Welsh Government
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Welsh Government wins top Civil Service award for groundbreaking procurement policy
Community Benefits is a Programme for Government commitment and a core part of the Tackling Poverty Action Plan. It ensures the Welsh public sector uses the £4.3 billion annual public procurement budget to optimise its social, economic and environmental impact.
Value Wales supports all public sector organisations to adopt the policy by providing guidance, training and practical help.
By implementing this procurement policy public bodies require their contractors to:
• recruit and train unemployed people;
• promote equality and open up opportunities for SMEs, third sector organisations, supported factories and businesses;
• work with disadvantaged groups, impact positively on the environment and contribute to communities through education, regeneration and engagement.
Value Wales currently supports 80 projects valued at over £4 billion and has developed a measurement tool, the first of its kind in the UK, to show outcomes of completed projects.
So far, fourteen have been measured, worth £229 million in contract value.
Value Wales found that:
• 79 per cent was spent in Wales with £122m going to Wales based businesses and 72 million going directly on salaries to Welsh citizens;
• 224 disadvantaged people received 20,000 weeks' work experience and 77 apprentices received 8500 weeks' training;
• Overall, around 2,200 jobs have been protected or created by applying this approach.
Finance Minister, Jane Hutt said:
“I’m delighted the work of Value Wales has been recognised by the UK Civil Service.
“Wales is leading the way and breaking new ground in its approach to ensuring the people of Wales directly benefit from the investment we as a Welsh Government make in our public services.”
The Welsh Government's Permanent Secretary, Derek Jones CB said:
"Procurement is incredibly important because it brings together value for the public and benefits for the economy. Value Wales bring both these together and I congratulate them on the award as proof that they are best in class in the UK."
