MOPAC decisions

• Date signed: Tuesday 30 July 2024

Executive Summary:
Following the discontinuation of the procurement process for the recommissioning of London’s service for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and to secure safe service continuity for Londoners, this decision seeks approval to extend the contractual arrangements for the domestic abuse services currently due to expire on 30th September 2024. This is necessary to enable MOPAC to deliver on its commitments in the PCP and to discharge MOPAC’s devolved responsibility for arranging the provision of services for victims of domestic abuse in London. This decision requests reprofiling of a total funding amount up to £5,000,000 (as awarded in PCD 1517) for the extension of current services, extending existing provision until 30th September 2025. In line with this request, this decision also requests an extension of the Drive IDVA Service (as awarded in PCD1436) to 31 March 2025.
This decision also seeks approval to initiate a renewed procurement process to identify a provider to deliver support services for victims of domestic abuse for a period of 30 months (2.5 years), with the option to extend for up to a further 24 months (2 years). The contract will also include a mobilisation period of 6 months, meaning the initial contract term will be up to a maximum of 36 months (3 years). It is proposed to publish the new tender with a total maximum value across the full 5-year period of £29,250,000.
The decision requests the profiling of a total funding amount up to £12,500,000 across financial years 2025/26 to 2027/28, for the initial contract period and up to a maximum value of £29,250,000. Any extensions beyond 2028 or in-year budget uplift will require further DMPC approval.

• Date signed: Tuesday 30 July 2024

Executive Summary:
The Violence Reduction Unit’s parenting and families work focuses on developing stronger and more resourceful families (to better support young people). The Unit takes a ‘whole family approach’ to reducing violence. Programmes in this space focus on building strong parental and family relationships and supporting organisations and agencies to work together to engage families and support their needs.
The Violence Reduction Unit has invested in a Parent Carer Champion Network (PCCN), approved in PCD 1442, 1295 and 1263, which has already supported 11,724 parents and carers to increase their confidence in parenting and improve their family relationships. The first evaluation of PCCN started in April 2024 (CEOD 29/2023) and will be completed in January 2025, when a new iteration of the service will be developed based on the findings and recommendations of the evaluation.
To ensure that there is no gap in delivery of this important programme for parents, and that there is sufficient time to develop, commission and procure the new iteration, the Violence Reduction Unit is providing an extension of one year to the existing 29 PCCN grants. For these reasons, this decision seeks approval to extend the programme for a year across FY 2025/26 by £600,000.

• Date signed: Friday 12 July 2024

Executive Summary:
• This paper seeks approval for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to enter into a section 22A Collaboration Agreement with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) to support French local law enforcement with policing the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games. There are no direct financial implications arising from this proposal.

• Date signed: Tuesday 30 July 2024

This decision outlines the proposal to initiate a commissioning process to develop and deliver a range of activities to improve identification, awareness and support for girls and young women affected by gangs, violence and exploitation.
There are significant barriers currently to identification of girls and young women in this situation. Services can only support those that are identified and referred. Building on learning from the evaluation of VRU commissioned programmes such a Maia and recent work by MOPAC’s Evidence & Insight team it has been highlighted there is considerable work to be done in raising awareness and improving identification. The three strands of work outlined below aim to increase awareness, improve identification, quality and quantity of support available across MOPAC, the VRU and other partners.
The proposed commissioning activity includes:
Creation, development and support of a network of linked of girls and young women’s groups within local communities, which will provide a safe space for positive peer connection for those who have been impacted by violence and exploitation, to support trauma-responsive individual development and co-development of proposals to improve systems and services for girls and young women. These groups will also have the opportunity to work together to collaboratively co-develop ideas, proposals, recommendations and resources and so will operate as an ‘eco-system’.
Improving understanding of how to define and identify girls and young women affected by violence and exploitation with the creation of a gendered risk and needs assessment framework.
Funding analytic activity with the MPS to bring together data across building capability and capacity in the gathering and analysis of data relating to girls and young women impacted by violence and exploitation.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1557

Following the budget setting exercise up to February 2024, and the London Assembly’s approval of the Mayor Council tax requirement a its meeting on 22 February, the detailed MOPAC component budget for 2024/25 is submitted for the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime’s approval.
The budget presents a financing requirement for the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) of £4,288.2m for 2024/25. This supports both the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (including the Violence Reduction Until) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). It also sets out a capital programme of £340.5m for 2024/25.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1643

In accordance with the Revised Financial Management Code of Practice for Policing MOPAC is required to publish a Reserves Strategy. The strategy includes details of both the general reserve and the earmarked reserves held, and explains the purpose of each reserve, together with the estimated opening balances for the year, details of planned additions / withdrawals, and the estimated closing balances.
Current plans assume a reduction in reserves of £210.7m in 2023/24 and then over the 3 year period 2024/25 – 2026/27 MOPACs reserves reduce by £200.3m This represents a reduction of £411.0m in the period 2023/24 – 2026/27. Resulting in a closing balance of earmarked reserves of £84.3m at March 2027 and this includes the general reserve of £46.6m.
The general reserve is currently 1.1% of the net revenue budget. Taking into account the sensitivities and risks in the Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) it is proposed that the general reserve is increased to 2%-3% of net revenue expenditure. Contributions required to deliver this will be built into the MTFP from 2025/26 onwards.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1624

The Treasury Management strategy sets out how MOPAC will manage its borrowings and investments over the short and medium term.
The GLA will continue to implement the MOPAC Treasury Management strategy via the Treasury Management Shared Service arrangement. MOPAC is a member of the the London Treasury Liquidity Fund LP (LTLF) who manage all MOPAC investments to generate financial and risk reduction benefits.
The MOPAC Treasury Management Strategy will make use of both the London Treasury Liquidity Fund LP (LTLF) for investment purposes and has the capacity if required to make investments in its own name. This is designed to spread counter party risk.
The external debt and treasury management limits and indicators in Appendix 1 are consistent with the MOPAC medium term financial strategy and 2024-25 budget.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1656

This decision seeks approval for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to accept additional Home Office (HO) Grant funding of £192,993.82 for essential software and licences to be purchased in 2023/24.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1623

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 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.
In addition, MOPAC has supported the provision of a digital Neighbourhood Watch communications platform, Online Watch Link (OWL) and it is proposed that this will continue until 1 November 2024.
This decision seeks approval of the 2024/25 funding for the community engagement work programme referenced above up to a maximum of £741,500.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1657

In March 2022, MOPAC approved the original Business Case for a Forensics Case Management System. The original estimates identified a budget of £2,205,000 Capital expenditure and £4,470,000 Revenue expenditure, totalling £6,675,000.
The paper seeks approval to draw down on the capital allocation associated with the Forensics Case Management System project to address inflight project revision to scope and unforeseen supplier delivery costs, which were in scope of the project.
The revised scope requirement will address the identified change request for the system to be able to exchange data between MO4’s Forensics Operational Support team and Eurofins, a key supplier. This is a change in scope and will require a drawdown from the Transformation Capital Plan of £350,000.
To address increased supplier delivery costs, identified as a potential issue in the original Business Case and forecast overspend of existing project scope reported at project board since August 2023, a drawdown on the Transformation Capital Plan of £241,000 will alsl be required.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1625

The MOPAC/MPS budget was approved in March 2023, revisions to the MOPAC budget were subsequently approved in June reflecting the proposed use of carry forwards from the 2022/23 budget, changes in grant assumptions and a minor adjustment between the MOPAC and MPS budget. Net expenditure remains the same at £3,281.5m.
As at the end of Quarter Three MOPAC/MPS are forecasting an overspend of £26.0m of which £27.6m relates to MPS budgets offset by an underspend of £1.6m on the MOPAC budgets. This is a reduction of £13.7m in the overspend position reported at Quarter Two.
The Capital Expenditure Forecast for 2023/24 is £325.9m. This represents a forecast underspend of £9.7m against the revised budget of £335.6m. As in previous years the budget has been revised to reflect the forecast position at Quarter Two.
The forecast position on reserves is also set out in the report and shows that earmarked reserves are forecast to reduce from £448.7m at the end of 2022/23 to £237.4m by the end of 2023/24. The reduction in reserves is £17.7m more than anticipated when the budget was set due a number of reasons including, reprofiling of projects into future financial years requiring funds to be carried forward from both 2022/23 into 2023/24 and also 2023/24 into 2024/25, and changes in planned usage of reserves.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1606

The CIPFA Prudential and Treasury Management Codes require all policing bodies to prepare a capital strategy report which forms the foundation of the authority’s long-term planning and delivery of its capital investment. The strategy sets the parameters for the capital programme, which will be updated each year and will help to ensure that capital resources are used efficiently to achieve the best possible outcomes within constrained budgets.
The capital strategy outlines the 5-year capital programme as well as the wider 20-year capital ambition that formed part of the GLA Group wide capital strategy and was published with the Mayor’s Draft Final Consolidated 2024/25 budget.
The estimated cost of the capital strategy over the 20-year period to 2042/43 is c£4.4bn, with £1.4bn of expenditure over the five years of the published Capital Programme and a further £3.0bn between 2028/29 and 2042/43.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1594

This paper is seeking the support to initiate procurement for Evidential Screening Devices. The devices enable officers to conduct roadside preliminary alcohol screening breath tests. Most existing devices have been in circulation for a considerable period of time, and there is a need to increase device availability and reliability to ensure compliance with regulation.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1639

This paper seeks approval for a change in approach for the re-provision of the business support services arrangements, an extension to the current Shared Services Connected Limited (SSCL) contract, and funding to progress both improvements to current processes and a re-procurement programme. The cost of the improvements and re-procurement programmes for 2024/25 is £6,986,000 which will be funded from within the existing budget. The cost of the extension will be funded from within existing MPS budgets. MPS also seek approval for retrospective funding of £5,600,000 for the cost of the activities in progressing the programme during 2023/24.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1622

The Mayor is determined to see that victims of crime in London are better supported as a result of the steps set out in his Police and Crime Plan 2022-25. He is clear that the police, justice agencies and other partner organisations must work together if support is to be improved for victims pursuing their case through the justice process and for those who choose not to report.
MOPAC receives funding from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to contribute to victim and witness support services MOPAC commissions in London. This funding comes to MOPAC via two multi-year grant agreements from the MoJ (known as Core and General) covering financial years 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25.
In March 2024, the MoJ confirmed elements of funding under MOPAC’s General Grant for 2024/25 – Sexual Violence Local Commissioning Test funding. This now enables MOPAC to formally extend funding for relevant organisations providing services supporting victims and witnesses in London until 31st March 2025.
The total additional funding now confirmed for 2024/25 is £3,183,094.27 for Sexual Violence Local Commissioning Test.
This decision seeks approval to accept the confirmed grant funding, sign the MoJ General Grant Addendum, and manage the onward distribution of the funding to victim and witness services.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1649

In March 2022, the Mayor published his new Police and Crime Plan (PCP), and in June 2022, he published his refreshed Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy. The strategy sets out the commitment to continue to support VAWG services in London to ensure that victims and survivors can access the support that is right for them, including the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our society.
In July 2023, the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) re-launched the Mayor’s £3m VAWG Grassroots Fund for 2023-25 (PCD1363). This built on upon the success of the initial £3m VAWG Grassroots Fund 2021-23 (PCD559), which awarded funding to VAWG-specialist grassroots organisations operating across London’s diverse communities and focuses on supporting the resilience of organisations working to end VAWG in minoritised and marginalised communities. The Fund is dispersed and managed on behalf of MOPAC by the London Community Foundation (LCF) under its Grant Administration Services contract (PC1196).
Between September-December 2023 applications to the new Fund were assessed and the outcomes communicated to organisations. In January 2024, MOPAC were alerted to two applications made to the Fund that, due to errors, were missed and not assessed. MOPAC instructed LCF to urgently assess both applications, following the same process undertaken for all other applications. This included external assessment followed by evaluation by the same panel members.
On conclusion of this assessment, this decision seeks approval for additional grant funding of £98,968 to LCF, to disperse to one of the two organisations who applied to the fund and were approved by panel members as meeting the criteria and priorities of the Fund.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1651

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) is recommended to approve the settlement of a claim by a former police officer who has developed an asbestos related cancer.
There is an open and exempt report as some of the information relates to data protection, is commercially sensitive and is legal professional privileged.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1650

The Government published ‘Hotspot Response Fund Guidance’ in late February 2024 merging ‘Grip’ and ASB hotspot response funding, totalling £8,139,508 in funding for 2024/25. This paper seeks approval of the proposed submission to the Home Office for funding from the Hotspot Response Fund (£8,139,508 for the MPS). Previous funding: In the financial year 2023/24 MOPAC received an uplift grant of £919,250 from the Home Office GRIP Violence Fund, totalling £8,907,532. This was for increase in hotspot patrolling to tackle violence crime in public spaces.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1652

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) is recommended to approve the settlement of a claim identified in the exempt part of this report.
There is an open and exempt report as some of the information relates to data protection, is commercially sensitive and is legal professional privileged.

• Date signed: Monday 18 March 2024
• Reference code: PCD 1655

This decision seeks approval for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to accept an unconditional donation of £2.48m from the Premier League in recognition of the MPS’s contribution to the safety and security of supporters and Premier League Clubs.