MD3421 London Resilience Unit budget 2025-26

1.1.    The London Resilience Unit (LRU) is part of the Greater London Authority (GLA). The LRU delivers and coordinates resilience services on behalf of the London Resilience Partnership (LRP) and London local authorities. LRP members meet regularly at London Resilience Forum (LRF) meetings.

1.2.    The LRU was created in June 2024, following a review of resilience structures in London. A decision was taken to transfer the services provided by the London Resilience Group (LRG), on behalf of the GLA and London local authorities, from the London Fire Commissioner (LFC) to the GLA Strategy and Communications Directorate (as authorised by Mayoral Decision (MD) 3257).

1.3.    This MD seeks to delegate authority to the Director of London Resilience to approve the receipt of income and budget expenditure (including staffing costs and programme spending) of up to £6,000,000 for financial year 2025-26, without the need for further decision forms. The income and budget expenditure cited above relates to the work of the LRU and the LRF. Records in writing will be kept.

1.4.    All subsequent procurement undertaken as part of this expenditure will adhere to the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023, the GLA Contracts and Funding Code, and the GLA decision-making framework. All subsequent external grant funding undertaken as part of this expenditure will adhere to the requirements of the GLA Contracts and Funding Code, and the GLA decision-making framework.

1.5.    The LRU budget is comprised of several funding streams, including:

•    the core LRU budget funded by the GLA
•    grant funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for the LRF
•    funding from London Councils, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and the City of Stockholm, for resilience services delivered in partnership with the GLA
•    funding contributions from other resilience-partnership organisations to co-fund multi-agency projects delivered under the LRF’s oversight (e.g. joint training programmes).

1.6.    The LRU’s budget is spent on resilience services delivered on behalf of the GLA; specific partnership organisations in agreement with those organisations (as set out above); and the LRP. These services, and the receipt and expenditure of funding, are governed through grant agreements with MHCLG, and partnership agreements with relevant funding partners; and/or by the LRF.

1.7.    Delegated authority to the Director of London Resilience will enable the efficient management of the LRU’s budget, and funding administered by the LRU on behalf of the LRF. It will do so without requiring separate MDs for: the receipt of grant funding or contributory funding from resilience partners; or the expenditure of funding to support multi-agency resilience activities governed by the LRF (except for procurement or external grant funding, which will be subject to standard GLA governance and procurement processes).

1.8.    This will also enable flexibility – which is necessary, because grant-funding and partnership-funding agreements are often reached at shorter notice than the GLA’s annual budgeting cycle. This includes agreements reached during the financial year, for funding to be received and/or spent in that financial year. Therefore, the LRU’s budget changes more frequently than the GLA’s annual budgeting cycle, depending on confirmation of new or revised income streams.

1.9.    The costs associated with this decision are based on the LRU’s expected budget, comprising the funding streams set out at paragraph 1.5, above. 

1.10.    Regular reporting will be maintained through the LRF (currently chaired by the Mayor’s Chief of Staff); the GLA’s internal Resilience Committee (also chaired by the Mayor’s Chief of Staff); or bilateral governance arrangements for services funded and delivered in partnership with specific LRP organisations.

1.11.    The LRU’s GLA budget allocation of £3,005,000 for 2025-26 was based on an original expected expenditure of £4,075,000; and an expected income of £1,069,000 from grant funding and external partners. External grant and partnership funding for 2025-26 has increased since this budget was calculated. It currently includes the following components:

•    £521,654 COVID-19 legacy grant funding (the Mayor previously delegated authority (MD3257) to approve this expenditure to the Executive Director, Strategy and Communications, who subsequently approved this under Director’s Decision (DD) 2746)
•    £245,000 MHCLG section 31 grant for the LRF Capacity and Capability Fund 2025-26, for community-resilience and risk-communication work
•    £671,727 MHCLG section 31 grant for the LRF Trailblazers Fund 2025-26, for enhancing resilience leadership, accountability, and integration of resilience with other local policy
•    £517,706 local authority funding for services delivered under a partnership agreement between London local authorities and the LRU (the Mayor previously delegated authority (MD3257) to the Executive Director, Strategy and Communications, to receive and use this external income)
•    £248,863 MPS funding for services delivered under partnership agreement between the MPS and the LRU
•    £75,750 City of Stockholm funding for services delivered under partnership agreement between the City of Stockholm; Washington DC; and the LRU
•    funding contributions of £28,781 from the MPS, £28,781 from London Fire Brigade (LFB), and £14,390 from the London Ambulance Service (LAS) for the procurement of Multi-Agency Gold Incident Command (MAGIC) training.

1.12.    The funding streams and related services delivered by the LRU are expected to continue at similar levels to those set out above. However, the exact funding amounts may vary, based on revised grant-funding and partnership-funding agreements. Therefore, the overall figure that has been applied is either £6,000,000 maximum delegated budgetary authority; or the LRU’s total annual budget (whichever is lower).

1.13.    Expenditure of staffing and programme funding based on grant or partnership funding streams is determined, governed and monitored through different mechanisms, in addition to the GLA’s governance arrangements. 

1.14.    For example, the section 31 grants from MHCLG are accompanied by a grant-determination letter that specifies the purpose and expectations for the grant, and arrangements for monitoring and evaluation (including quarterly reports). Also, because this grant funding is for the LRF’s work, the allocation of the grant funding on staffing or programme expenditure is governed by the LRF, which meets three times per year.

1.15.    Similarly, the funding from specific partners for the LRU’s work in collaboration with them, and for services delivered by the LRU on their behalf, is set out in partnership agreements that specify the amount of funding and the services to be delivered by the LRU. A monitoring and evaluation regime is in place as determined between the funding partner and the LRU.
 

2.1.    The income and expenditure on behalf of the LRF will help meet the objectives of the LRF Strategy, approved by the LRF in February 2025. These align with the GLA’s aims, and will benefit London and Londoners. These objectives are to:

•    place people at the heart of London’s resilience arrangements
•    support the preparedness of London’s communities and a whole-of-society approach
•    enhance understanding of risk
•    support robust preparation, response and recovery
•    support integration and long-term resilience of people and place
•    learn and improve
•    enhance leadership, governance and accountability. 

2.2.    The COVID-19 legacy grant funding has been allocated as per DD2746, and will:

•    strengthen community-resilience capability and delivery, increasing engagement with community, voluntary and faith sector organisations
•    strengthen partner communication, information sharing and situational awareness.

2.3.    The LRF Capacity and Capability Fund 2025-26 is intended to:

•    increase LRF capacity, enabling the LRF to recruit strategic resources to address national and local resilience priorities for emergency preparedness, response and recovery
•    build new, or enhance existing, LRF capability to address national and local resilience priorities, for emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

2.4.    The LRF Trailblazers Fund 2025-26 is intended to give the LRF the means to explore different ways of strengthening local leadership and accountability for local partnerships; and help the resilience community discover new ways to integrate resilience into everyday life.

2.5.    The MPS partnership funding will maintain existing services in partnership with the MPS to deliver strategic intelligence and analysis. The MPS will collaborate with partners to assess emerging threats; monitor public sentiment; and inform London’s emergency response and resilience strategies.

2.6.    The local authority partnership funding will maintain existing services in partnership with London local authorities to deliver two main functions: 

•    coordinated, generic, regional strategic advice and functional support to London Local Authority Gold
•    support to London local authority regional resilience arrangements in six thematic areas: policy and plans; procedures and infrastructure; people and training; exercising and lessons; governance representation; and capability development. 

2.7.    The City of Stockholm partnership funding will continue the Counter Terrorism Preparedness Network (CTPN), delivered under an existing partnership agreement between the GLA, the City of Stockholm, and Washington DC. The CTPN aims to bring together international experts to influence and develop the multi-agency arrangements of cities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from terrorism.

2.8.    The MPS, LFB and LAS partnership funding will contribute to the procurement of MAGIC training for the LRP. This is a core component of training delivered for senior officers across the resilience partnership. The training aims to develop delegates’ confidence, understanding and ability to perform the role of gold commander, by planning, implementing and reviewing a multi-agency strategy to ensure the timely resolution of a major incident or civil emergency.
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 (the Equality Act), as a public authority, the Mayor and the GLA must have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act; and to advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations, between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not. Protected characteristics under the Equality Act comprise age, disability, gender reassignment, 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).

3.2.    The potential impacts of this decision have been considered. No adverse impact is expected on equalities issues or any people with relevant protected characteristics under section 149 of the Equality Act.

3.3.    The LRU’s work is delivered in support of the LRF Strategy. In 2025, the Strategy was specifically revised to take account of learning from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the COVID-19 Inquiry, including findings related to equality. As a result, the Strategy includes the following guiding principles in support of equality:

•    People: People must be at the heart of London’s resilience arrangements. The voices and lived experiences of people affected by an emergency (survivors, their families, the bereaved, communities and responders) are recognised as central to preparedness activity.
•    Equity and justice: Recognising the disparities in risk, ensure that benefits of resilience activity are fairly distributed. Engagement and consideration should be meaningful, culturally competent and trauma-informed.
•    Partnership working and a whole-of-society approach: Resilience is a collaborative effort beyond the remit and membership of the LRF and borough resilience forums. Expand and develop relationships and networks to support the resilience of all people and places.

3.4.    The LRF Strategy also includes the following priorities of relevance to equality:

•    Place people at the heart of London’s resilience arrangements:

o    Ensure the voices and lived experiences of people affected by an emergency (survivors, their families, the bereaved and responders) are central to our preparedness; and inform policy, planning, training, exercising and learning.
o    Develop a framework to consult and engage the public, with a focus on people with lived experience, in our resilience policy, planning, training, exercising and learning.
o    Explore the concept of person-based and rights-based approaches to drive resilience activity (alongside extant risk-based approach).

•    Support the preparedness of London’s communities, and a whole-of-society approach:

o    Review and enhance risk and resilience communications and engagement with London communities – amplifying messaging, countering disinformation and misinformation, and promoting trust (which is essential to resilience).
o    Support the voluntary, community and faith sector to contribute to resilience, and to be better prepared.
o    Further enhance partnerships between communities, and formal resilience structures and agencies; and ensure proactive engagement of community leaders.

•    Support robust preparation, response and recovery: Enhance training and development of resilience leaders (including those in the voluntary and community sector) and practitioners, incorporating the lived experience of people affected by an emergency (survivors, their families, the bereaved and responders).
•    Enhance leadership, governance and accountability: Identify ways to support a diverse pipeline of talent into resilience, with an entry-level pipeline, career development, and a development pathway for senior leaders.

3.5.    The LRU Vision also includes specific reference to equality. It points to a London resilient to acute emergencies and chronic stresses; able to anticipate, respond to and recover from emergencies effectively and equitably through strong, diverse partnerships and continuous improvement.

3.6.    Placing people at the heart of the work of the LRF and the LRU, as set out in the LRF Strategy and the LRU Vision, will help to ensure that enhancing equality is central to our work, including that delivered in partnership or through grant-funding arrangements referred to in this decision.
 

4.1.    The Mayor plays a crucial role in resilience by providing leadership, setting policy and funding initiatives that enhance the city’s ability to withstand and recover from various disruptions, including climate change, emergencies and economic shocks. This includes developing strategies, coordinating with different organisations, and supporting innovative solutions.

4.2.    The LRU’s work supports resilience as a cross-cutting principle across the GLA’s delivery programmes. The aim is to create a mechanism through which Mayoral priorities, strategies and programmes addressing health inequalities, financial hardship, climate change, social cohesion and other determinants of risk are connected to, and understood as, resilience-building. 

4.3.    Data-protection considerations will be made in relation to relevant projects. Robust data-protection measures will be taken to ensure compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation and GLA policies. Where required, a comprehensive Data Protection Impact Assessment will be completed to assess risks and ensure compliance. 

4.4.    Onward grant funding will be provided to registered charities or companies only. Due diligence advice from the GLA Grant Services team will be incorporated into these processes.

4.5.    There are no conflicts of interest from those involved in drafting this decision or its clearance.

4.6.    Delegation of authority to the Director of London Resilience shall include the expected funding streams listed in paragraph 1.5, above; and any similar income or variations to the grant funding or partnership agreement funding for 2025-26, subject to the following conditions:

•    An overall annual spending limit of either £6,000,000, or the LRU’s total annual budget (including external income streams), whichever is lower. The LRU’s total annual budget, and related expenditure, will only increase from the current budget if additional grant or partnership funding is received within this financial year.
•    GLA budget processes and confirmation of the LRU’s total annual budget, which may be varied.
•    Continuation of the same or similar grant and funding agreements as listed under the first part of this decision (see decision summary, above). Where grant or funding agreements are increased/decreased or ceased, this income and related expenditure will be adjusted accordingly.
•    All agreements (whether contracts or grants) must contain a right of termination. Furthermore, the expiry date of each agreement shall be no later than the end date of confirmed funding (as stated at the point of entry into the agreement) for the relevant agreement.
•    All procurements undertaken as part of this expenditure will adhere to the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023, the GLA Contracts and Funding Code, and the GLA decision-making framework.
•    All external grant funding undertaken as part of this expenditure will adhere to the requirements of the Subsidy Control Act 2022, the GLA’s internal subsidy control guidance, GLA Contracts and Funding Code, and GLA decision making framework.
•    Mayoral approval shall be sought for any “novel, contentious or repercussive” spend. 

4.7.    The following risks have been identified and mitigated against:

5.1.    Approval is sought for expenditure of up to £6,000,000, which includes the expenditure funded from external income, in relation to the work of the LRU and the LRF for 2025-26.

5.2.    The LRU’s GLA budget allocation of £3,005,000 for 2025-26 was based on an expected expenditure of £4,075,000; and an expected income of £1,069,000 from grant funding and external partners. External grant and partnership funding for 2025-26 has increased since this budget was calculated, and currently includes the components listed in paragraph 1.11, above.

5.3.    The funding will be monitored against objectives and outcomes outlined in the LRF Strategy, grant-funding agreements, partnership-funding agreements, and services and deliverables outlined in these agreements. Should external income differ from expected income, the LRU will adjust its spend profile accordingly; and will not commit to expenditure before partners have confirmed.

5.4.    The GLA’s LRU will manage and administer the funding detailed in this form under core statutory obligations.
 

Power to undertake the requested decisions

6.1.    This decision seeks a delegation of authority from the Mayor to the Director of London Resilience (the “Director”) subject to the conditions set out in paragraph 4.6, above.  Any function exercisable by the Mayor on behalf of the GLA may also be exercised by any member of GLA staff to the extent that the Mayor so authorises and subject to any conditions, which the Mayor sees fit to impose.

6.2.    The foregoing sections of this decision form indicate that the LRU projects subject to this delegation concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers and falls within the GLA’s statutory power to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of each of the GLA’s principal purposes within Greater London and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:

•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
•    consult with appropriate bodies.

6.3.    In exercising the delegation, the Director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation) and persons who do not share it and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, when exercising the delegation, the Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

6.4.    As set out in the conditions on the delegation set out in paragraph 4.6, above, when approving the procurement of services, supplies or works in furtherance of the LRU project, the Director must comply with the Procurement Act 2023 and the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code. Similarly, when approving the award or the receipt of grant funding, the Director must comply with the Subsidy Control Act 2022, the GLA’s internal subsidy control guidance and the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code. Furthermore, the Director is reminded to secure that appropriate contracts and grant agreements be put in place between the GLA and the relevant service providers and/or grant recipients.

6.5.    In light of the information in this decision form and, in particular, the conditions to the delegation listed in paragraph 4.6, above, the Mayor may make the requested delegation to the Director, if he so chooses.
 

7.1.    Grant and partnership funding agreements will be progressed for 2025-26 as set out in this MD.

7.2.    LRU services will be delivered under the governance arrangements specified in grant agreements and partnership-funding agreements, and by the LRF for governance of spend and services delivered on the LRP’s behalf.

7.3.    LRU services will be monitored as stipulated in grant and partnership agreements, typically through quarterly reporting arrangements. Services delivered on the LRF’s behalf will be monitored through regular reporting to the LRF, which meets three times per year. Grant-funding and partnership-funding agreements will be revised annually.