Committee Report Checklist
Stage 1
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
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ITEM |
Yes / No |
Date |
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Councillor engagement / input from Chair prior to briefing |
Y |
08/12/25 |
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Commissioner engagement (if report focused on issues of concern to Commissioners such as Finance, Assets etc) |
Y |
09/12/25 |
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Relevant Group Head review |
CH |
11/12/25 |
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MAT+ review (to have been circulated at least 5 working days before Stage 2) |
Y |
12/12/25 |
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This item is on the Forward Plan for the relevant committee |
Y |
14/1/25 |
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Reviewed by |
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Risk comments |
BS |
17/12/25 |
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Legal comments |
LH |
22/12/25 |
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HR comments (if applicable) |
n/a |
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For reports with material financial or legal implications the author should engage with the respective teams at the outset and receive input to their reports prior to asking for MO or s151 comments.
Do not forward to stage 2 unless all the above have been completed.
Stage 2
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
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ITEM |
Completed by |
Date |
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Monitoring Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
L Heron |
22/12/25 |
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S151 Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
T Collier |
15/12/25 |
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Confirm final report cleared by MAT |
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Title |
Social Value Strategy for Site Disposals |
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Purpose of the report |
To make a recommendation |
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Report Author |
Bruce Strong, Investment Asset Manager |
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Ward(s) Affected |
All Wards |
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Exempt |
Report no Appendix 1 no |
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Exemption Reason |
n/a |
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Corporate Priority |
Community, Addressing Housing Need and Resilience |
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Recommendations
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Committee is asked to:
1. Agree the Social Value Strategy relating to the Councils regeneration sites and recommend to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee for approval by Council. 2. Note that by adopting the Strategy the relevant housing and regeneration sites will be marketed to include a requirement for third parties to provide social value provision within their offers.
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Reason for Recommendation |
In formally adopting a social value strategy it will ensure a common process to market sites being disposed of and the analysis of subsequent offers together with aiding in the delivery of affordable housing and other forms of social value. |
1. Executive summary of the report
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What is the situation |
Why we want to do something |
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• Adopting a Social Value Strategy as part of site disposals, whether the sites are held in the regeneration portfolio or wider municipal portfolio for example, is likely to provide wider benefits to the Council and local community. • Whilst the Council will no longer be directly developing any of its sites, there is a desire to see development progress on these sites via partnership arrangements or disposals.
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• A Social Value Strategy will provide the decision-making Committee(s) with agreed criteria against which to appraise offers for future development on Council owned sites, which are not based only on financial consideration. • Without an agreed criterion, it is likely there will not be consistent decision making resulting in delays to the progression of sites for sale and additional financial pressure from holding costs. • Ensure the outcomes from the sale of the sites achieves maximum benefits and aligns with the Corporate Plan 2024-2028 priorities and Best Value requirements. |
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This is what we want to do about it |
These are the next steps |
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• Implement the Social Value Strategy when bringing sites to the market for sale to be able to evaluate and compare offers which deliver social value initiatives above an agreed baseline. |
· If the Committee agree to the draft strategy, a recommendation will be made to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee to agree the Social Value Strategy and thereafter full Council for final sign off. If the strategy achieves full Council sign off it will form part of the marketing criteria when bringing sites forward for disposal/partnership working. |
2. Key issues
2.1 Adopting a Social Value Strategy in disposing of Council regeneration sites will enable these sites to be marketed with clear guidance to developers on the Councils’ expectations on the inclusion of social value initiatives in their offers. This will regularise the tender process and thereafter help in the evaluation of offers for the delivery of regeneration benefits for both land disposals and partnership working.
2.2 Social Value refers to the positive social, economic and environmental outcomes that result from Council decisions and the additional benefit to society they generate.
2.3 Adopting a social value strategy using the recognised Themes, Outcomes Measures system (TOMS) allows social value initiatives to be monetised, enabling the Council to compare and evaluate offers between those offering the highest price/best financial value and those offers which may be at a lower price but offer additional benefits, whether through social value initiatives or enhanced affordable housing. This will assist in providing clear recommendations through to Committee.
2.4 The delivery of the social value initiatives are deliberately areas that are not governed by planning and S106 requirements and would be in addition to these legal mechanisms. Similarly, they are not related to other wider development considerations such as flooding, which again would be dealt with through the planning process.
2.5 Having a social value strategy when bringing a site or sites to the market provides the following benefits:
· It provides a consistent approach to marketing sites and the evaluation of offers.
· Helps in delivering objectives on the sites that support resident and community needs, enhancing economic prosperity whilst understanding the impact on the local environment.
· Provides opportunities to improve the life and work environment for the Spelthorne community.
· Allows the Council to articulate to residents the broader contribution that an asset or new development will bring to the Borough/immediate area.
· It places an emphasis on delivering those activities that can help solve specific needs and be tracked and measured.
· Helps stakeholders understand the wider social, environmental and economic value a new development will bring to the area and local community.
· Provides an ability to empower Councillors in developing solutions that deliver better outcomes and Best Value.
2.6 The proposed Social Value Strategy, Appendix 1, has been produced following a more detailed review of social value and affordable housing requirements in the Borough undertaken by a consultant, The Social Value Portal (SVP).
In developing the basis of the strategy and the resultant ‘Toolkit’ that will be used to analyse offers, SVP undertook an assessment of the government’s local needs data for each ward that the disposal sites are located in and compared these needs to the Council’s corporate plan objectives. This will ensure the social value initiatives are relevant to specific local requirements.
2.7 Social initiatives are the additional benefits or measures that could be derived from redevelopment, for example creating employment opportunities or ring-fencing construction spend with local companies.
SVP bring these measures together in their TOM system (Themes Outcomes Measures) under four themes: Work, Economy, Community and Planet. For example, within a community Theme, the desired Outcome is building community wellbeing. The Measure is initiatives to support or tackle homelessness. To understand the level of benefit offered, a unit value is applied to each initiative. This unit value or spend is then translated into the additional value achieved by the council by removing a person from being homeless. The value could be considered in terms of social, medical and positive wellbeing effects on this person. The value is then translated into a ‘proxy’ value, which is then monetised.
2.8 The relevant Outcomes and Measures will be applied and tailored to the disposal of each of the sites and will be brought forward for recommendation within the disposal strategy to the relevant Committee(s) for approval.
2.9 The Chairs and Vice Chairs of all Council committees were invited to attend a workshop by Social Value Partnership to contribute/input to the social value criteria and strategy development.
2.10 The Council proposes to monitor delivery of the social value initiatives post site disposal where the mechanism to undertake this will be set out either in the disposal process or at the point of sale.
3. Options appraisal and proposal
3.1 Option 1 – Agree the proposed Social Value Strategy and recommend to Corporate Policy and Resources for approval by Council.
This is the recommended option as it gives the Council transparency in being able to set social value requirements per site, regularise the site sale tender process and help the evaluation of subsequent offers more effectively than on just land value (whilst that will remain an important criterion).
3.2 Option 2 – Do not adopt the Social Value Strategy in the marketing of Council sites and subsequent assessment of offers. This is not the recommended option as it will not give the Council the ability to assess interest in a site from the full range of developers and potentially lose out on the delivery of social value opportunities as their value cannot be quantified.
4. Risk implications
4.1 Having a Social Value Strategy for the disposal of sites will ensure there are an agreed set of parameters allowing the Council to evaluate offers and ensure best value is being delivered in line with the best value inspection and the Implementation and Recovery Plan requirements.
4.2 Without the Council having agreed social value priorities there is no clarity for officers to ensure they are progressing those offers that provide the greatest all round benefits to the Spelthorne, it’s communities, businesses and residents.
4.3 A mechanism to monitor the delivery of the social value initiatives and confirm their benefit will be required but there are several potential options which will be clarified either in the disposal process or at the point of sale.
4.4 There is likely to be a trade-off between offers which are higher, in offering limited social value initiatives, thereby providing best financial value compared to those offers which provide more social value initiatives and address corporate priorities where the offers are likely to be lower even when the value of the initiatives are included.
5. Financial implications
5.1 The financial implications of adopting the Social Value Strategy for site disposals involve both direct and indirect costs. A key financial consideration is the potential additional cost of £12,000 per year for monitoring the delivery of social value initiatives post-disposal, although this cost may be partially shared with site purchasers. Alternatively, we understand that Runnymede Borough Council have a basic, free level portal that could be utilised. By incorporating social value criteria into the disposal process, the Council may prioritise offers that deliver broader community benefits, potentially foregoing higher financial returns from bidders offering the highest prices but no social value.
5.2 However, the strategy also aims to mitigate long-term holding costs of sites by ensuring consistent and efficient decision-making in the marketing and disposal process, which could reduce delays and financial pressure on the Council. Furthermore, the ability to quantify social value in monetary terms allows for a more balanced comparison of offers, ensuring that the Council not only maximises financial return but also aligns with its corporate priorities, such as addressing housing needs and improving community wellbeing.
6. Legal comments
6.1 Under section 3 of the Local Government Act 1999 local authorities are subject to the Best Value Duty which requires them to “make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness”.
6.2 The proposed social value strategy directly supports this statutory requirement by prioritising community wellbeing and overall public benefit. It also to the extent that it supports the Council in enhancing community wellbeing and social impact.
6.3 It also strengthens accountability by introducing transparent evaluation of social outcomes alongside financial receipts.
Corporate implications
7. S151 Officer comments
7.1 The S151 Officer confirms that the financial implications will be taken into account in the 2026-27 Budget. As commented above whilst social value needs to be weighed up alongside optimising capital receipt values and the impact on reducing the Council’s debt and financing costs, a methodology which enables decisions to be made more effectively may positively contribute towards shortening the time period we are incurring holding costs on sites.
8. Monitoring Officer comments
8.1 The Monitoring Officer confirms that the relevant legal implications have been taken into account.
9. Procurement comments
9.1 The paper relates to the adoption of a social value policy on site disposals and therefore is not related to procurement.
10. Equality and Diversity
10.1 Bringing social value initiatives into consideration in the sale of sites could help equality and diversity issues within the borough.
11. Sustainability/Climate Change Implications
11.1 Requirements relating to the sustainability and climate change of any development will be a developer responsibility, however the disposal of Council held sites will reduce the Council’s carbon footprint by removing the Scope 3 emissions currently associated with holding a vacant site.
Scope 3 emissions are the indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur because of the Council’s activities but are generated from sources it does not directly own or control, such as those from purchased goods and services, waste management, and outsourced operations all of which add to the Council’s footprint while the assets remain vacant or underutilised. By progressing with the disposals, the Council will no longer incur these holding-related Scope 3 emissions, thereby improving its sustainability position and aligning with its climate change objectives to minimise indirect carbon impacts across the property portfolio.
12. Other considerations
12.1 Should the Social Value Strategy be adopted by Council a recommendation will be brought to the relevant Committee to procure a consultant to advise on the best strategy/approach to market the housing and regeneration sites. This initial piece of work will provide guidance on the best route to market the sites and how the social value strategy criteria can be implemented. To ensure the selected consultant has accountability for their proposals it is considered prudent to include a second stage piece of work, which would see the same consultancy practice hold responsibility for identifying a partner or purchaser for site delivery via marketing or procurement routes to ensure best value is achieved.
13. Timetable for implementation
13.1 Immediately if the recommendations are approved by Council.
14. Contact
14.1 Bruce Strong, Asset Manager, b.strong@spelthorne.gov.uk
Please submit any material questions to the Committee Chair and Officer Contact by two days in advance of the meeting.
Appendices:
Appendix 1 – Social Value Strategy