PCD 1596 HO Grip Funding

PCD 1596 HO Grip Funding

This paper seeks approval for the uplift of £919,250 to the Home Office (HO) Grip Violence Fund to a revised total of £8,907,532 for the 2023/24 financial year. The funding will be used in the main for hot spot patrols to tackle violent crime in public spaces. 

The paper also seeks approval to fund (from the HO grant) a grant payment of £246,700 to the University College London Jill Dando Institute (UCLJDI) for the delivery of training and expertise to police officers in Problem Orientated Policing (POP) and for the allocation of this funding by way of grant of £150,000 to British Transport Police (BTP) to support the MPS delivery of Home Office (HO) Violence GRIP funded operations in 2023–2024.  

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve the uplift of £919,250 to the HO grant allocation to a revised total of £8,907,532 for 2023/24 to bolster activity carried out with the Basic Command units (BCUs) through hot spot patrolling and POP activity under existing terms and conditions 

2. Approve the payment of a grant to the Jill Dando Institute (JDI) to the value of £264,700. This funding will deliver training and expertise to MPS Problem Oriented Policing (POP) operation as part of the HO Grip funding in 2023/24.  

3. Approve the allocation of £150,000 grant from the HO Grip funding to British Transport Police (BTP). This allocation is to fund BTP contribution towards the delivery of operational activity in their areas of responsibility in London. The grant will be paid in arrears at the end of the financial year and will be subject to delivery of pre-determined outcomes. 

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

1. Introduction and background. 

1. Grip funding is a HO initiative aimed at cutting violence by giving additional funding to forces to support short-term suppression of levels of serious violence, as well as longer-term problem-solving strategies in hotspot areas. 

2. MOPAC has previously approved the acceptance of HO grant funding for Grip Violence activity – see PCDs 1070 and 1327. 

2. Issues for consideration.  

1. The MPS received a three-year settlement of £24,664,846 split between 22/23, 23/24, and 24/25. Following a review, the project's duration and the associated delivery plan was approved last year. Arrangements were formalised with a HO Grant Agreement between the parties for the period 2022-2025. 

2. In order to strengthen activities carried out within the Borough Command Units (BCUs) through hotspot patrolling and POP activity under existing terms and conditions, the HO grant allocation of £7,988,282 for 2023/24 was subsequently uplifted by £919,250, to a revised total of £8,907,532. 

3. The MPS identified 75 of the top violence hotspots across London in 22/23 and implemented POP plans in each of these, working with partners to reduce violence and crime. In 23/24 some of these hotspots were refreshed, reflecting changes in patterns of violence and 75 hotspots have been selected for the forthcoming financial year. 

4. MPS assure that the funding aligns with MOPAC’s key Police and Crime Plan priority of preventing and reducing violence across the entire capital, and it provides significant opportunity to engage with critical stakeholders and key service providers, outside of policing, to deliver a truly joined up and community focused approach to reducing violence. 

5. To support the work on Problem Oriented Policing (POP) University College London (JDI) have the relevant expertise to deliver both the support to MPS staff and analyse the effectiveness of POP plans and maturity within the MPS so that improvements continue to be made in this area.  

6. Strong evidence suggests that POP reduces crime in areas where it has been used in academic research, and the College of Policing lists it as one of their "what works" tactics. 

7. To support the hot spot activity a grant worth £150,000 is proposed to be made to British Transport Police (BTP) as a number of serious violence hotspots in London are in the vicinity of major transport hubs for which BTP have responsibility. 

3. Financial Comments.  

1. For 2023/24, the MPS is eligible for a grant award of up to £8,907,532, which is a 12% increase (£919,250) above the baseline allocation of £7,988,282. MOPAC is not required to provide any match funding for the HO funding to be accepted. 

2. The cost of the grants to the Jill Dando Institute £264,700 and BTP £150,000 will be funded from the HO grant funding. 

3. Assurances have been provided that the JDI presented a structured and detailed plan as to how they will support the MPS in delivering a change in culture and longer term embedding of POP within the organisation 

4. Legal Comments. 

1. MOPAC acceptance of this Grant is permitted under Schedule 3 Paragraph 7 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, whereby MOPAC may do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office which includes entering into contracts and other agreements (whether legally binding or not). 

2. 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 made and all offers made of grant funding and/or where appropriate a strategy for grant giving” and to approve “The strategy for the award of individual grants and/ or the award of all individual grants  whether to secure or contribute to securing crime reduction in London or for other purposes.” 

5. Commercial Issues. 

1. The MPS assure that the ongoing use of the UCL Jill Dando Institute is justified as it is at the forefront of the academic research into Problem Oriented Policing, have experience of working with other UK police forces to implement POP successfully.  

2. In addition, based on the scale and size of the POP Implementation Plan, MPS does not have the internal expertise to deliver this project alone. Due to their knowledge and expertise, the MPS is confident that the UCL will deliver the training in accordance with what the MPS know works well.  

3. The MPS have also considered the fact that JDI have supported the College of Policing and NPCC lead in developing and launching guidance concerning how POP should be implemented in police forces. When taking all these factors into account, there is a clear evidenced demonstration that the JDI will deliver value for money. 

6. GDPR and Data Privacy. 

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.  

2. The MPS has assured that following an assessment a full Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is not required. 

7. Equality Comments.  

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.  

2. The MPS assure that having undertaken an initial equality screening no positive or negative impact has been identified to any individual and/or group safeguarded by a protected characteristic and those who are not. 

8. Background/supporting papers. 

1. Appendix 1 MPS Report - Home Office Grip Funding.