Hate Crime Victims Services 2021/22 Commissioning Decisions

In order to provide funding certainty at this time of crisis, and realign commissioning with the postponed Mayoral election and new administration, this decision requests the extension until the end of September 2021 of the following projects and specialist services for victims of hate crime:

• CATCH Hate Crime Victims’ Advocacy Service

• Community Security Trust (CST) Anti-Semitism Monitoring and Victim Support

• Galop Caseworker to support LGBT+ Victims of Hate Crime and Sexual Violence

In addition, this decision requests the authority to offer a further grant to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week for 2021.

The total indicative maximum financial commitment required is £263,500 in 2021/22.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:

• Approve the extension through 2021/22 of grants relating to Hate Crime Victims Services and National Hate Crime Awareness Week at a total indicative maximum financial commitment of £263,500; and

• Delegate responsibility for agreeing the specific terms relating to individual grant agreements including confirming the final grant amounts, up to the value of the indicative maximum financial commitment of £263,500, to the Director of Commissioning and Partnerships.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a wide-reaching impact on MOPAC, the MPS and MOPAC’s commissioned services. At this time of crisis, it is more important than ever for commissioners and providers to have certainty of funding.

1.2. A large proportion of MOPAC’s commissioned services and grants are due to expire on 31st March 2021. This aligned with the original dates for the Mayoral election and production of the new Police and Crime Plan. However, as a result of the pandemic the election has now been postponed until May 2021, meaning that these services face a cliff-edge of funding at the end of this financial year.

1.3. In order to realign commissioning with the postponed Mayoral election and production of the new Police and Crime Plan, this decision sets out those projects and services which are due to end in March 2021, where performance has been at least satisfactory, and requests that they be extended for a year until the end of March 2022.

1.4. In order to expedite the decision process and meet our commitment to give providers and commissioners 6 months’ notice of funding for 2021/22, the projects and services for which extension is requested have been grouped into themes. This decision relates to projects in the area of Hate Crime Victims Services.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. All projects and services which are due to expire in March 2021 have been considered under their own merits, to ensure that they have demonstrated satisfactory performance and value for money. They have also been considered as part of MOPAC’s wider commissioning, budgets and priorities.

2.2. The projects and services below are requested for extension to the end of September 2021:

• The CATCH Hate Crime Victims’ Advocacy Service. The CATCH consortium provides an enhanced level of specialised support for victims of hate crime across London. Specialist partners from all five hate crime strands (race, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity) ensure victims receive the support that best meets their needs. The current grant is authorised by PCD 623 and PCD 715.

• CST monitors levels of anti-Semitism in London and across the UK and provides direct victim support to those reporting anti-Semitic hate crimes. This grant supports the work of their London incident office. The current grant is authorised by PCD 623 and PCD 715.

• Galop is the LGBT+ anti-violence charity that provides specialist support to LGBT+ victims of hate crime and sexual violence. This grant provides a part time caseworker. The current grant is authorised by PCD 623 and PCD 715.

2.3. It is MOPAC’s intention to commission a new specialist support service for victims of hate crime that will go live from 1st October 2021 and will replace the services offered by the above grants.

2.4. In addition, this decision seeks the authority to provide a further annual grant to the National Hate Crime Awareness Week (NHCAW) which is the charity that has coordinated National Hate Crime Awareness Week every October for the last 8 years. This grant enables the purchase of resources to support community-based events across London during the week. The current grant arrangements are authorised by PCD 623.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. This decision requests approval to extend the contracts or grants delivered by the providers in 2.2, at a total indicative maximum financial commitment of £263,500, from 1st April 2021 until 30th September 2021.

3.2. An overview of the individual allocations and their funding source is set out in the table below.

3.3. This expenditure is budgeted from a combination of the MoJ Victims Grant and the £21.5m Mayoral growth funding awarded to MOPAC as part of the budget setting process for 2020/21 (PCD715). As the total funding available to MOPAC from the MoJ Victims Grant will not be confirmed until later in 2020 – 2021, the total financial commitment remains indicative and represents the maximum allocation. Any increase in allocation of funding to these services would require a further DMPC Decision.

3.4 Payments will be made in line with current arrangements in the contract or grant, following satisfactory performance and contract or grant management meetings.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. 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.

4.2. 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.

4.3. 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.

4.4. 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.

4.5. Officers must ensure the Financial Regulations and Contract Regulations are complied with.

4.6. Officers should ensure that the funding agreements are put in place with and executed by MOPAC and each of the providers before any commitment to fund is made.

4.7. Officers confirm that sufficient assurance has been carried out to this decision to determine that the DMPC has legal authority to agree the recommendations on funding and the extension of grants/ contracts.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. This decision requests approval to extend existing grant agreements, as laid out in 2.2. There are no procurement issues with this decision, as this decision relates to grant agreements only.

5.2. MOPAC makes no commitment to fund the organisations listed in 2.2 until grant or contract variation letters have been signed by both parties. These will detail the new performance and payment schedules, in line with previous arrangements.

5.3. Further details on the commercial issues for each project or service can be found in the decisions referenced in 2.2 and 2.4.

5.4. The grant agreements for the services listed in 2.2 will have the provision to extend the services for up to a further six months from the end of September 2021 should this be required. A further DMPC decision will be needed to authorise any extension.

5.5. The modification request to the grant agreement/contract will comply with the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent.

6. Public Health Approach

6.1. This decision provides the funding to enable a better informed and more cohesive partnership approach to improving outcomes for victims in London which will much align with and support the VRU’s public health approach to tackling the causes of violent crime in London.

6.2. Further details on the public health approaches of each project or service can be found in the decisions referenced in 2.2.

7. GDPR and Data Privacy

7.1. The extension of the projects and services listed in 2.2 will not alter the data protection measures in place for each. Where required, DPIAs will be updated to reflect the extension of the corresponding project or service.

7.2. Further details on the data protection considerations for each project or service can be found in the decisions referenced in 2.2.

8. Equality Comments

8.1. 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 re-assignment, 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).

8.2. Due regard has been paid to potential impacts on equality and this is detailed in the previous decisions as referenced in 2.2 to 2.4, and these continue to apply to the extensions that are being proposed. The providers will be required to have due regard to the protected characteristics of the people and communities relevant to this piece of work.

8.3. The extension of these projects and services will ensure that, at this time of crisis, vulnerable Londoners do not face a reduction in support.

9. Background/supporting papers

• PCD 715

• PCD 623