Social Value Act is ‘an afterthought’, Lords charities committee told
Jessica and I are fans of the Social Value Act. In our work we have seen how it functions as an incentive for people to think much more deeply about how to structure projects and programmes. Notwithstanding that, evidence provided to the Select Committee on Charities, in the context of this article, suggests its take up is far from wholehearted.
This story describes the evidence received from representatives from Royal Mencap Society, Citizens Advice and Nacro. The Social Value Act is either not referred to or is “an afterthought” in public sector commissioning, the committee heard.
The Social Value Act requires people who commission public services to think about how they can also secure wider social, economic and environmental benefits. Giving evidence to the committee on commissioning, Andrew Seager, head of service development at Citizens Advice, said the Act often only accounts for a small percentage of the tender process – usually around five per cent.
Jacob Tas, chief executive of Nacro, who was also giving evidence, said he felt this was a positive move, but that he was unsure how it could work in practice.
Dan Scorer, head of policy and public affairs at Mencap, who was also giving evidence, said his number one recommendation for the committee would be to “ensure that commissioning practice focuses on the needs of individuals, and from their lived experience, and works with organisations that can meet their specific needs”.