Issue details

Proposed decision

To approve and adopt the Winning for Kent: Procurement with Purpose Policy 2026-2028.

Reason for the decision

To modernise, simplify and standardise how Kent County Council uses procurement to support Kent’s economy, Kent businesses and Kent communities. The Policy sets out a proportionate, business-friendly framework for delivering wider public benefit (Social Value) through procurement, meaning that Social Value requirements are scaled to the size, value, risk and complexity of the contract, ensuring expectations are appropriate, achievable and do not create unnecessary barriers for small and medium?sized enterprises (SMEs) or voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs). This policy fulfils statutory duties under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, the Procurement Act 2023 and the National Procurement Policy Statement. It also puts into practice the ambitions of KCC’s Strategic Statement and Commercial Strategy.

Social Value is about using public spending to deliver wider benefits for Kent, alongside the core goods, services or works the Council is procuring. In practice, this can include creating local jobs or apprenticeships, supporting Kent?based businesses and supply chains, and delivering community benefits that respond to local needs.

Initial reviews and supplier feedback have highlighted the need for greater consistency in and certainty around the wider public benefit that the Council expects suppliers to deliver when contracted with the authority. This Policy provides greater clarity, improves accountability, and ensures procurement activity delivers stronger outcomes for Kent residents and businesses.

This decision will authorise the publication of the Policy and initiate implementation, including performance monitoring and supplier engagement and officer training, delivered within existing resources.

Background

Kent County Council spends approximately £1.47 billion annually through third-party contracts to deliver essential services for residents. Because this spend represents significant public investment, effective procurement can strengthen Kent’s economy, grow responsible local businesses, support local employment, develop skills, and support resilience communities

National policy – including the Social Value Act (2012), the Procurement Act (2023) and the National Procurement Policy Statement – require public bodies to consider wider public benefit (Social Value) consistently as part of procurement. Previous internal reviews and supplier feedback have highlighted variation in how Social Value has been sought across the Council and the authority’s expectations of its suppliers. This Policy translates the legal duties into a practical, proportionate framework aligned to Kent’s priorities, ensuring compliance while keeping the focus on supporting the Kent economy and communities.

The Policy updates and standardises the approach, ensuring transparency, proportionality, and clarity for officers, suppliers (especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs), and Members. It also builds on earlier decisions made through the Strategic Statement and Commercial Strategy, and formalises a clear framework for delivering measurable, meaningful community outcomes for Kent through procurement.

Options (other options considered but discarded)

A range of options were considered to determine the most effective way to deliver wider public benefit (Social Value) through procurement. These included:

1.    Do Nothing / Maintain Status Quo

This option would have involved continuing without a formally approved policy or consistent, standardised approach. Retaining the current inconsistent approach would mean continued inconsistency and variation in approaches across services, unclear expectations for suppliers, and missed opportunities to maximise benefits for Kent’s economy and communities. This option also does not address statutory requirements, or expectations for greater transparency and accountability, limiting the Council’s ability to evidence compliance with the Procurement Act and other regulations in this area.

2.    Incremental Improvement

This option would make only small adjustments to the current approach and would result in limited improvement to how consistently Social Value is applied or how much difference it makes in practice. While minor changes to existing guidance may help in the short term, they would not provide the clarity, consistency or accountability that a formal policy offers. Without a clear policy framework, approaches would continue to vary across the Council, meaning opportunities to use procurement to deliver wider benefits for Kent would be missed. This option would also limit our ability to clearly demonstrate impact, reduce inefficiencies, and provide assurance that we are meeting our obligations under the Procurement Act, increasing the risk of challenge or audit concern.

3.    New Policy (Proposed Option for progression)

This proposal introduces a new, formally approved policy that strengthens the Council’s ability to use procurement as a strategic tool for delivering wider community and economic benefits. It establishes a clear, consistent, and business-friendly framework that embeds the consideration of wider public benefit (Social Value) throughout the procurement cycle, ensures compliance with national legislation, and aligns supplier activity with Kent’s evidence?led priorities. By formalising this policy, the Council enhances governance, improves accountability, and maximises the positive outcomes generated from public spending, while simplifying expectations for suppliers.

How the proposed decision supports the Council’s Strategic Statement

The Policy directly supports the Council’s commitment to using Kent’s buying power to support local jobs, strengthen local supply chains, and retain economic value and investment in the county. It strengthens the Council’s ability to leverage procurement to create local employment opportunities, develop skills, grow responsible Kent?based businesses, and encourage suppliers to re-invest through local supply chains. By embedding proportionate and outcome-focused requirements into all relevant procurements, the Policy ensures that public spending has the greatest possible benefit for Kent’s residents and communities.

Financial Implications

Adoption of the Policy is expected to be cost neutral. Training, guidance, and implementation will be delivered within existing budgets and absorbed within current officer roles and responsibilities. Activity relating to awareness?raising, proportionate data capture, and contract monitoring will be embedded into existing procurement and contract management processes rather than creating new standalone requirements.

The Policy supports Best Value by strengthening how the Council defines, assesses and evidences Value for Money, moving beyond cost alone to consider the wider economic and social outcomes achieved through Council spending. Where Social Value activity is delivered by suppliers, it is expected to be delivered within the agreed contract value not anticipated to result in additional cost to the Council. Any supplier commitments secured through the procurement process are intended to represent demonstrable added value rather than additional financial pressure.

While there may be indirect impacts associated with implementation – such as officer time for contract management, measurement, or reporting – these are expected to be managed within existing resources, systems, and tools. Embedding Social Value monitoring into established financial and performance management processes will help strengthen assurance and provide a clear audit trail, supporting evidence of Value for Money in procurement activity.

Officers will continue to exercise professional judgement, informed by their understanding of the market and what it can realistically deliver. They will retain flexibility to scale and tailor Social Value requirements where cost, capacity, or market maturity considerations arise, ensuring that Value for Money remains central to procurement outcomes.