PCD 1714 Additional Home Office Funding – National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Operation Soteria

MOPAC approved the acceptance of Home Office funding for upto £2,500,000 in 2024/25 to support the Joint Soteria Unit in implementing the roll out of the national operating model for the investigation of rape and other serious sexual offences (RAOSO). The Home Office have made an offer of additional funding of £1,200,000 for 2024/25. 

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve receipt of an additional value of £1,200,000 in financial year 2024/25 for grant AOU713 

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

1. Introduction and background 

1. MOPAC host the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) which manages a joint unit comprising NPCC, the College of Policing (CoP) and the Home Office (HO) to rollout the implementation of the National Operating Model (NOM) to improve policing response to rape – Operation Soteria Bluestone. 

2. On behalf of the NPCC MOPAC approved the acceptance of Home Office funding for Operation Soteria Bluestone in February 2023 in respect of both 2023/24 at £2,450,000 and for 2024/25 for upto £2,500,000.   

2. Issues for consideration 

1. The Home Office has offered additional grant funding of £1,200,000 for 2024/25 for Operation Soteria Bluestone. 

2. This grant funding is for the upkeep of the NPCC and College of Policing components of the Joint Soteria Unit (joint with the Home Office.) The purpose of this Joint Unit is to lead on the national implementation of the National Operation Model, developed through Operation Soteria, to improve the police response to, and investigation of, rape and other sexual offences (RAOSO). 

3. Financial Comments 

1. The additional grant award for 2024/25 is upto £1,200,000. 

2. These funds will be managed by ACC Dee Perkins as lead for the NPCC contingent of the Joint Unit which in turn will be overseen by the joint Home Office/NPCC Soteria Senior Reesponsible Officers. 

3. The NPCC assure that the grant will fund all the expected costs of the Joint Unit with respect to the NPCC and CoP staffing contingent and associated programmatic spend (e.g. CPD events). If there is any overspend the NPCC will meet the cost from within its own resources. 

4. Legal Comments 

1. This additional grant will be paid to the MOPAC, as the host organisation for the NPCC, in exercise of the power conferred upon the Secretary of State for the Home Department under Section 56 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. 

2. The MPS Directorate of Legal Services has confirmed that the grant can be lawfully accepted under Schedule 3, Paragraph 7 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. 

3. Under paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Consent and Delegation the DMPC has delegated authority to approve “Bids for grant funding made and all offers made of grant funding; and/or where appropriate a strategy for grant giving”. 

5. GDPR and Data Privacy 

1. 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.   

2. The NPCC assure that receipt of HO funding does not involve the use of personally identifiable data of members of the public, so there are no GDPR issues to be considered. 

6. 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. The NPCC assure that no issues have been identified relating to equality or diversity. Metropolitan Police Service and their processes are followed in relation to recruitment and promotion of NPCC staff. 

7. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 – NPCC Report - Home Office funding for the Joint Soteria Unit