Rotherham Council’s annual local spending has climbed to more than £122 million, according to its latest Social Value Report, up from £44.8 million in 2019/20 — a rise of £77.3 million over five years.
The report, due before Cabinet on Monday 14 September, also shows social value commitments secured through council contracts now stand at £41.6 million, of which £23.7 million has been delivered and independently verified, a 92% jump on the previous year’s figure.
Social value covers the wider community benefits the council secures when it buys goods, works and services — things like new jobs, apprenticeships, backing for local businesses and community groups, and reduced environmental impact.
Mentoring and support
Since the council’s Social Value Policy launched in 2019, contracts have helped secure or protect 454 full-time-equivalent local jobs and delivered 1,169 weeks of apprenticeships, alongside almost 5,000 hours of personalised career mentoring and support, and more than 700 staff hours spent supporting local schools and colleges.
The authority is also continuing to work alongside partners in the Rotherham Together Partnership, refining the way social value gets planned out, tracked and assessed across the borough.
Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “We want every pound the Council spends to deliver the greatest possible benefit for Rotherham. These figures show what that means in practice – creating jobs and apprenticeships, supporting local businesses, developing skills and helping community organisations.
“We have made strong progress, but there is more to do. Our priority now is to make sure every commitment delivers meaningful and lasting benefits for local people. Over the next year, we will strengthen how we monitor contracts and continue working with our partners to focus social value on the needs and priorities of Rotherham’s communities.”
