MOPAC decisions

• Date signed: 15/02/24
• Reference code: PD 1599

This paper seeks approval for the acceptance of Home Office grant funding of £2,450,000 in 2023/24, and up to £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)

• Date signed: 15/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1602

Since April 2022, the London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) have received funding from the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) for the delivery of the Your Choice programme. Your Choice provides high intensity CBT interventions to young people who have been assessed as vulnerable to violence and exploitation. In August 2023, The YEF announced that the programme had met the criteria to progress into a full randomised control trial (RCT). The RCT is a gold-standard evaluation and will enable the VRU to strengthen our understanding of the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for children and young people at risk of harm. 30 local authorities will participate in this final phase of the programme.
This decision seeks permission to accept an uplift from the YEF by £100,000 for the delivery of the final phase of the programme and vary a grant agreement held with London Councils for the co-ordination of the Your Choice programme between August 2023 and March 2025. The VRU will also utilise funding from the YEF grant towards internal management costs.

• Date signed: 01/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1603

DMPC Decision PCD 1412 approved the procurement of Stalking Awareness Training to CJS Agencies. The successful provider, Strawberry Hill Ltd (St Mary’s University in collaboration with Alice Ruggles Trust) have been delivering training sessions to MPS, CPS and London Probation staff to improve awareness, identification and responses to stalking cases. This was a commitment within the Mayor’s VAWG Strategy.
This decision requests approval for the extension of the current contract from 03 February 2024 until 31st July 2024 and to uplift the contract by a maximum of £174,744. This extension and uplift will allow for the development of an e-learning training package to be developed for front line officers across the MPS. MPS will be providing funding to MOPAC for the majority of this contract extension.
The original tender for the delivery of the Stalking Awareness Training outlined pending funding confirmation the contract would be uplifted and extended to include this piece of work and therefore MOPAC are acting within procurement legislation. 

• Date signed: 02/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1601

MOPAC play an important role in convening partners in the Youth Justice System to facilitate improvements to the system that sit across partnership agencies. To ensure that this work impacts on long-term change and to encourage active engagement from across the system, MOPAC have convened partners to start designing a shared ‘vision’ for youth justice in London, which will include agreeing shared outcomes, understanding and focus. To ensure that the ‘vision’ is shaped by the needs and experiences of children and young adults with experience of the youth justice system, this decision asks for approval to procure a provider to convene a group of 8-10 children and young adults to co-develop and co-produce a shared youth justice system vision for London.
This work has a maximum value of £15,000 over its lifetime and the contract will allow for up to 6 months of delivery. Procurement will involve an Invitation to Quote open to at least 3 providers, full evaluation and moderation will take place to choose the successful provider.

• Date signed: 15/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1618

In June 2022, MOPAC agreed to jointly fund the Pan London Information Governance Lead alongside London Office of Technology and Innovation and Metropolitan Police.
The Lead supports data sharing between London boroughs and the Metropolitan Police. They have also established data sharing agreements, acted as a trusted advisor and conducted research on behalf of the funding organisations.
Further funding for the next three years (2024-27) has been requested to continue the role.
The funding required will be £115,210 in 2024/25, and £123,982 in 2025/26 and £113,630 in 2026/27.
This decision seeks approval for the MOPAC portion of this funding.

• Date signed: 01/03/24
• Reference code: PCD 1616

 Operation Soteria is a national programme to transform the policing response to rape. This decision refers to the period when MOPAC hosted the programme. Circumstances around certain payments previously covered by DMPC 980/2022 have now been subject to considerable change that a new decision is required to enable payments to be made to institutions who have contributed to this Programme.
NPCC Programme Leads and Finance have cleared this report and the finance implications (£22,000 from NPCC Home Office Grant in 2023/24).

• Date signed: 01/03/24
• Reference code: PCD 1610

The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) prioritises working in education. All of the VRU’s education investments, research and policy work promotes healthy relationships and inclusive practices to reduce disengagement and tackle all forms of exclusions, including suspensions, managed moves, and the rising levels of absenteeism.
The VRU has contracted a Research Partner (CEOD 26.2023) to help develop, and produce evidence to underpin, London’s Inclusion Charter - a partnership between young people, parents, schools and local authorities to tackle rising suspensions and absenteeism that has led to thousands of children losing out on learning. The research partner‘s contract ends March 2024, however there is a need to extend this contract to enable a thorough and successful mobilisation of London’s Inclusion Charter after its launch, through the production of strategic guides to embed inclusive practices and processes in schools across London.
As part of the VRU’s aims to increase inclusion, improve positive relationships and drive up attendance, the VRU invested in the AP/PRU Mentoring Programme (DMPC 1078; 1359) across April 2022 to March 2025. 22 boroughs have mentors who successfully support children and young people to increase their attendance, and improve positive behaviour and engagement in education, all key to driving down exploitation and violence.
After some positive consultations with unfunded boroughs, the VRU is seeking approval to
expand the provision from 22 boroughs to all 32 boroughs in London across 2024 – 2025; and
to extend the funding to all 32 boroughs for a further year to August 2026, to enable the development of a borough-wide AP/PRU network and an evaluation to take place.

• Date signed: 15/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1617

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) is asked to approve the settlement of civil claims against the MPS.
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: 15/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1619

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) is asked to consider a request to settle civil claims.
The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime has the discretion to authorise financial settlement of claims where it would be conducive to the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force. V

• Date signed: 08/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1600

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 pay for some of the 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 December 2023, the MoJ has offered an uplift in funding to the General grant agreement. The additional funding totals £275,592.45 in ringfenced ISVAs/IDVAs funding, broken down by £55,117.65 in 2023/24 and £220,474.80 2024/25.
This decision seeks approval to accept the additional grant funding, sign the MoJ General Grant Addendum, and manage the onward distribution of the funding to victim and witness services.

• Date signed: 15/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1605

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) is asked to consider an application for financial assistance made by the Applicants for legal representation at an inquest.
The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime has the discretion to authorise financial assistance for police officers and staff where it would be conducive to the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force

• Date signed: 15/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1629

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) is asked to approve the settlement of a claim for
damages against the MPS.
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: 16/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1630

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) is asked to approve the settlement of claims for damages against the MPS.

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: 01/03/24
• Reference code: PCD 1613

The Mayor’s tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy 2022-2025 aims to tackle VAWG, including harmful practices, through better education. The Mayor has committed to helping prevent harmful practices by investing and supporting community-based education solutions for harmful practices in London.
Research has shown that Harmful Practices have serious and long-lasting physical, emotional and psychological effects on those who experience them. The response to harmful practices and the support available for those experiencing them is piecemeal, with limited strategic coordination and integration into wider safeguarding and VAWG services. Engaging with affected communities is crucial with the need for the expertise of trusted community groups to carry out this work in London, to test community-based education approaches and inform future commissioning decisions in this area.
This decision is seeking approval for MOPAC to launch a competitive grant process targeted at those organisations with the relevant cultural experience and expertise to deliver this pilot project and inviting them to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). The maximum grant value is up to £370,000 with mobilisation and delivery of the pilot taking place across financial years, up to 2.5 years from grant award.

• Date signed: 16/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1580

The end of June 2023 saw the completion of the restructure of the GLA Group Investment Syndicate (GIS) into London Treasury Liquidity Fund (LTLF). Each GIS participant, including MOPAC, joined LTLF as a limited partner, replacing its GIS interest with an equivalent interest directly in LTLF.
Returns on MOPAC’s investments during the Reporting Period were £15.69 million at an average rate of 5.46%.
No additional short or long term borrowing has been undertaken and MOPAC Group’s borrowing levels have decreased from £486.15m at 31 March 2023 to £485.35m at 30 September 2023.
All Treasury activity has been within the boundaries and levels set by the MOPAC Group and set out in the 2023/24 Treasury Management Strategy.

• Date signed: 21/12/23
• Reference code: PCD 1572

This document summarises version 3 of the Full Business Case (FBC) for CONNECT, providing details of changes and additions made since version 2 of the FBC which was published in February 2022.
Version 3 of the FBC incorporates scope and costs associated with completion of the CONNECT programme and addresses the operational costs associated with operating CONNECT in a business-as-usual context.
Decisions are required in respect of:
Increases in capital and revenue budgets, resulting from replanning for implementation of Drop 2 of the CONNECT solution (Intelligence, Investigation, and Proactive Management Plans), and funding for the provision of support, governance and continuous improvement post-implementation; and
Variations to contracts, to support the above.

• Date signed: 16/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1566

This paper seeks approval for the growth of the MPS Performance and Insight team for 2024/25, from 27 posts to 56, noting that further planned growth in future years is subject to further governance. The cost of the initial uplift is £1,864,180 and will be funded from within the current medium term financial plan.

• Date signed: 01/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1564

MOPAC and London Probation have jointly co-commissioned a mental health provider, Together for Mental Wellbeing, to deliver the Integrated Offender Management (IOM) mental health service across all boroughs in London. This decision was approved under PCD 1291.
Currently, Together for Mental Wellbeing operates as a registered charity and state-regulated provider of welfare services, applying VAT exemption under the provisions of VAT Act 1994, Schedule 9, Group 7. However, this VAT exemption means that the provider is unable to recover any VAT on the costs associated with its supply, resulting in an additional cost. Subsequently, MOPAC has been informed of Together for Mental Wellbeing's intention to change the status of the body holding this contract. This change will allow them to apply VAT at the standard rate to the services provided. Therefore, this follow-up decision seeks approval to novate the current contract with Together for Mental Wellbeing to a wholly owned trading subsidiary, Together for Mental Wellbeing Support Services Ltd, under its new name. This will not have an impact on MOPAC as we will be able to recover the VAT paid to the new subsidiary.
This change will not alter the way the service currently operates. The services provided operationally in IOM would continue with no material differences.

• Date signed: 27/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1632

This paper seeks approval to accept the Home Office Organised Crime Specific Grant (OCS Grant) of £1,701,000 in 2023/24, as well as future OCS Grant offers of up to £2,000,000 per year until 2027 , to continue funding the London Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) capability in respect of activities such as confiscation of assets determined to be proceeds of crime, threat assessment, drugs strategy, digital forensic support and transformation.

• Date signed: 27/02/24
• Reference code: PCD 1634

This paper seeks approval to initiate the re-procurement exercise to re-procure the National Legal Services Framework (NLSF) for a four-year term starting in May 2025.
The NLSF is a National Framework for legal services which is used by Police Forces and Police and Crime Commissioners (PPCs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as the Greater London Authority (GLA) and other public bodies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA) and British Transport Police (BTP).