PCD 1543 Your Choice Transitional Funding

PCD 1543 Your Choice Transitional Funding 

This decision sets out to advise that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime notes the tiered approach to funding allocation the VRU has in place relating. This relates to Decision paper PCD 1407 for the transitional funding provided by the London VRU to Local Authorities for the delivery of the Your Choice Programme.   

The overall funding envelop for the programme has not changed and the funding allocated to each borough remains the same as per their grant agreements.   

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve the tiered approach to funding allocation the VRU has in place relating to PCD 1407 as per individual grant agreements with local authorities.    

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background  

1.1 The Your Choice programme delivers High Intensity CBT therapeutic interventions to young people aged 11-17 who have been assessed to be at risk of, or vulnerable to violence and exploitation within a Local Authority context.  The programme is funded by the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) and is being evaluated as a randomised control trial (RCT); a gold standard evaluation that will enable the VRU to strengthen our evidence base on trauma-informed, therapeutic interventions, achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.   

1.2 The pilot phase ran from April 2022 to March 2023 with the full efficacy trial starting on 1st August 2023, and due to end in December 2024.   

1.3 Decision paper PCD 1407 approved for the VRU to allocate funding to 31 Local for the transitional period of April 2023 to July 2023, this funding has provided continuity of service provision between the pilot and efficacy phases of the RCT and has been critical to ensuring Local Authorities stay engaged with the programme during the drop off of funding from the YEF.    

‘The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve the total allocation of up to £1,000,000 from VRU 2022/23 carry forwards, offering direct grants of equal value to 31 Local Authorities (barring Enfield who have opted out of the programme at end of pilot phase) and London Councils to provide transitional funding support for the Your Choice programme to enable continuity of service provision between pilot and efficacy phases of the RCT’.    

1.4 The use of the term ‘equal value’ was not accurate based on the approach the VRU has in place; which was overseen when the paper was written and signed off in April 2023.  

2.      Issues for consideration  

2.1 Across the various tranches of Your Choice, there has never been a period when all Local Authorities were receiving equal funding and the Local Authorities have been ‘tiered’ based on need. During the pilot phase there were 15 Tier 1 LAs and 17 Tier 2 LAs.    

2.2 Based on the funding needed in the pilot phase, and in conversations with Local  Authorities, the VRU calculated that during the transitional phase Tier 1 Local Authorities needed to receive £35,555.56 and Tier 2 Local Authorities needed to receive £17,777.00 in order continue delivery.     

2.3 The tiering system has not been disputed by Local Authorities, and at no point were Local Authorities told that they would receive equal funding during the transitional period.  

3.        Financial Comments  

3.1 Decision PCD 1407 approved up to £1,000,000 of carry forwards for the Your Choice transitional funding to support the Your Choice programme across 31 local authority direct grants (barring Enfield) and London Councils.  

3.2 The grant variations total £873,445 and are therefore within the original approved allocation.  

4. Legal Comments 

4.1 Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all bids for grant funding.  

4.2 Legal advice has not been sought and there should be no significant legal implications arising from this report. 

5. Commercial Issues  

5.1 Local Authorities have provided a detailed pricing schedule and will be delivering the service based on the same rates provided at the pilot phase. 

5.2 The commercial comments in PCD 1407 references a tiered approach, this is consistent with the recommendations in this decision paper. 

6. Public Health Approach  

6.1 Consistent with PCD 1407.  

7. GDPR and Data Privacy  

7.1 Consistent with PCD 1407. 

8. Equality Comments  

8.1 Consistent with PCD 1407. 

8.2 Across the various tranches of Your Choice, there has never been a period when all Local Authorities were receiving equal funding and the Local Authorities have been ‘tiered’ based on need. During the pilot phase there were 15 Tier 1 LAs and 17 Tier 2 LAs.