revised draft policy (Appendix 2), and note the proposed change to the associated Council Plan measure ( Appendix 3). The revised policy will be subject to a decision by the Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change, and subsequently the proposed revised Council Plan measure and target regarding social value will be considered by Place Scrutiny and Cabinet, and approved by Full Council as part of the annual Council Plan review.

Places and organisations it names

East Sussex County Council

Other papers for this meeting

Place Scrutiny Committee agenda · Committee agenda
Appendix 1 - ESCC Social Value Model Outcomes and MACs Oct 25 · Committee report
Appendix 2 - ESCC draft SV Policy - Proposed Edits for SVM · Committee report
Appendix 3 revised Social Value measure calculation · Committee report
Appx 1 - Call in request · Committee report
Appx 2 - LMTE 10 November 2025 Hastings Registration Office Relocation · Committee report
Appx 3 - LMTE 101125 Minutes · Committee report
Appx 4 - Departmental response to Call in request · Committee report
Appx 5 - Hastings Register Office Equality Impact Assessment · Committee report
Call-in: Decision made by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment regarding the proposed relocation of Hastings Register Office · Committee report
East Sussex On-Street Electric Vehicle Charging Network · Committee report
Minutes of the previous meeting · Committee report
Notice of Motion: 20mph speed limits in new developments · Committee report
November 2025 Cabinet report and appendices · Committee report
Place Committee work programme v91 Nov 2025 · Committee report
Place Scrutiny Committee minutes · Committee minutes
Printed plan Forward Plan 1 November 2025 - 28 February 2026 Forward Plan · Committee report
Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR) · Committee report
Work programme · Committee report

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