As a Council, we want to make a positive impact on people and places in the Sevenoaks District. We call this impact 'social value' and it covers three themes:
- social - creating healthier, safer and more resilient communities
- economic - promoting local skills and employment growth, supporting inclusive diverse and responsible businesses
- environmental - supporting environmental sustainability and contributing to the aims of our Climate Change Strategy
Through our activities, the goods and services we buy, and the local organisations we partner with, we are working to:
- develop a thriving economy that benefits local people, and increase the amount of wealth produced, controlled and invested locally.
- support communities, boost health and wellbeing, and reduce health and other avoidable inequalities.
- reduce harm to the environment and develop more sustainable ways of working and living.
How we deliver social value
We take account of the importance of social value across all our activities. This includes:
Procurement: Where appropriate, we consider social value as part of our procurement process for contractors, supporting suppliers to consider how they can deliver both financial and social value.
Activities as an employer: We have a responsibility to recruit and manage staff in a way that delivers social value across the District. This means treating people fairly, providing opportunities for training and development, and looking after staff health and wellbeing.
Our supported internship programme with Broomhill Bank School supports young people with learning difficulties and we offer school work experience placements.
We guarantee an interview for the following groups of people, where they meet the essential criteria in the relevant job specification.
- forces veterans
- care leavers
To support health and wellbeing, we have trained in-house Mental Health First Aiders and Menopause Champions, run an Employee Assistance programme offering confidential advice and support 24/7, and provide a wide variety of occupational health services.
Time off for volunteering: Every member of staff can take two, half days paid leave each year to volunteer in the Sevenoaks District.
Partnerships: Strong collaboration with other public sector organisations, the voluntary, community and faith sector, and local businesses allows us to boost social value.
Our Community Plan 2022-32 provides a shared, long–term, partnership vision for the Sevenoaks District developed by the Sevenoaks District Local Strategic Partnership. The Plan highlights how adopting a collective approach can help to better achieve the ambitions of the people that live and work in the District.
Our Community Grants Scheme exists to help voluntary organisations and groups which provide projects, services or activities that benefit people living, working or volunteering in the Sevenoaks District, focusing on those in greatest need.
The Better Together community hub connects residents, businesses and the voluntary sector to promote community assets and deliver social value at a local level.
Impact on the environment: Our Climate Change Strategy sets out how we will respond to the global challenge of climate change and how the natural environment of Sevenoaks District will be enhanced and protected.
Planning and development: A key focus of the planning system is to secure mitigation for the impact of development, making planning gain a significant source of investment. See CIL and Developer Contributions.