PCD 1788 Community Engagement Funding 2025/26

Executive Summary:  

The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) is responsible for making arrangements for obtaining the views of communities and victims of crime on matters concerning policing in London and for overseeing the delivery of policing by the Metropolitan Police Service. 

These functions are currently discharged through a variety of mechanisms, including the Community Monitoring Groups (CMGs) and Safer Neighbourhood Boards (SNBs), which are established mechanisms for delivering local police accountability and engagement, and through targeted engagement on specific areas of work. This decision seeks approval of the 2025/26 funding for the community engagement work programme referenced above up to a maximum of £700,000. 

Recommendation:  

That the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime approves the allocation of the 2025/26 Community Engagement Fund as follows: 

1. Funding of up to £700,000 for the continuation of the borough level community engagement mechanisms, including the grant awards to the Safer Neighbourhood Boards (SNBs) as set out in Appendix 1, and associated funding for local community engagement and crime reduction projects; 

2. To note that historically not all SNBs have spent their full grant allocation, therefore the approved budget is £630,000. In the event costs exceed the budget allocation this will need to be mitigated by in year underspends. 

3. Delegate the signing of related grants and contracts to the Director of Strategy in line with the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation. 

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

1. Introduction and background 

1. Community engagement plays a vital role in achieving the Mayor's objectives, helping us identify local concerns and ensuring that Londoners have a voice in how they are policed. Community engagement is also vital to strengthening trust and confidence between London’s communities and the MPS. The Police and Crime Plan 2021-25 (PCP) set out the Mayor’s vision and priorities for policing and community safety in London, and as this plan nears its conclusion this decision seeks to secure a further year of funding in line with these priorities as we transition to the new PCP that is currently in development.  

2. This decision outlines the main components of the 2025/26 community engagement programme and requests approval for the allocated budget to support its delivery. 
   
    

2. Issues for consideration  

1. Whilst the draft PCP is still out for consultation, the Mayor has been clear in his continued commitment to community engagement more broadly, and to improving the offer to the public in terms of community-led engagement and scrutiny of the MPS, as indicated in his election manifesto, and this will be a key work stream throughout this mayoralty. 

2. The 2025/26 community engagement programme will enable continued support for the existing mechanisms while we develop and transition to a new framework in line with the Mayor’s commitment to deliver a new model for police scrutiny, with the aim of making it easier and simpler for Londoners to scrutinise the work of the police and influence change.  

3. Safer Neighbourhood Boards (SNBs) have been a core part of MOPAC’s community engagement framework and as we move into a transition period, the role and function of SNBs are being considered as part of wider changes. During this period of transition and while we work towards a refreshed and more effective framework for engagement, SNBs will continue to function and to allocate funding to local initiatives that address key issues within their communities. 

4. This work programme supports the strongest ever neighbourhood policing strand of the New Met for London plan, as well as MOPAC priorities, providing forums for engagement, scrutiny and partnership with the MPS. 

5. Financial Comments 

3.1.     A breakdown of the individual allocations to each Safer Neighbourhood Board (SNB) is set out at Appendix A. These total £700,000 and are inclusive of £5,200 ringfenced for administrative costs.   

3.2 Historically not all SNBs have claimed their full grant allocation, therefore the 2025/26 MOPAC Strategy and MPS Oversight Directorate budget includes funding of £630,000 to meet the cost of the SNBs.  In the event costs exceed the budget, there will be a budget pressure that will need to be managed from in year underspends.    

4. Legal Comments  

4.1.     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 business cases for revenue or capital expenditure of £500,000 or above. 

4.2.    The activities set out in this decision are in accordance with MOPAC’ s responsibilities under section 14 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (the 2011 Act), to make arrangements for obtaining the views of the community on policing in the area. MOPAC’s general powers are set out in the 2011 Act. Section 3(6) of the 2011 Act provides that MOPAC must "secure the maintenance of the metropolitan police force and secure that the metropolitan police force is efficient and effective." Under Schedule 3, paragraph 7 of the 2011 Act, 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. 

4.3.      In addition, 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 antisocial 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 deems appropriate. The proposals set out in this decision support MOPAC's duties under and are in accordance with MOPAC’s powers under that section. 

4.4.      Under Section 5.23 of MOPAC’s Scheme of Delegation, grant agreements under the value of £150,000 may be signed by the relevant MOPAC Director in line with their individual Scheme of Delegation. 

5. Commercial Issues  

1. This Decision seeks to award grant agreements to the Safer Neighbourhood Boards as set out in Appendix 1 to provide continued funding for these borough level community engagement mechanisms. A funding allocation is made for each Borough and that funding can only be accessed by those Boroughs with a functional SNB in place, and on adherence to the MOPAC grant funding process. 

2. As per MOPAC policy, only entities registered with the Charity Commission, Companies House or other similar registered body are eligible to manage funds from MOPAC. Any Safer Neighbourhood Boards that is an unregistered body must identify a partner which can host the funds from MOPAC on their behalf and with whom MOPAC can enter into a grant agreement. 

6. Public Health Approach  

6.1.     A public health approach is rooted in good multi-agency working and close working with communities, focused on prevention, and informed by the systemic use of evidence. The public health approach and working closely with local communities is embedded into the action plan programme and will continue to be incorporated into the work as it is implemented. 

7. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. GDPR matters have been discussed with the Data Protection Officer, who has confirmed that no Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is required for these programmes of work. However, the personal details of any individuals or organisations with whom contact is made for the purposes of the engagement will be managed in accordance with MOPAC’s wider Privacy Notice. Any organisation that is contracted to conduct work in support of this programme will be required to sign a MOPAC contract that will specify their GDPR responsibilities. 

8. Equality Comments 

8.1.     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. 

8.2    While SNBs and CMGs are currently under review, two key principles remain central to their positive impact: addressing the disproportionate effects of crime and policing on certain communities and involving and representing diverse groups in police-community engagement. Although these structures will evolve as part of the review process, these principles will continue to guide MOPAC’s community engagement efforts and the allocation of funding, ensuring positive outcomes across all protected characteristics. 

8.3       As a result of the consideration of the equalities impact of this work programme, targeted work to better engage, involve and understand the impact of crime and policing on under-represented communities that have the lowest levels of trust and confidence and/or whose views and experiences continue to be under-represented in the community engagement programme, have been and will continue to be undertaken through the review and our existing community engagement programme. This includes working with LGBTQ, disabled and Black and minoritised communities, and a focus on better understanding intersectionality. 

9. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 List of SNB allocations