CONSTRUCTION projects are continuing to benefit Dundee’s economy, the city’s local authority has said.
Councillors are set to meet on November 20 to hear that the city’s ‘wide-ranging’ building programme delivered local spend of £24.2 million on construction projects in 2022/23, using more than 80% of local labour.
This includes the Harris Academy extension, Camperdown Hub, Michelin Innovation Parc, Derby Street Housing project, and the Broughty Ferry to Monifieth active travel project.
In total, Dundee City Council said that the its community benefits policy delivered 24 employment opportunities, 19 new start employment opportunities, five project initiated modern apprenticeships, and 49 work experience opportunities.
Members of the council’s city governance committee will hear that the success of community wealth building – which has a core focus on growing social and environmental benefits in all economic activity – will become a procurement community wealth building (CWB) strategy and include measures to:
- Maximise local spend both directly and indirectly through subcontractors;
- Explore measures to support generative business, social enterprises, cooperatives, employee-owned business, and supported business to be able to access public sector contracts;
- Continue to promote fair work including the living wage through procurement;
- Develop a community wishes approach for Dundee;
- Establish a CWB procurement partners group to take forward CWB priorities at a partnership level;
- Explore options to improve sustainability through procurement.
John Alexander convener of the city governance committee said, “Through policies like this we are able to continue to create jobs and opportunities for local people, including providing employment for some who were previously unemployed or made redundant, by delivering on our ambitions for the city.
“We will build on the strong partnerships that already exist across the public, private, education and third sectors while our procurement processes continue to maximise the achievement of best value.”
