Home Office Grant Funding - MPS Communications Data Account Manager

The role of Communications and Data Account Manager (CDAM) within the MPS is to work closely with the National Communication and Data Service of the Home Office in promoting the use of Communications Data for policing purposes within Law Enforcement Agencies and key stakeholders.

The Home Office have funded a CDAM role since 2015 as part of a wider grant funding arrangement for Communications Capabilities Development Programme. The CDAM funding expired on 31 March 2021. The Home Office have now issued a new grant agreement for funding of the CDAM for 2021/22. This decision proposes the acceptance of Home Office grant funding up to £80,000 to part fund the role for 2021/22. The MPS will cover the remaining costs of the role from within their existing budgets.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve the receipt of £80,000 of grant funding from the Home Office for 50% of the staff costs of an MPS Superintendent plus associated costs, for the period 01/04/2021 to 31/03/2022.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. The Home Office have funded the CDAM role since 2015 as part of a wider grant funding arrangement for Communications Capabilities Development (CCD) Programme. The CDAM funding expired on 31 March 2021. The HO have now issued a new grant agreement for funding of the CDAM for 2021/22.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. The role of Communications and Data Account Manager (CDAM) within the MPS is to work closely with the National Communication and Data Service (NCDS) of the Home Office in promoting the use of Communications Data for policing purposes within Law Enforcement Agencies and key stakeholders.

2.2. The Met have continued to operate this role on the basis of the above arrangements.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The 2021/22 HO grant funding will meet half of the cost of this role and support, travel and susbsistence costs up to a total of £80,000. The Met are meeting the remaining cost of the CDAM role from within their existing budgets.

3.2. There remains a risk that future annual HO grant funding may reduce or cease.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. This HO have offered the grant pursuant to the power conferred upon the Secretary of State for the Home Department under the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016.

4.2. The legal powers applicable to MOPAC acceptance of the Grant will be under Schedule 3, Paragraph 7 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 which provides that,

• 7(1) The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime may do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office.

• (2)That includes—

o (a) entering into contracts and other agreements (whether legally binding or not);

4.3. Para 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Consent and Delegation provides the DMPC with delegated powers to accept any offer of grant funding.

5. GDPR and Data Privacy

5.1. 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.

5.2. Privacy Impact Screening Questions were completed for the CDAM role and it was deemed that no Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) was required.

6. Equality Comments

6.1. 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.

6.2. This is an extension of an existing service this work does not change any aspects relating to equality or diversity. The Met have identified no diversity or equality issues.

7. Background/supporting papers

• Appendix 1 HO Grant for the MPS Communications Data Account Manager Role 01/04/2021 to 31/03/2022