PCD 1603 Stalking Awareness Training for CJS Agencies - Contract Extension & Uplift

PCD 1603 Stalking Awareness Training for CJS Agencies - Contract Extension & Uplift

DMPC Decision PCD 1412 approved the procurement of Stalking Awareness Training to CJS Agencies. The successful provider, Strawberry Hill Ltd (St Mary’s University in collaboration with Alice Ruggles Trust) have been delivering training sessions to MPS, CPS and London Probation staff to improve awareness, identification and responses to stalking cases. This was a commitment within the Mayor’s VAWG Strategy.  

This decision requests approval for the extension of the current contract from 03 February 2024 until 31st July 2024 and to uplift the contract by a maximum of £174,744. This extension and uplift will allow for the development of an e-learning training package to be developed for front line officers across the MPS. MPS will be providing funding to MOPAC for the majority of this contract extension.  

The original tender for the delivery of the Stalking Awareness Training outlined pending funding confirmation the contract would be uplifted and extended to include this piece of work and therefore MOPAC are acting within procurement legislation.  

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve the contract extension from 03 February 2024 until 31st July 2024.  

2. Approve the contract uplift at a maximum of £174,744 for the development of an e-learning module for front line officers.  

3. Approve the carry forward of funds totalling £35,744 to meet the costs of the contract in financial year 2024/25.   

4. Approve the spend of £139,000 from the MPS Mental Health budget for their contribution to this contract. 

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

1. Introduction and background  

1. Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is at the heart of the Mayor’s priorities for London. Central to his Police and Crime Plan and VAWG Strategy for London 2022-25 is holding perpetrators of VAWG to account to ultimately increase the safety of victims-survivors and their families. 

2. MOPAC’s VAWG Strategy outlines the following commitment: MOPAC will continue to work alongside the MPS, the Probation Service, the CPS, and victims and survivor services to ensure that the identification of, and response to stalking in London is improved; and that all agencies meet the diverse needs of Londoners resulting from increases in stalking reports to police. 

3. The Mayor’s VAWG strategy also acknowledges that trust and confidence in policing among women and girls has been declining for several years and as a result, women are less likely to report crime. Therefore, the MPS must do everything in its power to raise standards and become a service that all women and girls feel able to put their trust in. 

4. There were an estimated 1.8 million victims of stalking (aged 16-59) in England and Wales from April 2021 to March 2022 with 2.5% of men and 4.9% of women having experienced stalking in the past year. 

5. Despite this, there were only 118,411 reports of stalking to police in the year ending March 2022, 7% of the estimated volume of stalking that year. Of the 118,411 reports to police, 5% were charged, 3% reached trial and 2% resulted in convictions (England and Wales). 

6. These figures, alongside victim anecdotal evidence reported by the Victim’s Commissioner for London, National Stalking Consortium, and Suzy Lamplugh Trust highlight the need for significant improvements in the criminal justice response to stalking. 

2. Issues for consideration  

1. There is a strong argument to fund specialist stalking training for practitioners  throughout the criminal justice journey to improve outcomes for victims and increase public trust and confidence. This would complement the work of London’s Stalking Threat Assessment Centre which aims to improve the identification of and response to stalking reports in London, across the criminal justice system and health sector.  

2. Strawberry Hill Ltd have been contracted since 03 July 2023 for the delivery of Stalking Awareness Training to MPS, CPS and London Probation staff. The contract for the current training delivery ends on 03 February 2024.  

3. The feedback gathered following the training delivery has been extremely positive, with 100% of MPS officers, 97% of Probation officers and 100% of CPS lawyers reporting having an increased understanding of stalking behaviours and typologies.  

4. This decision requests the extension and uplift of the contract for the development of an e-learning module targeted at MPS front line officers. This module will aim to improve awareness, identification and responses to stalking cases by front line officers in London.   

5. The MPS will be contributing funding towards this contract extension and uplift which has been approved through their internal governance processes. Improving the police response to stalking has been identified as a priority.  

6. Following the Casey review, the response to stalking cases whose victims are predominantly women, is of extreme importance in achieving a new offer to women as outlined in the New Met for London Plan.  

3. Financial Comments  

1. The decision is seeking approval to uplift a contract at a cost of £174,444 for the development of an e learning module for front line officers. Increasing the original contract value from £111,000 to a maximum of £286,444. 

2. Of this contract uplift £35,744 will be funded through the existing budget for the delivery of stalking awareness training to CJS agencies, subject to approval of funds being carried forward from 2023/24 into 2024/25. The balance of costs will be funded from the MPS mental health ringfenced budget. 

3. MPS request the use of £139,000 from their mental health ringfenced budget for their contribution to this work. MPS finance team have confirmed they have sufficient funds within the budget of this expenditure.  

4. MOPAC will receive £139,000 from the MPS via a virement for their contribution to the uplift of the contract. These funds will make part of the budget line ‘MPS Officer Training - Stalking Awareness’. 

4. Legal Comments  

1. MOPAC’s general powers are set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). Section 3(6) of the 2011 Act provides that MOPAC must “secure the maintenance of the metropolitan police service and secure that the metropolitan police service is efficient and effective.” Under Schedule 3, paragraph 7 MOPAC has wide incidental powers to “do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office.” Paragraph 7(2) (a)provides that this includes entering into contracts and other agreements. 

2. Officers must ensure that the Financial Regulations and Contract Regulations are complied with. 

3. Officers confirm that sufficient assurance has been carried out to this Decision to determine that the CEO has legal authority to agree the recommendations.  

5. Commercial Issues  

1. MOPAC outlined within the original specification for the delivery of Stalking Awareness Training to CJS Agencies that an option would be included to vary the scope and duration of the contract by the advertised value (i.e. by a further £150k), pending funding approval.  

2. This Decision paper seeks a variation to MOPAC’s existing contract with Strawberry Hill Ltd. at a value up to £174,744k, on top of the original contract value of £111k. The total potential contract value is then up to £286k. 

3. In order to be compliant with procurement rules, a transparency notice will be published on Contracts Finder. 

4. MOPAC’s Contract Regulations require the approval of the Chief Executive for contract variations between £50,000 and £499,999. 

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.   

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. This training aims to improve CJS responses to stalking. Stalking is gendered, and disproportionately affects women and girls. This is not to say that victims of these crimes cannot be male however women are more likely to be victims of stalking. This supports the MPS plans to improve their response to women. 

8. Background/supporting papers 

1. Appendix 1 – PCD 1412