National County Lines Coordination Centre

This Business Justification concerns the proposal to create a National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC), governed by the NPCC Gangs portfolio and NCA and funded through a bid to the Home Office. The aim of the NCLCC is to enable national joined-up work across police forces, ROCU’s and the NCA in order to effectively tackle the threat posed by county lines. The work is to be delivered under the 4P approach and will be resourced by a combination of officers and analysts to ensure a full national response. The NCA will take the lead on the “pursue” element and the police will lead on “protect, prevent, prepare”.

This proposal is being submitted to PIB and IAB for oversight and approval of the bid submission to the Home Office and subsequent creation of the NCLCC.

The Serious Violence Strategy announced by Home Office on 9th April identified the full allocation towards the development of a New National County Lines Co-ordination Centre to tackle violent and exploitative criminal activity associated with county lines.

The DMPC is asked to;

• Approve a national county lines co-ordination centre (NCLCC) which will allow more suitable resourcing dedicated to effectively tackling county lines and associated vulnerability

• Approve funding sought for £3.7m through a bid to the Home Office with mutually agreeable outcomes

• Approve joint strategic oversight with governance from both Police (NPCC Gangs Lead) and NCA

1. Introduction and background

1.1. Within the NPCC Gangs portfolio, NCA and Home Office, well-documented collaboration across both tactical and strategic responses has concluded that the most effective way to overcome the barriers currently presented within law enforcement can be through a national co-ordination centre.

1.2. The objectives for the NCLCC are for the NCA to lead the “Pursue” element. The Police will lead on Prevent, Protect and Prepare whilst also supporting the NCA’s pursue element. This will be ensuring that operational responses are aligned, whilst developing tactical and safeguarding strategies from cross cutting themes including Missing People, Modern Slavery, Drugs and CSE/A to align work from all portfolios.

1.3. The NCLCC will enable the MPS across all boroughs (and other forces) to have an enhanced response to keeping children and young people safe through safeguarding strategies and best practice. The NCLCC will also enable MPS to benefit from national collaboration to tackle and combat organised criminality and its impact on serious violence, use of weapons, drugs and trafficking.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. The Serious Violence Strategy announced by Home Office on 9th April identified a £3.6m allocation towards the development of a New National County Lines Co-ordination Centre to tackle violent and exploitative criminal activity associated with county lines.

3. Financial Comments

3.1 The total bid request from Home Office is £3.7m.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. Para 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Consent and Delegation provides the DMPC with delegated power to approve any bid for grant funding.

5. Equality Comments

5.1. There are no direct equality or diversity implications arising from this report.

6. Background/supporting papers

6.1. Report.