PCD 1744 London Crime Prevention Fund 2025-2029

The London Crime Prevention (LCPF) through its current form provides all London boroughs direct funding for local priority projects which support the outcomes of the Police and Crime Plan (PCP). 

In 2013/14, Home Office funding streams for community safety ceased and were replaced by an un-ringfenced Community Safety Fund given to each Police and Crime Commissioner. MOPAC created a new single funding pot, the London Crime Prevention Fund (LCPF), to focus on community safety and crime reduction initiatives. This was combined with MOPAC funding streams (Police Property Act Fund and Partnership Fund) to make an annual funding pot. In 2016, MOPAC established a co-commissioning fund to support the delivery of child sexual exploitation, female offending, sexual violence and youth offending services. PCD 1042 committed direct funding to boroughs to the value of £39.3m over a 3-year period.  

The LCPF has contributed to a number of positive outcomes aligned with the PCP priorities across all boroughs including those relating to VAWG, IOM and Youth Crime Education and Engagement. Just over 37,000 people engaged with projects or services funded by LCPF, with just under 400 staff posts were commissioned through LCPF funding. 

This decision requests the allocation of up to £52.4m over four financial years from April 2025 to March 2029 (which equates to £13.1m per financial year if profiled equally across the four years) to provide direct funding to Local Authorities for the next round of the LCPF.  

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Award grants covering a four-year period up to a total value of £52.4m for the London Crime Prevention Fund covering financial years 2025/26 to 2028/2029. 

2. Delegate responsibility for agreeing the specific terms relating to individual grants and/or contracts to the Director of Commissioning and Partnerships, in consultation with the DMPC. 

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

1. Introduction and background 

1. The London Crime Prevention Fund (LCPF) was established in 2013, bringing together a number of funding streams that had existed before MOPAC was set up. In 2016, the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime made a commitment to sustain the LCPF budget for a further four years (2017/18 to 2020/21), despite cuts to the overall policing budget. 

2. In addition, it was decided to redistribute direct borough funding based entirely on a need and demand formula. 

3. Due to ongoing budgetary pressures, MOPAC has gone through a process of internal review to identify sources for savings, while minimising the impact on frontline services. As such, this decision sets out the maximum funding allocations. 

4. Borough allocations are set out in Annex A. Profiling across the 4 years is indicative and can be changed subject to there being sufficient funding available.  

5. The responsibility for each projects’ evidence base and review sits with the Local Authority. MOPAC requests an evidence base to justify the 4-year profiling of the spend, before a grant agreement is arranged. 

2. Issues for consideration  

1. All projects funded through the LCPF will be supportive of the new Police and Crime Plan and its priorities. 

2. Consultation has been undertaken for this decision with Local Authority Heads of Community Safety, Borough Leaders and London Councils. 

3. Direct funding allocations to boroughs are being maintained at the same annual rate as in financial year 2024/25.  

3. Financial Comments  

1. This decision requests approval to award grants up to a total value of £52.4 million from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2029.  

2. For budgeting purposes a cost of £13.1m p.a. has been assumed over the 4 year period.  This is indicative and can be changed subject to there being sufficient funding available. Individual borough allocations can be found in Annex A. 

3. This budget commitment is subject to annual review in line with MOPAC’s annual funding settlement. 

4. Payments will be made in line with agreed grant agreements and contracts, following satisfactory performance and grant or contract management meetings, where applicable. 

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. Under MOPAC’s Scheme of Delegation, the approval of business cases for revenue or capital expenditure of £500,000 and above, are for the DMPC. The strategy for grant giving, the award of individual grants, all offers made and the award of grant funding are also for the DMPC. The decisions in this report can be approved by the DMPC. 

5. Commercial Issues  

1. MOPAC may need to issue an intention to fund letter in advance of the Grant Agreement being signed and accepted due to the restricted time scales and the current funding supporting staff posts which are expected to continue. The performance and payment schedules will follow within the grant agreement to outline minimum standards of delivery.  

2. The approval of the grant agreements will comply with the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent. In accordance with 4.8 of MOPAC’s Scheme of Delegation, the DMPC can approve the award of grant funding. 

6. Public Health Approach  

6.1      The funding streams above support projects and services spanning a wide range of policy areas. This approach has been informed by discussions and feedback from the Violence Reduction Unit. 

7. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. Through the management of this fund, MOPAC does not process, use or receive any personally identifiable information for members of the public and therefore there are no GDPR compliance issues in this regard. 

2. MOPAC does receive, process and use personally identifiable information for professional contacts in each borough. This is required for the management of the fund and is processed under the lawful basis of public task, in the exercise of our official authority as laid out in section 4 above. 

3. All providers funded by MOPAC are required to comply with the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. These requirements will be detailed in the grant agreements put in place between MOPAC and the boroughs.   

8. Equality Comments  

1. Under s149 of the Equality Act 2010 (the Equality Act), as a public authority the Deputy Mayor/MOPAC must have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act; and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Protected characteristics under the Equality Act are age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage or civil partnership status (the duty in respect of this last characteristic is to eliminate unlawful discrimination only). 

2. The continuation of funding as laid out in this decision will ensure that, at this time of continued upheaval and uncertainty, vulnerable Londoners do not face a reduction in support. Due to the wide-ranging nature of the projects funded, equality considerations for individual projects must be identified at a local level. Boroughs and providers will be reminded of their responsibilities to have due regard to the equality and diversity implications for each of the initiatives they propose. 

9. Background/supporting papers 

1. Annex A – Borough Allocations 2025/2029 

           Annex A – Borough Allocations 2025/2029