Community Benefits Clauses (CBC) are essentially clauses within contracts requiring tenderers to commit to undertaking some form of social impact as part of winning that contract.
Fife Council understands the importance of linking economic and social development in our local communities. Our role is to improve the quality of life for people who live in, work in or visit Fife. We put people and communities at the heart of everything we do. We want Fife to be a place where we make the best use of our assets and facilities while sustaining them for future generations. We are committed to supporting businesses to grow and to make sure that communities benefit from that business growth and make Fife a Fairer place.
Fife Council is committed to maximising Community Benefits from its Procurement activities. Accordingly, contract performance conditions may relate in particular to social, economic and environmental considerations. We ask that contractors, and their supply chain, support Fife Council’s social and economic objectives.
The Scottish Government has produced a Policy Note which gives an overview of what the public sector is trying to achieve.
There is no definitive list of the community-based benefits which can be delivered through contracts offered by Fife Council, although some ideas are listed.
We are interested to see what innovative ideas or support your business can offer the local community. The value of community benefit will correlate to the size of the tender and should be relevant to the overall objective of the Contract. We know the benefit will have a resource implication for your business yet it may be relatively low cost for your business to deliver, but be of high value to the receiving organisation or community.
To guide you as to what Fife Council and our partners are trying to achieve with CBCs it’s worth looking at the Plan for Fife 2017- 2027. It details the four priority themes which are: Opportunities for All; Thriving Places; Inclusive Growth and Jobs and; community-led services. The plan also lists 12 ambitions for Fife which your bid may wish to assist with achieving.
Priority themes
Opportunities for All is about ensuring that no one is left behind. We aim to ensure that everyone can access opportunities in education, training, jobs and wider society, and have equal access to the support and advice they might need to support a fulfilling and decent life.
Examples of community benefits that support Opportunities for All are listed below but you may have your own innovative ideas that you feel are more relevant for your business to deliver as part of the contract.
- Participate in a local schools’ career day
- Donate equipment or materials to a local school
- Contribute to Community enhancement projects
- Support Social Enterprises and 3rd sector organisations –staff time to volunteer for example
- Offer supported training or work experience for people who are classed as furthest from the labour market
- Talks to students, school children and their families and community groups
- Support local school(s) to participate in enterprise/STEM programmes
Thriving Places are safe, well-designed and maintained places that promote wellbeing, where people are proud to be, and where they have access to the services and facilities they need at different stages of their lives.
Examples of community benefits that support Thriving Places are listed below but you may have your own innovative ideas that you feel are more relevant for your business to deliver as part of the contract.
- Contribute to local environmental improvements
- Support tidy-up projects – litter picking/graffiti removal etc
- Contribute to public art projects
- Sponsor a local group/team/club
- Engage in local zero waste/recycling projects
- Provide resources for community environmental initiatives
- Provide resources for improvements to local physical infrastructure
Growth in the local economy should benefit everyone. It shouldn’t pass people and places by. We will therefore focus on improving investment, growth and participation by businesses, people and communities, particularly in the Mid-Fife area. We aim to support businesses to grow and to make sure that communities benefit from new business investment.
Examples of community benefits that support Inclusive Growth and Jobs are listed below but you may have your own innovative ideas that you feel are more relevant for your business to deliver as part of the contract.
- Offer supported training/work experience for people who are classed as furthest from the labour market
- Work with local training providers to identify skills gaps and identify opportunities for training
- Provide business support to SMEs, Social Enterprises /3rd sector organisations i.e accounting/ HR/ H&S advice etc)
- Offer Sub-contract opportunities to local SMEs, Social Enterprises and the Third Sector
- Support local school(s) to participate in enterprise/STEM programmes
- Support skill development in supply chain opportunities to local SMEs, Social Enterprises and the Voluntary Sector
- Job shadowing opportunities offered
Community-led Services mean putting communities and service users at the heart of how we design services, building on the strengths and assets we have in our workforce and in our communities in order to deliver valued services.
Examples of community benefits that support Community Led Services are listed below but you may have your own innovative ideas that you feel are more relevant for your business to deliver as part of the contract.
- Support local community events (Festivals/ 10K / fun days/ gala days etc.)
- Promote and engage with community consultation
- Support projects which reduce social isolation/loneliness
- Support health promotion/wellness programmes, support groups, self-help programmes, free clinics and mobile clinics etc
- Serving on a community committee/board on work time
Additional Guidance
To determine whether a program or cost is a community benefit, as opposed to a routine service or marketing initiative, it may help you if you consider the following questions;
- Does the activity address an identified community need?
- Does the activity support an organisation’s community-based mission?
- Does the activity produce a measurable community benefit
- Is it additional activity over and above just good business practice?
Support for Businesses
Fife Council’s Procurement and Economic Development teams are committed to supporting small/medium enterprises and 3rd sector organisations who have aspirations to bid for contracts. The teams have created a supportive network with key partners to provide this support including:
Business Gateway Fife
Business Gateway Fife provides practical help, advice and support for new and growing businesses in Fife. Business skills workshops are available to help with the skills required to run a successful business. Expert Help for specific projects to achieve business recovery or growth ambitions is also available for businesses.
For more information on the Business Gateway Fife services visit www.businessgatewayfife.co.uk
Fife Council’s Supplier Development Programme
Fife Council’s Supplier Development Programme offers expert training, support and information to help you win work and grow your business. There are a number of free workshops and access to specialist adviser surgeries covering all aspects of tendering from finding opportunities and submitting your first bid to expanding your market.
Find out more about the Supplier Development Programme in Fife
Should you have any questions or need clarity on a possible community benefit please contact the appropriate Fife Council Procurement category manager:
Category Managers
Stuart Fargie
stuart.fargie@fife.gov.uk
03451 555555 Ext 445959
Derek Hamilton
derek.hamilton@fife.gov.uk
03451 555555 Ext 445906
Jacqui Lambert
jacqui.lambert@fife.gov.uk
03451 555555 Ext 445961
Niki Hutchison
niki.hutchison@fife.gov.uk
03451 555555 Ext 445945
Gary Moyes
gary.moyes@fife.gov.uk
03451 555555 Ext 444429