PCD 1130 Provision of Crimestoppers Trust Funding 2022/23-2024/25

Crimestoppers Trust provides a 24 hour anonymous service for the public as a means for them to report crime. This service is funded on a pro rata basis by all Police Forces in the country. This is a request to approve a 3 year funding agreement for the services provided by the Crimestoppers Bureau for the MPS. The funding being sought covers the financial years 2022/23 – 2024/25 and the amount being requested is £434,818 p.a.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve a single tender action fixed contract award of £434,818 p.a. covering the 3 year period 2022/23 – 2024/25 to Crimestoppers Trust.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. MOPAC approved a three year funding arrangement with Crimestoppers Trust for the period 2019-2022 [PCD517]. This agreement expires in March 2022. This paper seeks approval for a further three year funding arrangement with Crimestoppers.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) state that information provided by Crimestoppers supports the key priorities detailed in the Police and Crime Plan 2017-2021 in relation to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable persons, tackling violence and hate related crim, and that Crimestoppers is the only organisation that provides a truly anonymous service for the public to provide information to the police and other agencies.

2.2. The anonymous nature of the Crimestopper facility can be particularly important for those who may not have full confidence in law enforcement agencies and those communities who may suffer disproportionately from the effects of crime.

2.3. There has been an increasing volume of reports from Crimestoppers to the MPS – from 9,476 in 2017/18 to 13,815 in 2020/21, with arrests and positive outcomes increasing from 1,598 to 4,378 over the same period.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. This is a fixed funding agreement to cover the period 2022/23-2024/25. The annual cost is £434,818 which will be funded from within the Metropolitan Police Service budget. The cost of the Integrity Line (which provides for reporting by police employees on professional issues) will continue to be provided at nil cost.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the Regulations). When awarding a public contract for goods and/or services valued at £181,302 or above all contracting authorities must do so in accordance with the Regulations. This report confirms the value of the proposed contract exceeds this threshold and, accordingly, the Regulations are engaged.

4.2. The MPS assure that the proposal is allowed under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Further information is contained in the restricted section of the report.

4.3. Paragraph 4.13 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all contract exemptions for £100,000 or above.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. The service is for the provision of information which is provided on the basis of anonymity. Further commercial information is contained in the restricted section of the report'

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. The MPS assure that Crimestoppers anonymise anyone who uses their service either via telephony or online, and that the data is used appropriately.

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. The Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) has been reviewed by the MPS and they report that no protected characteristics are disadvantaged by this proposal. Any person can contact Crimestoppers using their Freephone number (there will be a charge for calls from mobiles which will be determined by the network provider) or via their free, online service.

8. Background/supporting papers

• Appendix 1 MPS Report - Provision of Crimestoppers Trust Funding