It is coming up to a decade since the Public Services (Social Value) Act was first introduced to Parliament as a bill by Chris White, then MP for Warwick and Leamington. I worked for Chris at the time and I can confidently say that neither of us expected people would still be talking about this legislation close to a decade after he first proposed it. However, during a period of austerity where money has been tight for local councils, it is critical that every pound is squeezed to deliver maximum value for communities.

More than that, not doing social value properly is an opportunity cost for councils as it means increased pressure on council services and budgets in the future. Cutting corners should not be an option.