Welsh GovernmentCommunity Benefit Good Practice Workshop

Wednesday 15 June 2016

Conference Room, Welsh Government, Llandrindod Wells

Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd – Community Benefits Case Study

Introduction

CCG (Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd) was set up in April 2010 following a large scale voluntary transfer of approximately 6,300 social housing stock from Gwynedd Local Authority. The main aim for establishing the company was undertaking WHQS (Welsh Housing Quality Standard) investment works on the whole of our housing stock with £136 million to be spent over 5 years.

With such a large investment came the opportunity to maximise local economic and social opportunities by including social clauses in all our contracts and ensuring our external contractors and service providers employed apprentices and trainees and engaged in community projects and initiatives.

Contract and community benefits included.

The case study selected wasour contract with Lovell Partnerships;‘Term Contract in relation to the design, supply & installation of planned internal and external works.’

The contract formed part of CCG’s WHQSRefurbishment Programme 2010 – 2015and is the 4th year of a 4 year contract relating to 2014/15.The contract incorporated a range of internal and external work on CCG properties and supported various trades such as plumbing, plastering, joinery, electrical, fencing, multi skilling and groundworks.

Core social clauses we’re included as part of the contract stipulating that 15% of the contractor’s workforce had to be new entrants into training – either undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship and new to the construction sector, and that 52 training weeks were generated per £1M of expenditure. Non-Core social clauses were also included with an expectancy for our contractors to engage in community projects and initiatives. The above were monitored monthly and the Welsh Community Benefits Toolkit used to determine the relative impact of the contract on the Welsh economy.

Benefits generated.

In relation to the above contract, specifically for 2014/15 the following benefits were generated:

  • 4 apprenticeships started and completed.
  • 33 apprentices employed during the course of the contract.
  • 844 training weeks generated
  • 92% total expenditure spent on people living in Wales
  • 63% of expenditure spent on businesses based in Wales with 100% of this on Welsh SME’s.
  • Community contributions to the value of £17,840 donated to community projects and initiatives through labour or cash donations such as CCG’s ‘Young Wardens Scheme’ and installing a new floor at a community co-operative in the Dwyfor area.
  • LM3 figure of £1.78 generated through Welsh Community Benefits Measurement Tool (this figure increased from £1.49 in 2013 and £1.58 in 2014).

Generally speaking,Core and Non-Coresocial clauses were included in all our WHQS contracts during the investment period resulting in CCG engaging with over 200 trainees including 138 apprentices. During its peak in September 2012 the WHQS investment programme employed 69 trainees with 39 of these being full time equivalent apprentices.Support to the value of £100,533 has been given to a number of causes including the refurbishment of the Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue Base and Pengwndwn Community House in Blaenau Ffestiniog andfitting a new communal kitchen at Morfa Cadfan sheltered housing and the community centre in Tywyn.

For more information please contact:

Llŷr ap Gruffydd, Business Support and Training Officer, Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd