Blackpool Council's suppliers charter

Blackpool Council’s mission states:

“The UK’s number one family resort with a thriving economy that supports a happy and healthy community who are proud of this unique town.”

With this in mind, the purpose of this charter is to set out some guiding principles which Blackpool Council will adhere to and to which it will invite its contracted suppliers, the wider business community, other public sector bodies (including xchools) and third sector organisations to adopt.

The council is a major purchaser within the local economy and seeks to act as a role model of good purchasing practice and recognises that suppliers play a critical role in the delivery of public services. We want to work with suppliers in a way that promotes a clear understanding of the council’s needs.

Charter signatories will consider how they can make a positive contribution to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of Blackpool in order to help achieve the following priorities.

Council priorities

“The economy: Maximising growth and opportunity across Blackpool”
“Communities: Creating stronger communities and increasing resilience”
“Organisational Resilience: Ensuring the efficient and effective running of the organisation to enable us to deliver quality services”

Charter principles

The charter sets out six key principles which seek to embed the duty of Public Services (Social Value) Act alongside the council's aspiration to ensure all of its partners and suppliers adopt corporate social and ethically responsible and sustainable policies and practices.

Local employment
Local supply chains
Good employer
Green and sustainable
Best practice processes
Supporting our communities

Our commitment to suppliers

Blackpool Council is committed to:

Operate lawful procurement processes that ensure all rules and policies are fairly applied, which also minimises the cost to suppliers and allows equal access to relevant information
Encourage a wider and diverse range of suppliers to compete for council business
Any tender that the corporate procurement team undertake will be advertised on the North West e-tendering Portal – The Chest
Where appropriate and practicable, Blackpool Council will balance opportunities with value for money by considering the division of larger contracts into smaller lots, to give SMEs and the voluntary and community sector an equal chance to tender for them
Where appropriate Blackpool Council will conduct supplier days to brief, train and support suppliers to submit compliant tenders
Respond to enquiries in a courteous, timely and professional manner
Publish guidance on how to do business with the council in appropriate locations and provide clear specifications avoiding unnecessary and onerous contract terms and information requirements
Offer constructive feedback to suppliers after award of contracts
Where invoices are not in dispute, to meet contractual payment terms
Always act in line with our council values of accountability, fairness, quality, trustworthiness and compassion

Signatories of the charter will commit to or consider the following:

Details of commitments
Charter principles	Measures	Method
Local employment Create employment and training opportunities for local residents, including people with disabilities, and support work placements.	Establish links to proactively identify local employment/ training/placement opportunities, for example: - Positive Steps, The Platform, Jobcentre Plus, colleges, schools, VCSEs Seek opportunities to work with schools to ensure that the young people of Blackpool are equipped with the right skills to match the requirements of the labour market Seek opportunities that support marginalised and most disadvantaged groups - E.g. long term unemployed, NEETS, care leavers, veterans, neuro-diverse/disabled people, ex -offenders	Aim to make these contacts as early as possible Develop partnerships with schools and create a skills development plan Continuous assessment and delivery throughout the contract duration Set up meetings with partner organisations within the first month of contract commencement. Continuous assessment and delivery throughout the contract duration
Local supply chains Support the local economy by prioritising local suppliers and encouraging your supply chain to do the same.	Prioritise sourcing from suppliers close to the point of delivery Encourage your suppliers to adopt a "buy local" policy within their supply chains Collate evidence of local spend in an electronic folder	Implement from the start of the procurement process Spend with local SMEs (£) (Any business with an FY postcode) Communicate this expectation to suppliers within the first month and monitor compliance throughout the contract Submit evidence on a quarterly basis. Case studies and data
Good employer practices Ensure fair treatment, safety, and well-being of all employees.	Ensure fair wages, adopt the Real Living Wage, and avoid zero-hours contracts Maintain a safe and hygienic working environment, complying with relevant legislation and standards Implement and enforce a non-discrimination policy and ensure a harassment-free workplace Zero tolerance of any form of bullying, victimisation, harassment or intimidation Develop a domestic abuse staff policy, pledging support for victims and aligning with the White Ribbon campaign Mental health and well-being support within the workplace	Implement immediately and apply throughout all employment practices Continuously ensure compliance and conduct regular reviews Policy to be in place and communicated to all employees from day one Policies and staff protocol to be communicated from day one. Support and guidance in place for employees Policy to be developed and implemented Implement support and wellness programs No. of health/wellbeing promotion interventions supported for staff, customers and the community
Green and sustainable practices Minimise environmental impact and promote sustainability.	Monitor and reduce carbon footprint, focusing on both direct and indirect impacts Adopt the “reduce, reuse, recycle” philosophy to eliminate waste Minimise negative local impacts, such as noise and air quality issues, and enhance green areas Utilise environmentally sustainable products and materials Improve carbon literacy within your business	Implement assessments and establish reduction targets. Integrate these practices into all operations Develop and implement a mitigation plan Begin sourcing sustainable options from the outset of procurement Liaise with Blackpool Council's climate team regarding online short courses for your staff
Best practice processes Maintain the highest standards of integrity, compliance, and collaboration.	Adhere to Blackpool Council's values and ethical standards in all business conduct Pay suppliers and subcontractors promptly in line with the council’s terms Focus on delivering value for money and continuous improvement Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and council guidelines. Work collaboratively with the council, suggesting innovative solutions Provide feedback and address problems quickly to facilitate early resolution Support the use of technology for efficient sourcing processes	Immediate and ongoing adherence Implement from the start of the contract and maintain throughout Ongoing throughout the contract Immediate compliance with continuous monitoring Foster collaboration from the start and maintain open communication channels Ongoing, with prompt reporting of any issues as they arise Implement relevant technologies
Supporting and engaging with our local communities	Engage with communities in order to provide social value where it will make most impact Support increased capacity of voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations through investing in local infrastructure, provision of resources, volunteering and other social impact programs Increased capacity and sustainability of the local voluntary and community sector Investing in local infrastructure and resources Volunteering and social impact programs Support resident health and well-being As above As above Celebrate diversity and community cohesion Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs As above	Ensure that engagement activity runs in line with the council's community engagement framework document, considering who you are engaging and why. (Framework available as a supplementing document) Invest in VCFSE groups based on their communicated need, considering; financial investment, physical resources or support with skills and business expertise such as accounting As above Enhance facilities and opportunities available to residents, building community cohesion through the utilisation of community assets such as community centres, parks, libraries and green spaces Raise awareness of local organisations with employees, encouraging them to engage in volunteer activities within the community Supporting vulnerable groups: working alongside existing organisations and referral pathways to provide food, shelter, community or other relevant services to vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, homeless, or at-risk youth. Consider resident health when undertaking partnership with VCFSE organisations. This could include partnering with local health providers to offer health screenings, wellness programs/mental health support Support local sports teams or clubs, or create accessible fitness programs that engage both youth and adults in physical activity Promote inclusivity by celebrating the diversity of the community through multicultural events or awareness campaigns, including considering involvement of minority groups and those seldom heard in any engagement work CSR strategy: Develop a robust corporate social responsibility plan that aligns business objectives with community goals, ensuring long-term, impactful engagement Transparency and accountability: Regularly report back to the community on the impact of your social value initiatives, creating a sense of shared progress and ownership
Monitoring and reporting Regular progress reviews with Blackpool Council contract manager to ensure adherence to the action plan.	Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor social value, to ensure that the intended social value outcomes are effectively tracked, measured, and achieved Make necessary adjustments based on feedback and ongoing evaluation. Ensure every action is accompanied by evidence and case studies where appropriate	Ensure metrics Are SMART: KPIs should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) Provide quarterly updates on the progress of each action item. For sharing of good news stories, liaise with comms, social value officer

Why will signing up to Blackpool Council's supplier charter be good for my business?

By signing the Charter, you are telling other businesses and customers in Blackpool that you are committed to:

Spending your Blackpool pound with local companies to maximise the economic benefit to the town
Recruiting locally, being a good employer and creating opportunities for employee volunteering
Looking after the local environment
Supporting the health, well-being and resilience of our communities
Being an inclusive, supportive employer, advocating fair treatment, safety, and well-being of all employees

For the council:

Councillor Lynn Williams, leader of the ouncil

Signed on behalf of the contractor:

Contractor’s authorised representative