On March 9th, Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales triggered a Section 20 Review into the procurement practices of nine public bodies in Wales.

Section 20 of the Act gives the Future Generations Commissioner the power to conduct a Review into how public bodies are safeguarding the ability of future generations to meet their needs through the well-being duty and by taking account of the long term impact of their decisions.  A Section 20 Review is the strongest use of the Commissioner’s powers under the legislation.

Working in partnership with Cardiff University, the Commissioner’s team have been undertaking research over the last 6 months to better understand how the Well-being of Future Generations Act is informing commissioning and procurement across the 44 public bodies in Wales covered by the legislation.

Although there is evidence across the board that public bodies are taking steps to apply the Act, the research phase has identified leadership involvement and engagement, resources and capacity, along with the complex landscape as challenges for procuring sustainably.

Following this research, the Commissioner has now triggered a formal Review in exercise of her powers under Section 20 of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.

Public Bodies currently spend over £6 billion each year buying goods, services and works and the Commissioner wants to investigate how this money can be spent in a way that delivers wider benefits to economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being in Wales.

The public bodies subject to this review are:

  • Bridgend County Borough Council
  • Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
  • Denbighshire county council
  • Flintshire county council
  • National Library of Wales
  • Velindre NHS Trust (as hosts of NHS Wales Shared Services)
  • Wrexham county council
  • Welsh Government
  • Ynys Mon / Anglesey council

Early findings will be shared in the Future Generations Report, published at the end of April. The full findings of the review will be published in July 2020.

No media interviews or comment will be provided until after the findings have been published.

All public bodies have been notified.

For any inquiries, please contact: Eurgain Powell on eurgain.powell@futuregenerations.wales