English councils have been urged to use their annual £127bn expenditure on goods and services to achieve broader economic, social, and environmental goals, according to a new report from the think-tank Localis.
The report, titled ‘New values, new landscape: public contracts for social prosperity – 2025 update’, highlights the potential for local governments to redirect their spending to benefit the communities they serve.
Despite the progress made in the last year, the report notes that there are still risks and contradictions that need to be addressed. This includes striking a balance between central mission-setting and local strategic autonomy, as well as managing fiscal constraints and cultural inertia.
The report recommends that councils monitor the uptake and local implementation of ‘most advantageous tender’ provisions, the efficacy and accountability of new hybrid delivery models, and the integration of devolved spatial strategies into national investment plans, among other things.
Callin McLinden, senior researcher at Localis and author of the report, stated, “Public procurement has become one of the clearest strategic levers councils have to deliver social prosperity; good jobs, resilient services and greener, fairer local economies.”
He added, “With the Procurement Act now in force, creating a single, more flexible framework, and major devolution and planning reforms reshaping how places govern, the opportunity and stakes have both shifted significantly since our previous ‘New Values’ report.”
Justin Galliford, CEO of Norse Group, commented, “As a LATCo, Norse Group has always prioritised values-driven service delivery, ensuring that our work delivers meaningful benefits for people, places, and local economies, beyond the services themselves.”
The report will be launched via a policy webinar, “New Values Revisited”, on October 16th. Speakers will include representatives from the Cabinet Office, DRKNOWD Limited, Local Partnerships, and Norse Group.
Jonathan Werran, chief executive of Localis, said, “We’re pleased to support the publication of ‘New values, new landscape’, which continues an important conversation about the role of procurement in driving social prosperity and aims to help councils maximise the positive impact of their spend.”
The report can be downloaded from Localis’s website and the webinar can be registered for on their events page.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.