MD2798 Communities and Social Policy Expenditure for Recovery

1.1. The Social Integration Team’s 2021/22 work programme is informed by relevant Mayoral strategies and is central to the priorities of London’s Recovery Programme. In particular, the following missions:

• Helping Londoners into Good Work, which seeks to tackle longstanding labour market inequalities;

• A Robust Safety Net, which aims to increase awareness of rights and entitlements and improve access to advice and services; and

• Building Stronger Communities, which through civic participation aims to amplify voices of Londoners most impacted by COVID-19 to begin to address structural inequalities.

1.2. The Mayor’s Social Integration Strategy “All of Us” seeks to strengthen social integration with a focus on:

• relationships – promoting shared experiences;

• participation – supporting Londoners to be active citizens; and

• equality – tackling barriers and inequalities that can limit social integration.

1.3. This decision form seeks approval of the receipt of £154,000 Home Office grant funding and expenditure of up to £710,000 in 2021/22 (including the Home Office grant funding) to allow for the continuation of ongoing work related to the delivery of key programmes. The request is being made to ensure there is no interruption of ongoing delivery and development of programmes intended to support recovery priorities and the GLA’s response to COVID-19.

1.4. This decision also seeks approval of expenditure of up to £92,000 in 2020/21, to fund a second cohort of the WIN Design Lab, develop school resources on careers within the construction and digital sectors and undertake evaluation of the Workforce Integration Network (as noted in DD2505, paragraph 2.15).

1.5. The activity in respect of which decisions are sought will build on work carried out in 2020/21 and approved under cover of the following previous decisions: ADD2463 (Delivery of Workforce Integration Design Lab); MD2628 (London Strategic Migration Partnership 2020/21); DD2492 (Insecure Immigration Status); and ADD2483 (London Voter Registration Week 2021)).

Workforce Integration Network (WIN)

1.6. The Mayor’s Strategy for Social Integration “All of Us” recognises that we can only achieve a more socially integrated city by breaking down the inequalities Londoners face in their everyday lives. The recent COVID-19 crisis and Black Lives Matter movement have continued to shine a light on the deep-seated inequalities that impact how Londoners live and work. A critical part of rebuilding London’s economy in the aftermath of this public health crisis is tackling these inequalities. One major inequality is disproportionate levels of unemployment and barriers to accessing and progressing in good work. Through our engagement with businesses, it is evident that employers need support in reaching underrepresented groups, and that many want to be involved in evidence-driven initiatives to diversify their workforce and foster a truly inclusive workplace culture. The Workforce Integration Network (WIN) aims to improve pathways for underrepresented groups in the workplace. WIN currently focusses on supporting you

ng black men aged 16 to 24 years into living wage employment in the construction and digital sectors and will engage other sectors and groups over time.

1.7. Since July 2018 (see decisions MD2311, MD2461 and DD2505) the WIN has delivered a wide range of activities to meet these aims. These include:

• The WIN Inclusive Employers Toolkit was launched to help companies increase recruitment, retention and progression of young Black men within their workforces. Developed in collaboration with Black Training and Enterprise Group, it focuses on equipping construction and digital employers with practical tools and examples of good practice to help diversify their workforce and foster a truly inclusive workplace culture.

• The Voices of the Underrepresented report was published to complement the toolkit. Commissioned by the WIN and conducted by the Runnymede Trust, it highlighted sector-specific barriers through presenting the experiences of young Black men in the technology and construction industries.

• The Mayor launched the WIN Design Labs in January 2021. The programme supports business leaders to build inclusive workforces and seeks to make sector-wide impact on the level of employment of young black men. Young black men have some of the highest unemployment rates in London with 33% out of work and seeking employment, compared to 15% of young white men.

• The WIN Workforce Data Equality Guide was published to complement the WIN Inclusive Employers Toolkit by providing practical, step-by-step guidance on how to collect, analyse and act on equalities data. It is aimed at senior leaders, HR teams and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion leads at every stage of their workforce data journey and is applicable to businesses of every size.

• WIN employability support programmes are delivering a range of construction-focused employability interventions to engage recently unemployed young Black men and other underrepresented young people between 16 –25 years old who may never have considered the construction sector as a career path.

• The Black Training and Enterprise Group are commissioned to deliver a workshop series with employers to provide practical support to implement the inclusive toolkit.

Evaluation

1.8. This decision form seeks approval of up to £45,000 to commission an evaluation of the above deliverables, as intended in DD2505, paragraph 2.15 of which referenced a commitment to commission a programme evaluation for the entire WIN programme. This will establish impact and how effectively each has contributed to the overall aims of the WIN programme. Crucially, this will also provide sector-wide learning on what works to support young Black men into jobs in construction and digital.

1.9. The GLA is seeking to commission a suitable delivery partner to evaluate the WIN, which will be procured by Transport for London Commercial, who will determine the detail of the procurement strategy to be adopted in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code.

Design Labs

1.10. This decision seeks approval for expenditure £30,000 in 2020/21 and £130,000 in 2021/22 for continued delivery of the WIN Design Lab programme to meet the objectives set out in the table in section 2 through:

• continuing the WIN Design Lab programme commenced in 2020/21 with the first cohort of eleven businesses from Construction and Infrastructure sectors into 21/22 and delivered by the Equal Group who were commissioned following a competitive procurement process to deliver the first phase of the Design Lab programme intended to run until November 2021; and

• commencing a new programme in 2020/21 with a second cohort of ten businesses from the construction and infrastructure sectors in response to new demand and continue into delivery into 2021/22; and

• the competitive procurement and commencement of a new Design Lab programme with a third cohort (ten businesses from new growth sectors) in 21/22 and with potential to roll out to additional new cohorts in future years.

1.11. Further decisions will be sought for delivery of the Design Lab programme in 2022/23.

1.12. The need for the second cohort programme has arisen as a result of unanticipated demand from the construction and infrastructure sector which has provided an opportunity for us to have greater sector-wide impact through the delivery of an additional Design Lab more immediately. As such, this decision seeks a delegation to the Assistant Director of Communities and Social Policy to agree, in consultation with Transport for London (TfL) Commercial, a single-source exemption from the requirement of the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code for the GLA to continue to contract, without undertaking a competitive tender, with the Equal Group to deliver the WIN Design Lab cohort 2. This will mean the Design Lab programme will be working with over 20 of the biggest construction and infrastructure employers in the sector.

1.13. Officers acknowledge that section 9 of the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code (“Code”) requires that services with this value should be procured competitively. Section 10 of the Code also provides however, that exemptions from this requirement may be approved on certain specified grounds. One of those grounds permits the approval of exemptions where a supplier has previous involvement in a specific current project or the services are a continuation of existing work that cannot be separated from the new project/work.

1.14. As noted above the Equal Group were procured competitively to deliver the first phase of the Design Lab programme in 2020/21. As a result they have a uniquely detailed knowledge of the programme, the GLA’s needs and officers are therefore, of the opinion that no other supplier would be able to provide a more economically advantageous tender. It is proposed therefore, that the GLA’s current contract with the Equal Group be varied to enable their provision of phase 2 services. Officers can also confirm that to adopt this approach affords value for money, the second cohort being delivered at the same rates used for phase 1 which were considered to provide value for money in the original procurement exercise. It is also important both cohorts are delivered by the same supplier to achieve sector wide impact. The Mayor is asked therefore, approve an exemption from the requirements of section 9 of the Code on this basis. Given the time sensitive nature of the need for variation to be put in place and consultation with TfL’s Commercial team in this regard it is also proposed that the Mayor delegates authority to the Assistant Director of Communities and Social Policy, in consultation with TfL’s Commercial team, to take all steps necessary to finalise such arrangements.

Resource packs

1.15. Evidence from the Runneymede Trust’s ‘Voices of the Underrepresented’ report shows the importance of engaging with young Londoners early to ensure an understanding of the diversity of roles and opportunities in the construction and digital sectors, and the career routes available. This decision form seeks approval for expenditure of £17,000 in 2020/21 to produce a series of virtual work experience resource packs via Team London’s London Enterprise Advisor Network (LEAN). These will help mitigate impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on meeting Benchmark 6 of The Good Career Guidance , which forms part of the Government's careers strategy for schools and colleges. Resources will help inform teachers, students and families about diverse careers in the construction and digital/tech sectors and will be promoted through the Network’s 500+ schools and colleges.

London Strategic Migration Partnership (LSMP)

1.16. The Home Office funds the GLA to lead the London Strategic Migration Partnership (LSMP). This decision seeks approval for receipt and expenditure of this Home Office grant. The purpose of the LSMP is to provide strategic policy coordination on migration and, through working with partners, reduce barriers facing London's migrant and refugee communities in accessing services such as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and advice/information. The LSMP work is informed and supported by the Mayor’s Migrant & Refugee Advisory Panel (MRAP), a consultative forum which has representation from a range of refugee and migrant organisations. There are similar strategic migration partnerships across all UK regions and countries. The GLA provides match funding of £30,000 for staffing costs for ESOL coordination. The GLA has received grant funding for this work stream since 2008. This work is a continuation of an existing Home Office grant agreement to cover staffing costs for the LSMP and refugee resettlement (2.5 FTE), and GLA match funding (0.5 FTE).

Rough Sleeping Immigration Advice

1.17. The COVID-19 emergency accommodation for rough sleepers organised in London has highlighted the high numbers of rough sleepers with insecure immigration status and the limited free immigration advice currently available. We estimate 68 per cent of non-UK nationals accommodated in GLA COVID-19 procured hotels had unclear immigration status and need immigration advice with numbers also high in hotels procured by local authorities. To maximise positive outcomes for this group, immigration advice and specialist support to evidence or obtain secure immigration status and entitlements are key. Pressure on services is likely to increase, especially ahead of the EU Settlement Scheme deadline in June 2021. However, most partners offering immigration specialist support only have short term funding, with government funding for advice on the EU Settlement Scheme currently due to end in March 2021. The GLA has a live grant programme to increase free immigration advice available to non-UK national rough sleepers and to improve integration and collaboration of migration and homelessness work (as approved by the Executive Director, Communities and Skills under cover of DD2492). This funding will enable the programme to be extended for an additional nine months to ensure the work can continue uninterrupted as the pandemic and Brexit continue to have a direct impact on rough sleepers in London.

London Voter Registration Week 2021

1.18. In September 2019, the GLA worked with statutory bodies, education and civil society organisations on a pilot programme aimed to reduce inequalities in voter registration among young Londoners, in particular. Following the pilot London Voter Registration Week (LVRW) 2019, the GLA built on the lessons learned and the coalition of support and delivered LVRW 2020 which engaged traditionally under-registered and under-represented Londoners, namely young people; Black, Asian, ethnic minority and migrant Londoners; and private and social renters. To collaborate, coordinate and support this work, the GLA established the London Voter Registration Strategic Partnership (LVRSP) in 2019 which is made of representatives from statutory bodies (the Association of Electoral Administrators and the Electoral Commission) and from civil society organisations.

1.19. The Assistant Director of Communities and Social Policy approved expenditure of £40,000 in the financial year 2020-21 to start planning and developing the next London Voter Registration Week to be held in September 2021 under cover of ADD2483. In line with this approval a competitive tendering process has taken place to commission a delivery partner who will take forward recommendations from LVRW 2020 and start planning LVRW 2021. This request for expenditure seeks to ensure the commissioned delivery partner, Shout Out UK, can continue planning, development and collaboration work originally procured can continue so LVRW can take place in September 2021. This date is set as it coincides with local borough electoral services conducting their annual voter registration canvass and the start of the academic year in which a large student population can be captured through this activity.

2.1 This MD seeks Mayoral approval of receipt of £154,000 of grant funding from the Home Office and expenditure of £710,000 (including expenditure of the Home Office grant funding) in 2021/22 and expenditure of £92,000 in 2020/21, to support the delivery of the following objectives:

3.1 Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), that is to pay due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it. Equality is a central driver of the Social Integration Team and Communities and Social Policy Unit’s work programme. The work outlined above is specifically targeted at advancing quality of opportunity and supporting people to access their rights and entitlements as well as fostering good relations between people who have protected characteristics and those who do not.

3.2 Specifically, the decision requested in this MD builds on the initial work of the Workforce Integration Network to address underrepresentation in London’s workforce and will contribute to the Mayor’s equality objective to work with others so that “as many Londoners as possible can participate in, and benefit from employment opportunities in London” (Objective 19). This objective is underpinned by evidence that young black men are under-represented in London’s digital sector workforce. Equality, integration and inclusion in the workplace are the drivers behind the Workforce Integration Design Labs. With WIN’s focus on young black men, it is also specifically designed to focus on tackling disadvantage, discrimination and structural racism as a barrier to accessing and progressing in good work.

3.3 The LSMP aims to increase awareness of migrant rights and mitigate exploitation and discrimination. The ESOL programme of work is specifically designed to overcome the additional barriers that some groups face to social integration, in this case English language proficiency. The LSMP and MRAP ensure that voices of migrants and refugees are included in the delivery of the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy as well as the Mayor’s Social Integration Strategy. The workplan will support a number of objectives from the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy including ensuring that London is a great place to live, work and do business. To achieve this the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Group will develop a link to the Migrant and Refugee Advisory Panel.

3.4 The work to improve access to immigration advice and support services, and to improve accessibility of information and on immigration rights will reduce uncertainty and discrimination facing vulnerable migrant groups. This includes challenges such as feeling unwelcome, discrimination, hate crime, problems accessing credit and mortgages, difficulties renting private property, problems gaining employment, discriminatory treatment stemming from confusion about entitlements to services, and resulting mental health problems all of which was highlighted in an impact assessment report.

3.5 The voter registration project has a focus on tackling inequalities and barriers to civic and democratic participation among groups of Londoners who are currently less likely to be registered or represented in the democratic system, many of whom share protected characteristics and have been disproportionally impacted by COVID–19. This, therefore, reflects the requirements of the PSED regarding removing or minimising disadvantage and encouraging participation in public life.

Risks and issues

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

4.1 The key strategies relevant to the programmes outlined in this decision document are as follows:

4.2 The Mayor’s Strategy for Social Integration All of Us, in particular the commitments to:

• address underrepresentation in London’s workforce;

• support migrants and refugees by challenging barriers to integration; and

• equip more Londoners to participate in democratic processes.

4.3 The Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, in particular the commitments to:

• work with others to ensure as many Londoners can benefit from employment opportunities as possible;

• address multiple barriers and challenges facing groups including young people in care, care leavers, and migrants and refugees; and

• address inequalities and barriers to civic participation, especially among young Londoners, and require specific interventions.

4.4 The Mayor’s Skills for Londoners strategy, in particular the commitments to:

• increase targeted support to the most disadvantaged groups, so they are better equipped to access education and work; and

• promote productivity by supporting employers to develop and make the best use of the skills of their current and future workforce.

Conflicts of interest

4.5 There are no conflicts of interest to note for any of the officers involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form. The team who will be administering these projects include secondees and trustees of a number of relevant organisations. Appropriate mitigations will be put in place throughout all tendering and grant programmes to remove relevant officials from a decision-making role regarding funding where any conflict does arise.

5.1 Approval is sought for expenditure of up to £802,000, and receipt of £154,000 in Home Office grant towards the Social Integration Work Programme. Below is the profile across financial years detailing expenditure and income receipts:

5.2 The GLA expenditure of £648,000 will be funded from the Communities and Social Policy Unit’s budget for 2020/21 (£92k), and 2021/22 (£556k).

6.1. The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:

a) the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development or the promotion of the improvement of the environment in Greater London; and

b) 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; and

- consult with appropriate bodies.

6.2. In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor 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 and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 of this report.

6.3 Section 9.1 of the Contracts and Funding Code (the ‘Code’) requires the GLA to procure competitively services with a value of those it is proposed be added to its contract with the Equal Group. The Mayor may also however, approve an exemption from this requirement under section 10 of the Code upon certain specified grounds. One of those grounds may be applied where: a supplier has had previous involvement in a specific current project; or the services concerned are a continuation of existing work that cannot be separated from the new project/work. Officers have indicated at section 1.14 of this report that this ground applies and that the proposed variation of contract affords value for money. On this basis the Mayor may approve the proposed exemption if satisfied with the content of this report.

6.4 The Mayor may delegate authority to the Assistant Director of Communities and Social Policy as proposed pursuant to section 38(1) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 should he so wish.

6.5 Should the Mayor be minded to make the decisions sought officers must ensure that:

a) to the extent that the expenditure proposed concerns the award of grant funding, the funding is distributed fairly, transparently, in accordance with the GLA’s equalities policy and in manner which affords value for money in accordance with the Code and funding agreements are entered into an executed by the GLA and recipients before any commitment to fund is made;

b) to the extent that the expenditure proposed concerns the purchase of services or supplies, they are procured in accordance with the Code by Transport for London’s commercial team and appropriate contractual documentation be executed by both the GLA and the relevant service providers prior to the commencement of the required services;

c) the GLA’s contract with the Equal Group is varied in accordance with the provisions of the same prior to commencement of the WIN Design Lab phase 2 services; and

d) they take all necessary steps to prevent the outcome of this decision having the effect of fettering the discretion of any successor administration, considering in particular the London elections taking place in May 2021.