Building work delivered by Lindum during the first year of the Scape Regional Construction framework has generated almost £2 million in additional Social Value for local communities.

The first 15 projects have been measured by their impact, both during construction and the lasting legacy afterwards.

Between them, the six Lincolnshire projects and the nine projects in Nottinghamshire (which together accounted for £1.9m of building work) generated £ 1.8m of Social Value benefit.

This figure includes the positive financial impact of using local firms, social enterprises and apprentices on the projects as well as the added extras, such as donations or practical assistance given to communities.

Lindum was appointed to the Scape Regional Construction framework in January 2018 following a rigorous selection process. The framework provides efficiency and certainty to public sector clients across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire for projects delivered by Lindum of up to a value of £750,000. This was also the first framework procured by Scape that requires social value to be consistently captured, measured and reported upon.

Lindum’s Social Value Manager Helen Bedford said: “The Social Value element of the Scape framework aligns really well with the Lindum Ethos.
“At Lindum, we believe there should be a purpose beyond simply making a profit and the company has continually strived to be a good neighbour and responsible employer.
“It is satisfying to see how projects delivered through the framework have already made a positive and tangible impact and whilst the £ 1.8m figure is a great start, the impact of work delivered across the Lindum Group via all of our trading and service divisions (such as our Waste Recycling division) is even greater.”

Social Value is an umbrella term for the broader effects of projects, such as the contribution they make to the long-term wellbeing and resilience of individuals, communities and society in general. It is calculated using a standardised Themes, Outcomes and Measures Method (TOMs) developed in association with the Social Value Portal and endorsed by the Local Government Association.

Alison Ramsey, Scape Group Acting Head of Performance, commented: “Social Value is embedded at the heart of everything we do at Scape Group and is an intrinsic part of our frameworks. It is great to celebrate Lindum’s first year on the Regional Construction framework with the delivery of tangible Social Value.”

In addition Lindum, in collaboration with Rose Regeneration Consultants, has developed bespoke Social Value software (SVE) to verify the Social Value output.

Following a demonstration of the software, City of Lincoln Council has committed to using the platform and a number of other East Midlands based authorities and organisations are considering its use in an effort to create a level playing field of verifiable Social Value data for the region.

Among the work delivered by Lindum in first year of the Scape Regional Construction framework were a series of projects at schools in Nottingham for the City Council. During the work, 79 per cent of the labour was sourced from within a 20-mile radius of the sites and five micro-businesses were invited to work on the projects.

Examples of this include the re-roofing works at Welbeck Primary School, where 100 per cent of the project spend was within 20 miles of the school and the involvement of the Nottingham-based company ABSN, whose early engagement with Crabtree Farm Primary School allowed a quick design “˜turnaround’ and timely procurement of new boilers.

During the work, Lindum employees delivered assemblies to school children and gave them opportunities to discover more about the projects and the vast number of careers offered by the wider construction industry. At the end of the project Lindum donated a selection of wooden play equipment to the school, which included “˜mud kitchens’ and picnic benches all purchased from East Midlands Recycling (EMWR), a local Social Enterprise.
Kevin Ellis, EMWR’s managing director said: “Our reclaimed items are made by local volunteers who come from various backgrounds, this work provides experience in a work setting for those who currently find it difficult to find employment.

“We have enjoyed making the items in the knowledge that they will be put to good use in an educational setting.”