Membership of Blue Light Commercial Ltd

Blue Light Commercial Ltd. was set up with the aim of improving commercial management and delivering savings across the emergency services through collaboration on procurement and commercial issues. Its creation is strongly supported by the Home Office. Becoming a member will enable MOPAC to have a voice on the strategic direction of the company and help to support the aim of achieving benefits from opportunities for commercial collaboration.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve signing up to become a member of Blue Light Commercial Ltd. which will provide MOPAC with a role in the corporate governance of the company and will therefore provide a voice to enable MOPAC to directly influence its strategic direction. The limit on liability is £10.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. Blue Light Commercial Ltd. was set up, following approval of a business case by PCCs, to improve commercial management and deliver savings across the emergency services through collaboration on procurement and commercial issues. Its creation is strongly supported by the Home Office.

1.2. This decision is to request approval for MOPAC to become a member of Blue Light Commercial Ltd.

1.3. Becoming a member will enable MOPAC to have a voice on the strategic direction of the company and help to support the aim of achieving benefits from opportunities for commercial collaboration. The expectation is that the company will identify significant savings across policing and the wider emergency services.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. If all PCCs sign up from the start this will send a strong signal to the Government, policing, other blue light organisations and suppliers that there is a united commitment to support the aims and objectives of the Company.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. There are no direct financial costs arising from becoming a member of Blue Light Commercial Ltd. and liability of members is limited to £10.

3.2. The agreement from PCCs to setting up the company was subject to the Home Office providing funding for the first three years of its operation. In the policing settlement the Home Office provided £3.7m in 2020/21. PCCs will be looking to ensure the Home Office include the following two years funding in their SR bid so it is not currently anticipated that there will be any financial contributions required from PCC’s over the first 3-year period.

3.3. The initention is that the company will identify significant savings across policing and the wider emergency services. Towards the end of the three year period it is anticipated, in accordance with the Final Business Case approved by APCC in October 2019, that a review will be held to consider the views of PCCs / Forces as to the benefits being realised.

3.4. The expectation is that BlueLight Commercial will be able to clearly demonstrate to PCCs the benefits it brings and be able to put forward a strong case for PCCs to support it as business as usual. If it has not been able to prove itself then PCCs that are members of BlueLight Commercial Ltd would participate in the corporate governance of the company and directly influence its strategic direction, including any future funding mechanisms it would consider implementing.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. The advice from APCC and the shadow board, in line with the articles of association, is that membership of the company is with the office of the PCC, and in the case of MOPAC, this would be with the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Cime. The DMPC would be able to authorise a delegate to attend meetings on her behalf.

4.2. Paragraph 4.5 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve a collaboration agreement under s22 Police Act 1996 where the approval of MOPAC is required by that Act. Although this is not a collaboration agreement under s22 it represents the entry into a formal collaboration with other PCCs, so it would be appropriate for the DMPC to sign a formal decision on membership of Blue Light Commercial Ltd.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. This decision represents an agreement to join Blue Light Commercial Ltd. which is being set up to improve commercial management and deliver savings across the emergency services through collaboration on procurement and commercial issues.

5.2. MPS Commercial have been closely involved in the work leading to the company being set up. There are anticipated to be significant direct savings to the MPS as well as a number of ‘soft’ qualitative and unquantifiable benefits.

6. GDPR and Data Privacy

6.1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.

6.2. There are no direct GDPR implications arising from this decision.

7. Equality Comments

7.1. 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.

7.2. There are no direct equality implications arising from this decision.

8. Background/supporting papers

8.1. Appendix 1 – Articles of Association for Blue Light Limited.