Consultation On The Proposed Community Empowerment - Scottish ...

3.145 A number of respondents pointed to the need to review existing public sector
procurement procedures and to give greater recognition to the role of
community groups in delivering contracts, for example, through greater use of
‘social benefit clauses’ and community benefit clauses’. A few respondents
made reference to work already being undertaken by Scottish Government in
relation to third sector tendering and contracting, and suggested that this might
be relevant. Others, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, stated that this
matter should be addressed as part of the Scottish Government’s planned
Procurement Reform Bill.
3.146 Many respondents (particularly community groups, other community
organisations and third sector/ equalities organisations) made the point that
information about public service delivery contract opportunities needed to be
more accessible. Some respondents highlighted that the Scottish
Government’s Public Contracts Scotland website would be helpful in this regard,
but community groups would need to be made more aware of its existence.
3.147 Others (particularly community groups and third sector/ equalities organisations)
felt that the scale of public sector contracts could also act as a barrier,
suggesting that contracts needed to be broken down into more ‘manageable
chunks’.
“Public service delivery contracts have not often considered
the scale required for contracts to be deliverable by
community organisations. This applies particularly to
framework agreements, which are becoming increasingly
common.”
(Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations)
3.148 There was a degree of support among some respondents that rather than
getting involved in the direct delivery of public services, there might be more
scope for community groups to have a greater say in the design and
management of local services.
“In some cases communities could be more involved in the
design and specification of service contracts, what outcomes
are to be achieved, how performance would be measured,
and assessing contracts. For many communities this
involvement would be welcomed and preferable to delivering
services.”
(Fife Community Planning Partnership)
“If ‘access’ (access to public service delivery contracts)
presumes that community groups might themselves seek to
tender for local services contracts, this is a different and
much more complex question. Most community groups are
not formed primarily to operate as commercial businesses.”
(Nairn West Community Council)
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