By leveraging how we procure goods and services, we can create the maximum benefits for Lancashire. Continuing to embrace and go beyond the Public Services Act, Lancashire is able to generate additional community, economic and environmental benefits as a result of the decisions we make when it comes to spending your money. This means that our chosen delivery partners will not just be expected to deliver additional benefits, but to measure and report against them too. The delivery of these wider contributions to society is commonly known as ‘social value’.

What is social value?

Social value considers the wider economic, community or environmental benefits than can be generated through how Lancashire County Council delivers its activity and services, including when procuring goods, works or services from the Council’s suppliers. These benefits can be measured through financial and non-financial metrics and can encompass the entire supply chain. This means that for every £1 spent by Lancashire, our suppliers can calculate the added-value return over and above the £1 cost.

Here at Lancashire County Council we are helping you to make Lancashire the best place to live, work, visit and prosper.

At the heart of our strategy for delivery are our four priorities:

  1. delivering better services,
  2. protecting our environment,
  3. supporting economic growth, and
  4. caring for the vulnerable.

Our Social Value policy and strategy works towards these priorities, providing a means to measure our success. We will assess the impact our plans are having on our priorities and be held to account by measuring the things that are important to our residents.

Lancashire 2050 is about bringing people together with a shared vision, shared ambition, shared goals and shared priorities.

It’s about the future of our county and its people. Initiated by Lancashire’s 15 councils, but involving everyone with a stake in our county’s success, it sets out the areas where we can work together to help our county thrive.

It is both bold and strategic, creating a framework so that:

  1. Lancashire competes better for its share of national resources and investment.
  2. Lancashire’s public, private and voluntary sectors collaborate better to maximise the best use of our resources.
  3. Lancashire has a strong and clear voice that responds innovatively to new opportunities and challenges.
  4. Lancashire has rich, meaningful and strategic dialogue with central government about the future of our county.

Our Social Value policy and strategy aligns with this bold vision, providing a means for measuring our success. Please visit Lancashire 2050 for more information.

Social value policy and framework lays down the course of action that the Authority will take to look beyond the financial cost of a contract and consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of Lancashire. The Policy is aligned with the corporate and Greater Lancashire priorities.

Social value policy and framework (2024-28)

The social value strategy details the plan and timetable for achieving the long-term economic, social and environmental benefits available to Lancashire through commissioning, procurement and contract management.

Social value strategy (2024-28)

A local needs analysis is a systematic process for determining and addressing needs, or "gaps", between current conditions and desired conditions or "wants". This analysis will support the Greater Lancashire region identify the requirements of the area and determine an appropriate strategy that may translate into social value to help build stronger and more resilient neighbourhoods.