Construction projects continue to boost economy

A LONG-STANDING community benefits policy has created dozens of employment opportunities, apprenticeships and openings for work experience through major Dundee construction projects.

Councillors will hear that a wide-ranging building programme delivered local spend of £24.2m on construction projects in 2022/23, using more than 80% of local labour.

This includes Harris Academy extension, Camperdown Hub, Michelin Innovation Parc, Derby Street Housing Project and Broughty Ferry to Monifieth active travel.

In 2022/23 the community benefits policy delivered:

• 24 employment opportunities
• 19 new start employment opportunities (previously unemployed, redundant, graduates or new entrants)           
• 5 project initiated modern apprenticeships        
• 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; and
• 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.”

Fairness spokesperson for the council, Cllr Siobhan Tolland added: “By embedding Community Wealth Building into our economic activity, we can not only add value and wealth to Dundee, but build community and environmental wellbeing in our city.”

The city governance committee meets on Monday (November 20).