PCD 1428 Accept Funding from Camden Local Authority for the London Resettlement Partnership Evaluation

PCD    1428 Accept Funding from Camden Local Authority for the London Resettlement Partnership Evaluation

The London Resettlement Partnership (LRP) is a joint approach to improving the resettlement experience for children in London. The LRP is primarily funded by the Youth Justice Board but is partnered with the 32 London Boroughs, Association of London Directors of Children’s Services, Ministry of Justice, Youth Justice Board, Youth Custody Service and NHS England. The LRP aims to improve outcomes for children by working in partnership to present real opportunities that support their return to the community with the aim of reducing reoffending. 

MOPAC currently funds a post in Evidence and Insight to undertake the evaluation of LRP, and LB Camden has offered a further £25,000 of match funding for this post, which will enable MOPAC to continue this post until March 2024 which is when the current LRP is due to finish.   

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Accept the grant funding of £25,000 from Camden Local Authority for the London Resettlement Partnership evaluation post in MOPAC Evidence and Insight. 

1. Introduction and background  

1. Resettlement has been shown to be a major area for improvement within the youth justice system with various issues identified such as high reoffending rates and high instances of missing children following release. Although numbers of children in custody have been steadily falling for the past 10 years, London has the highest proportion nationally and the number of children in custody is expected to more than double by 2024.​ Children from London make up 30% of all children in custody.  ​ 

2. The HMIP Thematic inspection of Resettlement identified that, nationally, there has been no significant improvement in resettlement work since 2015. ​From 2021, the HMIP Core Inspection Framework will change and YOTs will be judged on the effectiveness of their resettlement work. 

3. The LRP were awarded grant funding from the YJB to develop the London Constructive Resettlement Pathfinder in 2020.  

4. LRP is based on concept of constructive resettlement (CR).​ CR is rooted in the theory of secondary desistance which is defined as the transformation to a non-offending identity.​ 

2. Issues for consideration  

MOPAC is currently funding a post in Evidence and Insight to undertake the evaluation. The post is only funded until 2022/23, however, the LRP are keen to continue the post for the whole duration that pilot is currently funded for. This especially owing to the delays that resulted from Covid and subsequent challenges in securing information sharing agreements with all 32 boroughs, which was essential for the evaluation. These have now been resolved and therefore LB Camden are looking to provide the additional funding to enable MOPAC to continue this post to March 2024.   

3. Financial Comments  

MOPAC currently funds a post in Evidence and Insight to undertake the evaluation of LRP at a cost of c£50,000. The post is currently only funded until March 2023. 

This decision seeks approval to accept grant funding from the LB Camden totalling £25,000 to enable MOPAC to continue this post until March 2024, the balance of funds required will be met from within the Commissioning and Partnerships 2023/24 budget.  

4. Legal Comments  

1. MOPAC’s general powers are set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). Section 3(6) of the 2011 Act provides that MOPAC must “secure the maintenance of the metropolitan police service and secure that the metropolitan police service is efficient and effective.” Under Schedule 3, paragraph 7 (1) MOPAC has wide incidental powers to “do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office.” Paragraph 7(2) (a) provides that this includes entering into contracts and other agreements. 

2. Section 143 (1) (b) of the Anti-Social, Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides for MOPAC to provide or commission services “intended by the local policing body to victims or witnesses of or other persons affected by, offences and anti-social behaviour.” Section 143 (3) specifically allows MOPAC to make grants in connection with such arrangements and any grant may be made subject to any conditions that MOPAC thinks appropriate. 

3. There are further relevant powers set out in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 at sections 17(1) (a) to (c) which place MOPAC under a duty to exercise its functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of those functions on, and the need to do all it can to prevent, crime and disorder (including anti-social and other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment), reoffending in its area, and the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances in its area. The proposed arrangements are consistent with MOPAC’s duties in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. 

4. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all offers of grant funding. 

5. These recommendations are in line with the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent. 

5. Commercial Issues  

1. All grants and contracts which utilise this funding will incorporate the relevant terms from the grant agreement between MOPAC and the Camden Local Authority to ensure compliance. 

6. Public Health Approach  

This piece of work is aligned with a public health approach by supporting constructive resettlement with the aim of achieving a long term reduction in offending and violent behaviour. 

7. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that an up to date DPIA is in place for the duration of the evaluation period. 

8. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

2. Any issues arising regarding impact on protected characteristics will be reflected within the evaluation. 

9. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 PCD 849 – Criminal Justice Team Commissioning Decisions 2021/22