PCD 1510 Match funding for Home Office and Ministry of Justice VAWG Specialist Services Fund

PCD 1510 Match funding for Home Office and Ministry of Justice VAWG Specialist Services Fund

As outlined in the Mayor’s refreshed Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy 2022 – 2025, specialist ‘by and for’ organisations in the VAWG sector, which support women and girls with different protected characteristics and from all marginalised groups, must be part of the effort to prevent VAWG through a public health approach. Since 2020, the Mayor has invested £6m in establishing his VAWG Grassroots Fund 1 and 2, aimed at supporting the resilience of these specialist organisations in London who focus on ending VAWG for those from marginalised groups.  

Earlier this year the government, through the Home Office (HO), announced new funding for VAWG Support and Specialist Services for 2023-25. MOPAC supported the London Community Foundation (LCF), the Grassroots Funds’ managers, in their bid to the ‘By and For’ Services element of the funding. Should the bid be successful, CEOD 12/2023 authorised MOPAC to provide match funding of up to £57,000 in 2023/24 and 2024/25, to contribute to the learning and development programme for grantees. LCF’s bid was initially unsuccessful. However, in June 2023 the HO confirmed that the application had been reconsidered and was successful, following the withdrawal of some of the original applicants.  

At the time CEO 12/2023 was approved, MOPAC’s intention was to issue a contract variation to LCF via the Grant Administration Services contract (PCD 1190 related). However, since this date MOPAC has launched the VAWG Cost of Living Fund and VAWG Grassroots 2 Fund, both of which are being managed by LCF, and the contract has therefore effectively reached its maximum value.  

In order to honour the original match funding commitment made and ensure ‘By and For’ organisations in London benefit from this funding, this Decision is seeking approval to issue a Grant Award to LCF for up to £57,000 in 2023/24.   

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

• approve the provision of match funding of up to £57,000 in 2023/24 via a Grant Award; and 

• approve the issuing of a new grant agreement to LCF for up to £57,000 to transfer MOPAC’s match funding for the VAWG Support and Specialist Services ‘By and For’ funding.  

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background 

1. In November 2022 the Home Office (HO) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) launched a two-year consolidated Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Support and Specialist Service Fund for financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25.  

2. The largest component of the Fund was the ‘By and For’ Services Fund, worth £6m across FYs 2023/24 and 2024/25. It was designed to further build capacity in ‘by and for’ frontline service delivery for victims and survivors of VAWG, ensure services are tailored for those with protected characteristics/complex needs, and invest in partnerships to bridge the gaps in tailored support for victims.  

3. Since 2020, the Mayor has invested £6m in establishing his VAWG Grassroots Fund 1 and 2, aimed at supporting the resilience of these specialist organisations in London who focus on ending VAWG for those from marginalised groups.  

4. The purpose of the VAWG Grassroots Funds is to nurture and enhance grassroot specialist led ‘by and for’ providers who are supporting victims of VAWG in line with the Police and Crime Plan and VAWG Strategy priorities. The London Community Foundation (LCF) manage the VAWG Grassroots Fund through MOPAC’s Grant Administration Services contract (PCD 1190 relates).  

5. MOPAC wished for London to secure funding through the VAWG Support and Specialist Service Fund and in order to meet the eligibility requirements of the Fund, supported LCF’s bid (as lead partner) to the ‘By and For’ Services element of the funding. Should the bid be successful, CEOD 12/2023 authorised MOPAC to provide match funding of up to £57,000 in 2023/24 and 2024/25, to contribute to the learning and development programme for grantees. 

6. In March 2023 LCF received notification that they had been unsuccessful.  However, in June 2023, the HO confirmed that the application had been reconsidered and was successful, following the withdrawal of some of the original applicants.  

2. Issues for consideration 

1. MOPAC worked with LCF to develop a bid to the By and For Services element of the VAWG Support and Specialist Service Fund, with the intention of securing 2-year continuation funding for 22 existing VAWG Grassroots Fund 1 recipients. These projects were identified, through ongoing grant management, as having the highest impact to date, operating effectively in supporting survivors but who would be impacted the most if they were not successful in being funded through the new VAWG Grassroots 2 Fund not yet launched at the time of bid submission.  

2. The total bid was for £1.2m over FY 2023/24 and 2024/25.   

3. CEOD 12/2023 “Match Funding for Home Office and Ministry of Justice VAWG Specialist Services Fund” authorised MOPAC to provide up to £57k match funding contribution to the capacity building element of the Fund over 23/24 and 24/25, through varying the existing Grant Administration Services contract with the London Community Foundation.  

4. Unfortunately, LCF’s bid was initially unsuccessful. However, in May 2023 the HO contacted LCF and MOPAC to advise that the bid was being reconsidered following the withdrawal from some of the successful applicants. MOPAC were asked to confirm that the original match funding committed would be honoured, and this was confirmed.  On 30th June 2023, the Home Office confirmed that LCF were successful in their bid.   

5. At the time CEOD 12/2023 was approved, MOPAC’s intention was to provide the match funding from in-year underspends via the Grant Administrations Contract. However, since this date MOPAC has launched the VAWG Cost of Living Fund and VAWG Grassroots 2 Fund, both of which are being managed by LCF, and the contract has therefore effectively reached its maximum value.  

6. In order to honour the original match funding commitment made and ensure ‘By and For’ organisations in London benefit from this funding, this Decision is seeking approval to issue a Grant Award to LCF for up to £57,000 over FY 2023/24 and FY 2024/25.     

7. It also seeks approval to new grant agreement to LCF for up to £57,000 to transfer MOPAC’s match funding for the VAWG Support and Specialist Services ‘By and For’ funding.  

8. The Casey review found the MPS to be institutionally racist and sexist, and it had failed to protect women and girls from gendered crime and violence. This work is part of the Mayor’s renewed focus on tackling VAWG to improve women’s trust and confidence in the MPS, continuing to enable London’s VAWG grassroots organisations to provide specialist support to those from minoritised communities.  

3. Financial Comments 

1. The value of the Grant Award is up to £57,000 in 2023/24, and it will be funded from the 2023/24 VAWG Emerging Priorities 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 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 an express power for MOPAC, as a local policing body, to provide or commission services “intended by the local policing body to help victims or witnesses of, or other persons affected by, offences and anti-social behaviour. 

3. 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 bids for grant funding. 

5. Commercial Issues 

1. MOPAC as the commissioner for this competitive procurement process will ensure that any contract will be awarded in line with Procurement Contract Regulations 2015 (PCR2015). 

2. This procurement will take account and comply with the GLA Group’s Responsible Procurement (RP) Policy. 

6. Public Health Approach  

1. Grant awards and variations are informed by the Mayor’s public health approach to violence reduction and therefore part of MOPAC’s contribution to overall efforts led by the Violence Reduction Unit.  The public health approach to violence prevention is being led by London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), which supports the MOPAC work through preventative programmes supporting young people. 

7. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. The provider will not be commissioned to process any personally identifiable information. If over the course of the delivery, it appears necessary for the provider to process personally identifiable information then MOPAC’s Data Protection Officer will be consulted, and a Data Protection Impact Assessment will be completed.  

2. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

8. Equality Comments 

1. The Equality Act 2010 puts a responsibility on public authorities to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity.  

2. 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. 

9. Background/supporting papers 

PCD 1190 

CEOD 12/2023