SWPA's News Bulletin: Q4 2024

"I'm delighted to have joined the South West Procurement Alliance and am looking forward to supporting the team continue to deliver a crucial service to our clients in the South West of England. In my first few weeks here I am overwhelmed by the amount of diverse and innovative Social Value initiatives that are being delivered locally and I am looking forward to contributing to many, many more."

Richard Hughes, The South West Procurement Alliance (SWPA) Regional Director.

 

The South West Procurement Alliance's Upcoming Retrofit and Decarbonisation (N9) Framework

Set to launch imminently, this innovative new framework is designed to support local authorities, housing associations, education and other public sector organisations in delivering a range of energy efficiency and decarbonisation works, helping them with the challenge of achieving net zero and improving the EPC ratings of their stock.

 

The South West Procurement Alliance celebrate 5 Years!

The SWPA team hosted their Committee Meeting at Low Carbon Exchange's Training Academy in Weston-super-Mare. The team also took the opportunity to celebrate a milestone - 5 successful years of the South West Procurement Alliance!

 

SWPA's Contribution to Social Value

The SWPA team continue to invest in the local South West region through their Community Benefit Fund, and with the support of Locality. The Community Benefit Fund allows the team to provide grants for much needed support throughout the region, to community groups and charities. This is in line with LHCPG's Social Value Strategy and our ethos to improve lives and places through quality procurement solutions.

 

It's Gold for the South West!

The South West Procurement Alliance achieves Gold Standard verification for all its public sector frameworks. Local councils and housing associations in the region can now benefit from the highest quality and most well-run procurement frameworks in the country.

 

Exciting Transition to Community Benefit Fund!

Starting 1st April 2025, traditional client rebates will be replaced with Community Benefit Fund (CBF) allocations, ensuring every surplus pound drives meaningful local impact. We are not changing the criteria used for rebates for CBF allocations, so Associate Partners will have the opportunity to access the same share of LHCPG’s surplus as they did before.

During a transition period from 1st April 2024 to 31 March 2025, registered Associate Partners (APs) continue to qualify for rebates. From April 2026, any CBF earned during the 1st April 2025 to 31 March 2026 financial year, can be drawn down by Associate Partners as previously, but with the key difference being a more formalised approach to supporting charitable projects and organisations in your local communities, and outcomes reporting.

Read more here.

CBF Transition
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