Brent Council is set to strengthen its commitment to social value by enforcing new measures in its contracts. The move aims to ensure that suppliers are held accountable for delivering on their social value promises, with financial repercussions for non-compliance. This new clause will apply to all new contracts valued above £100,000.
The decision was discussed at the Joint Committee of the London Boroughs of Brent, Lewisham and Southwark meeting on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, where updates on procurement were reviewed. According to the Public Reports Pack presented at the meeting, the procurement team has been actively collaborating with key suppliers to integrate social value into their contracts. To reinforce this commitment, an additional clause will be included in all new contracts valued above £100,000.
This clause will hold suppliers financially responsible for the monetary reimbursement of any social value that is not delivered. Previously, social value commitments were often aspirational, lacking explicit contractual enforcement. Now, the council will be able to hold suppliers responsible for the monetary value of these commitments and will reimburse the authority for non-delivery. This represents a significant step towards ensuring that social value commitments are not merely aspirational but are contractually binding and enforceable.
The Joint Committee of the London Boroughs of Brent, Lewisham and Southwark meets regularly to discuss shared services and initiatives. The agenda for the July 8th meeting included updates on revisions to the Inter Authority Agreement.