Eleven years after the introduction of the Social Value Act in the UK, the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) will launch a new initiative to look at how far the highways sector has come in embedding social value and where challenges still lie.
The series, which is being delivered in association with Colas, will start with an invitation-only virtual roundtable discussion to help scope out the way in which the sector has responded thus far, and how collaborative social value delivery can respond to future challenges faced. Councils will talk about where they are on the journey and the key findings from this conversation will then be taken forward and presented more widely via a webinar.
A wider reflection on social value and its impact on the sector will then take place at this year’s Strictly Highways event in Blackpool when an expert panel will look at what help is out there, what is needed to respond to the challenges and opportunities within the sector, and where LCRIG can help.
The highways sector and local roads sit at the heart of this delivery. Roads help communities to receive their day-to-day services, get people to the office, get young people to colleges and schools, provide an environment for active travel and help to support the economy. Ultimately, they provide a universal service that is evolving all the time. The social value that is derived from this can only happen through collaboration.
Consistency is an issue, the LGA reports that a recent review of 343 council websites found that only 23% had published a social value strategy online, 32% mentioned social value but had not published a strategy and 44% made no mention of social value online. Measuring and monitoring social value is another challenge and without consistency as to how this is addressed from one authority to another.
This exclusive series, delivered in association with Colas, will explore in detail what needs to be done to drive forward this agenda.
Topics for discussion will include:
- Maximising SV delivery through collaboration and consistency, getting the most out of it for communities
- How to measure social value – what matters? What is the real impact?
- What next for social value? Innovation and future aspirations
Rachael Atkin, Head of Social Value – UK at Colas, said: “Whilst Social Value has made great strides in becoming a day to day part of delivering contractors activities since the introduction of the Social Value Act 11 years ago, the disparity in approach and effectiveness around Social Value from both the council and provider sides is significant. The inconsistency in how social value achievements are represented and recognised through monitoring and reporting can make it a confusing landscape to navigate.
“Social value has become a professional sector in its own right, moving on from CSR/community benefits and into an arena that seeks to bring deeper, more sustainable benefit to society. We would like to collaborate with colleagues from across the LCRIG family to raise the bar on this important issue. Could a more consistent approach bring more benefit? Could collaboration between neighbouring local authorities support more sustainable outcomes? And how can contractors work together to make collaboration more important that competitive advantage?”