A council initiative designed to support the local economy in County Durham has netted a top award from the Cabinet Office.
The Social Value Leadership Award recognises Durham County Council’s drive to ensure that local businesses benefit from its spending; keeping money in the local economy, helping the county’s businesses grow and ensuring jobs for residents.
After the Government’s Public Services (Social Value) Act came into force in 2012 to increase spending by authorities within their own area, the council set up a Social Value Taskforce. Made up of the council – led by its Business Durham team – the Federation of Small Businesses and other local partners, the taskforce was the first of its kind in the region when it was created.
Although the council already championed local spending, the taskforce worked to maximise the opportunities for local businesses and ensure that Durham was at the forefront of adding social value through council spending. This saw the council going beyond the legislation by ensuring local firms could tender for the supply of goods and to carry out works outside of the scope of the act.
The council’s approach has been recognised by the Government’s Social Value Awards with the County Council taking home the Award.
Cabinet member for economic regeneration and chair of the Social Value Taskforce in Durham, Cllr Neil Foster, said: “Our social value taskforce has seen County Durham lead the way in making sure local businesses and residents benefit even more from council spending so we’re delighted that our hard work has been recognised with this award.”