FINANCIAL pressures on local authorities are likely to remain intense: so how can they offer more social and business support in their communities?

Yet government guidance now insists that councils look for extra social value from their spending. Can the same spend both procure council services and support communities with social and environmental benefits?

New Prosperity Devon, itself a social enterprise, is offering online workshops to show how far institutions can improve the social value they create through their ordinary spending.

On Friday, May 24, senior procurement officers Rosanna Wilson of Teign Procurement and Phil Symons of Plymouth City Council will discuss the innovative ways they are boosting social and environmental value from council budgets, integrating this with regular spending decisions.

They’ll be explaining the changes made in their authorities to processes for commissioning and procurement, and looking at how working with local organisations can help achieve shared goals.

Many charities, community groups and social enterprises have grassroots knowledge and expertise with what they do, whether it is in the field of health and well-being, housing services, supporting disadvantaged people, or providing regular products and services that institutions need, bodies like local authorities, the NHS, universities and colleges.

Working with local knowledge, and often with volunteers, they can provide extra benefits such as social support, specialist knowledge and flexibility - when they fulfil public sector requirements.

CoLab Exeter, 361 Energy and The Turning Tides Project (based in Crediton) are all social enterprises.

The organisation 361 works on fuel poverty and energy advice as well as renewable installations.

The Turning Tides Project provides genuine employment and creative activities for people with learning difficulties and autism labels. Exeter CoLab hosts community organisations, support groups and new enterprises which also meet social goals, with its CEO Fiona Carden heading collaboration with councils on work with homeless people with complex needs.

That work has brought better results and saved councils money.

Representatives of all three will speak on their work with and for public sector bodies at the online panel discussion and workshop “Meet the Social Economy”, on Friday, May 13.

Martin Slocombe joined 361 Energy in 2019 after a career in the printing industry and then became an award-winning Green Ambassador, offering domestic and commercial energy advice and promoting climate friendly solutions. He will share his experiences of working with public institutions.

Martin says: “Over the last 12 years I have had the pleasure of working with care homes, hospitals, shopping centres, sports and leisure centres, car manufacturers, churches, parish and town councils and a whole host of interesting SMEs, Community Interest Companies and Charities, helping them improve their energy efficiency, reduce their carbon and save money.”

The workshops are provided through a partnership programme Support Social Enterprise headed by the School for Social Entrepreneurs Dartington and funded by the Devon Community Renewal Fund, which is also offering structured support to new and existing social enterprises, co-ops and community organisations.

More details and registration for “Purchasing for Prosperity” on May 24 are on Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/purchasing-for-prosperity-public-procurement-commissioning-in-devon-tickets-330110498387  and for “Meet the Social Economy” on May 13 on the New Prosperity Devon website: (https://www.newprosperitydevon.org/supplying-devon-shared-prosperity) and Facebook page.