Funding through the MPS of partnership, multi agency and third sector projects and programmes 2008-09

Report: 4
Date: 10 September 2009
By: Director of Resources / the Director of Human Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report informs Members as to the amount of grant funding and sponsorship income received by the MPS for funding of partnership, multi-agency and third sector activities in 2008-09.

It builds upon the ‘Sponsorship and grant aiding project and events’ report submitted and discussed at Committee on 16 July 2009, providing further information to Members regarding funding received under Sections 92 and 93 of the Police Act 1996.

The report also describes MPS governance procedures in respect of the grants, policies that have been applied during this period and how these issues are being reviewed and updated in 2009-10.

A. Recommendation

That: Members are asked to note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

1. This report identifies the extent of MPS sponsorship and grants in 2008-09 and the governance of the use of those grants, particularly how expenditure is monitored. The grants will have been received from local, regional or central government and from the European Commission. The report is also required to identify relevant policies both existing and planned.

Extent of grants and sponsorship receipts

2. For partnership, multi-agency and third sector policing activities in 2008-09 the MPS received funding in the form of grant income and sponsorship income. The MPS is empowered to accept this type of funding under the miscellaneous financial provisions of Sections 92 and 93 of the Police Act 1996.

3. Section 92 states that London borough councils and other Councils may make grants to any police authority whose police area falls wholly or partly within that London borough. Furthermore, these grants may be made unconditionally or with agreement of the chief officer for the relevant police area, subject to conditions.

4. Section 93 allows a police authority to accept gifts of money and gifts or loans of or other property, terms of which include the provision of commercial sponsorship of any activity of the police authority or the police force maintained by it.

Programme for 2008-09

5. The funding programme for 2008-09 can be summarised as follows:

Grand Total: 37,511

6. Appendix 1 to this report provides further analysis of the programme of grant funding received.

Monitoring of related expenditure

Section 92 and other Grant Funding

7. The largest Pan-MPS grant-funded project is the Home Office (HO) funded partnership, the Basic Command Unit Fund (BCUF) of £7.93million. This fund is bound by the HO terms and conditions of grant. Since its inception in 2003-04, the BCUF has been subject of a strict reporting regime whereby the spend plan is firstly agreed by respective borough Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRP) and then given final approval by Government Office for London, on behalf of the HO. In-year monitoring is through discrete cost centres, together with the submission of quarterly returns highlighting financial and operational performance against those activities included in the original spend plan. The returns also require specific identification of key achievements and barriers to progress, as an aid to the future planning process. p>

8. The BCUF seeks to promote partnership working and direct resources towards cutting crime. A priority is increased community engagement, which was achieved through involving under-represented communities in local decision-making processes. In addition, there were projects seeking to divert young people from criminal or anti-social behaviour or to provide support to youth groups, many with the overarching desire to build respect in communities. The fund was also used to support local problem solving panels seeking to tackle hate and violent crime.

9. The MPA Partnership Fund provides each Borough Operational Command Unit (BOCU) with a budget allocation of fifty thousand pounds per year in support of local partnership initiatives. In planning use of the MPA Partnership Fund, BOCUs are advised to consider the potential impact of activities upon all sections of the community. BOCU management agree spend plans in liaison with respective MPA link members, to ensure that the plan meets local requirements in tackling crime and disorder and enhancing partnership capacity. Each BOCU is also required to submit quarterly returns identifying levels of expenditure against each approved project.

10. Many BOCUs used the MPA Partnership Fund to support youth engagement and diversion activities, for example to develop new or support existing cadet units or to educate young people to act safely and responsibly in the face of potential violence. The fund was also frequently used to support the engagement of diverse and hard to reach communities, both existing and emerging. Schemes such as those for faith engagement gave a structured facility to enhance community cohesion and provided some training and educational opportunities for communities. Other funded projects sought to improve awareness and support for victims of gender-related crimes, or to enhance community knowledge of diversity issues.

11. The borough grant-funded projects were arranged with BOCU Local Authority partners and sought to tackle similar issues to those managed through the other grant funds. This maintains the structured, multi-agency approach to partnership working across the boroughs. Each BOCU has a separate partnership cost centre to record financial data relating to the projects, with budgets being loaded and monitored through the monthly forecasting process. The grant-funded projects are also set in a formal agreement between the MPA and each Local Authority.

12. EC funding was received for several projects. Management of the projects is subject to strict EC rules and guidelines and comprehensive transactional records are maintained for each. Regular progress reports are required by the EC monitors, identifying both financial and operational performance against targets. Separate cost centres are used to identify project finances.

13. Regional government funding was primarily received in the form of payment from Transport for London (part of the Greater London Authority family) for traffic-related activities (£7.080 million). The London Development Agency also supported the MPS Volunteers Programme with funding for the project manager role (£0.037 million).

Section 93 Funding

14. Cash sponsorship was received by the MPS for a number of initiatives, both local and corporate. The largest single sponsorship agreement is between the Specialist Crime Directorate (SCD) and the Association of Payment And Clearing Services (APACS) (£2.841 million) and represents funding for a dedicated fraud investigation unit. For many BOCUs, sponsorship was often received in support of Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT), frequently in the form of funds to purchase or lease a vehicle.

15. In-kind sponsorship received by the MPS was recorded with a nominal value. By far the largest activity to receive such support was the Employer Supported Policing scheme with support to the value of £0.998 million. This scheme allows for the provision of employed staff to the Metropolitan Special Constabulary.

16. Cash donations received by the MPS amounted to forty thousand pounds, mostly in support of SCD activities, specifically a dedicated plant theft unit.

17. The only in-kind donation was recorded by Bexley BOCU, one thousand pounds representing the value of 4 bicycles donated to the Barnehurst SNT.

Policies - Partnerships

18. The MPS Partnership Strategy and Implementation Plan was agreed by MPS Management Board on 27 May 2008 and noted by the MPA Finance Committee on 19 June 2008. The Implementation Plan was delivered from June 2008 to July 2009 by the Partnership Project, a work-stream of the Developing Resource Management (DRM) Programme. The closing report from the project including the establishment of arrangements to continue the development and implementation of the strategy as core business was presented to MPS Management Board on 29th July 2009.

19. Since August 2009, the MPS Partnership Strategy and policy development has been delivered as business as usual. Delivery of the Partnership Strategy is led by the MPS Strategy and Improvement Department (S&ID), within the Directorate of Resources (DoR). Direction has been provided throughout by a steering group with membership from all MPS business groups.

20. This work-stream developed a corporate approach to MPS partnerships. This approach is based upon four key principles:

Principles of MPS Partnership Strategy

1. Partnership working is properly integrated into the Service’s medium term planning and budget work;
2. Partnerships can demonstrate the delivery of added value and that their achievements outweigh the cost of developing and maintaining them;
3. Best practice is shared across the Service and proper guidance and support is available to Business Groups; and
4. Partnerships are supported by appropriate governance arrangements and comply with MPA/MPS decision-making and governance processes.

21. The implementation of the MPS Partnership Strategy has involved the development of a corporate approach to partnerships. This approach is not yet a formalised MPS policy; however, it is an agreed, documented approach, including guidelines for the business. Each of the Strategy’s underpinning principles is considered in the following paragraphs, with activities delivered in 2008-09 and further actions identified for 2009-10 outlined.

Principle (i) Partnership working is properly integrated into the Service’s medium term planning and budget work.

22. During 2008-09 a database was developed to include all MPS partnerships with financial implications to enable the corporate financial management of partnerships.

23. Business planning processes were developed to ensure that all partnerships are consistently included. Draft guidance for integration of partnerships with business planning was produced.

24. All partnerships are now included in quarterly financial returns in 2009-10. These returns are validated, and this data then provides the financial element of the MPS Partnership Database, which also collates process information about partnerships. The database links with the Medium Term Financial Plan, the Deployment Plan and the monthly revenue forecast on actual versus budget.

25. The financial and operational performance of partnerships is reviewed monthly as part of the Business Group regular review process. Any issues are taken forward with the OCU concerned and the partnership, and corrective action taken where necessary. A year-end review takes place locally to assess any financial carry-forward.

26. Overall these developments enable us to ensure the main financial implications and risks of partnerships are understood and built into the budget.

27. In order to integrate all partnerships into the 2010-13 business planning cycle, a financial planning partnerships return is being developed.

Principle (ii) Partnerships can demonstrate the delivery of added value and that their achievements outweigh the cost of developing and maintaining them.

28. In 2008-09 an MPS-wide mapping exercise provided a detailed snapshot of partnership finances, activity and issues. This focused on partnerships with a financial implication.

29. The web-enabled Partnership Toolkit, described later in this section of the report, provided all MPS partnership practitioners with guidance on how to measure their own performance.

30. During 2009-10 work will be undertaken to map partnerships, which do not have a financial implication, but which add value or may pose a reputational risk, and to map the human resource implications of partnerships.

31. Performance management of partnerships will be improved. The database will be developed gradually to collect more relevant data, and risk and performance analysis will be conducted. Work will focus on a headline set of significant partnership returns from the 2010-13 business planning cycle. In future, a broader range of partnerships may be assessed, and further analysis conducted. Performance will be considered in terms of both non-financial and financial indicators. Partnerships will also be included in monthly performance reporting, which should identify the contribution of partnerships in driving performance. Work will be undertaken with partnership leads to assess performance.

32. Additional communications will embed the Toolkit across the MPS, which will enable improvements in performance and in performance measurement.

Principle (iii) Best practice is shared across the Service and proper guidance and support is available to Business Groups.

33. During 2008-09 key stakeholders from across the MPS have been involved in the partnership Toolkit development.

34. In 2009-10 a web-enabled Partnerships Toolkit has been developed, published and launched; it is accessible from the Partnership Intranet page. The Toolkit provides a framework for delivering partnership work across the MPS, with guidance and templates to enable consistent partnership delivery based on good practice. The Toolkit comprises:

• The Guide to Partnership Working for all partnership work.
• EU Funding Guidance for the preparation of all bids for European Funds.
• Processes and Guidance for the Financial Management of Partnerships.
• The Service Approach to Local Area Agreements for TP boroughs.

35. Over this period, work will be undertaken with all business groups strategically and operationally to deliver the necessary business change to implement the guidelines. The Toolkit will be improved by regular updating and responding to feedback received from users.

36. The Partnership Best Practice Network has been developed to share best practice and learning across the MPS in a systematic way, and to assist and facilitate partnerships, this network’s hub, the Partnership Central Steering Group (PCSG), will meet quarterly and act as gatekeeper for the rest of the network, which will initially operate virtually, via email and the Intranet. The Network’s membership comprises over 200 key stakeholders, both individuals and groups, from across the MPS and MPA. The Best Practice Network will be launched in September 2009.

Principle (iv) Partnerships are supported by appropriate governance arrangements and comply with MPA/MPS decision- making and governance processes.

37. The financial management of all partnerships in which MPS units have involvement is subject to the standard MPA Financial Regulations./ Contract Regulations. Partnership finances are generally managed through the creation of separate cost centres where budgeting, forecasting, monitoring and reporting are undertaken on a regular basis. MPS procurement policies apply equally to partnerships. Guidance regarding the specific audit requirements for partnerships is contained within the Finance Manual, which is readily accessible through the Intranet.

38. Corporate governance and coordination of MPS partnerships was improved by setting up The Partnership Central Coordinating Group (PCCG), which provided direction for the Partnership Project, had representation from all Business Groups and included some operational members. This group met until the transfer of the project to business as usual in July 2009.

39. Regular meetings with the MPA Head of Engagement and Partnerships have facilitated good mutual understanding of the partnership work that is being delivered by the MPA and MPS.

40. The corporate lead for partnerships sits with the S&ID, and from July 2009, a dedicated Head of Partnerships role has been created, providing leadership for the implementation of the MPS’ Partnership Strategy going forward. The post holder co-ordinates work across the MPS, working particularly closely with Territorial Policing and Finance Services.

41. An ongoing governance framework for partnerships has been developed. Key developments are that the Partnership Central Steering Group (PCSG) has been set up to provide a strategic steer and manage risks for partnerships, with representation from every Business Group and including some operational representatives. The MPA will be invited to the group. The PCSG will support and guide local work through a central framework, whilst managing strategic partnership risks.

42. Protocols for partnership working between the MPS, MPA and GLA are being developed. Work will continue with the MPA to agree a shared approach to partnerships, and other strategic partnership relationships will be developed.

43. Directorate of Resources (DoR) guidance for Finance staff, incorporating all aspects of financial management, have recently been developed and published via the Finance Services Intranet site.

44. All of the policies, operating procedures, guidance and toolkits mentioned throughout this report have been made available to members of the MPS via the Intranet.

45. Activities have been continuously undertaken in 2008-09 to raise awareness of the Toolkit and partnership policies, for example:

• The Partnership Central Coordinating/Steering Group cascading information;
• The Resources Directorate website and Corporate News;
• The Job and Key Brief;
• The Developing resource Management (DRM) Change Network;
• Workshops such as the Financial Awareness Training;
• One to one meetings between the Business Accountants and (B)OCU commanders and heads,
• Meetings between members of the Income Generation Unit and finance and partnership leads across the MPS.

46. In addition to the above, in 2009-10 the Partnership Best Practice Network will be used to re-launch the Toolkit and to share best practice by e-mail, through the new Partnerships web page on the S&ID website and the partnerships special interest group on AWARE.

47. The MPS Partnership Database will be published on the Intranet.

48. Working closely with operational business groups, face-to-face workshops will be held with partnership leads to share best practice and embed the Toolkit and partnership policies.

Policies - Sponsorship

49. The financial management of all sponsorship income received by MPS is subject to the standard MPA Financial Regulations. Nevertheless, there are two specific policies (for income and expenditure) for managing sponsorship across the MPS. Other relevant documentation includes The Guide to Partnership Working, the Procurement policy and financial and contract regulations.

50. The Management of Sponsorship, Trading and Events document provides clear guidance on the legislation surrounding the acceptance of sponsorship and states the proactive opinions of both the MPA and ACPO. It provides a specific process for all members of the MPS to follow and includes certain actions to ensure activities comply with legislation. However, the policy does promote innovation and encourages business groups to see sponsorship from the private sector as a positive and useful source of income and support. All sponsorship activities are centrally recorded. The primary operating procedure is the ACPO Guide to Income Generation.

51. The Sponsorship Expenditure Policy provides guidance and a process to decide on financially supporting activities being controlled by a third party. The policy has a simple flow chart decision-making process for business groups to follow when deciding on requests for support from third parties. The policy states the benefits of supporting local activities but offers a number of risks that should be addressed before entering into agreements. The policy reminds decision-makers that some activities will be business as usual, others partnership or procurement, so to make use of existing expenditure and partnership procedures, if applicable. Activities that the MPS has sponsored are centrally recorded.

52. The Defining the Procurement Process Policy is to ensure that expenditure and purchasing is in line with the current Metropolitan Police Authority Standing Orders and Regulations. This policy is cross-referred to by both the sponsorship income and expenditures policies.

53. The sponsorship expenditure and income policies have been going through a major review during 2009 and are due to be republished during September 2009. All the policies have been referred to the relevant MPA committee.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The funding received has been used to support a broad range of activities. There are no indications that the use of these funds has had any adverse affect on any single section of the community.

2. The implementation of the MPS Partnership Strategy will improve service delivery and improve our working with partners. A consistent and effective approach to working in partnership from local informal collaborations through to statutory strategic partnerships will increase and sustain community trust and confidence in the police service.

D. Financial implications

1. Total income in 2008-09 from grants and sponsorship for partnership, multi-agency and third sector policing activities amounted to £37.511 million, made up of £32.644 million in grants and £4.867 million sponsorship. Details of the grant funding are set out in Appendix 1.

E. Legal implications

1. The MPA/MPS as a statutory body may only do that which it is authorised to do by statute.

2. The MPA may receive grants for police purposes from any Local Authority where the police area falls wholly or partly within the area of the Local Authority’s area, under section 92 of the Police Act 1996, as amended by paragraph 101 of Schedule 27 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999.

3. Grants under section 92 of the Police Act 1996 may be unconditional, or with agreement of the Chief Officer of Police for the police area concerned, be subject to conditions. Where appropriate, current arrangements between local authorities and the MPA are governed by a formal written agreement, which sets out the terms and conditions of the grant.

4. The MPA may also under section 93 of the Police Act 1996, in connection with the discharge of any of its functions, accept gifts of money and gifts or loans of other property, on such terms as appear to the Authority to be appropriate. The terms on which the gifts or loans are accepted may include terms providing for the commercial sponsorship of any activity of the MPA or MPS. The acceptance of sponsorship for non-core policing activities is intended to extend and enhance a police forces service to the community.

5. In accepting gifts of money or loans of property under section 93 of the Police Act 1996, the MPA/MPS are required to exercise great care to ensure that a correct balance is maintained between the legitimate business aims of the sponsors and the interest of the MPA/MPS. There are a number of restrictions placed by legislation and internal controls. For example, such gifts of money or loans of property cannot exceed a maximum of equivalent value of one percent of the MPA annual budget. Gifts of money, loans of property and sponsorship must also comply with the MPA’s financial regulations, which set out conditions on acceptance and expenditure.

6. Proper financial records and controls, and auditing requirements will allow for scrutiny in the way the Police Force delivers its functions, and minimise the risk of offending the integrity and propriety of the Police. The Financial Regulations of the MPA also requires a report to be produced at the end of each financial year, detailing all gifts, loans of property and sponsorship, which will allow for transparency to be demonstrated.

F. Background papers

• None

G. Contact details

Report author(s):

• Antoni Poltorak, Lead Accountant (TP), DoR
• Lizzie Peters, Head of Partnerships, S&ID, DoR
• John Whitaker, Director of Logistical Services, HR

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Abbreviations

APACS

Association of Payment And Clearing Services

BCUF

Basic Command Unit Fund

BOCU

Borough Operational Command Unit

CDRP

Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnerships

DoR

Directorate of Resources

DRM

Developing Resource Management

EC

European Commission

HO

Home Office

PCSG

Partnership Central Steering Group

S&ID

Strategy & Improvement Department

SCD

Specialist Crime Directorate

TP

Territorial Policing

Appendix 1: Grant income received 2008-09

Pan-MPS grant income

MPS-wide initiatives were projects that either involved activities across a range of Operational Command Units (OCUs) or were for funding streams relevant to a wide number of OCUs. The funding supported a range of activities, specifically:

• The Basic Command Unit Fund (BCUF) is a Home Office funding scheme to help local delivery of reductions in crime and disorder through partnership working. The fund was paid at varying rates to all 32 BOCUs. Value: £7.929 million.
• The Home Office funded the Drugs Intervention Programme to support the employment of Designated Detention Officers to carry out drug testing on arrest and charge in 21 Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs). Value: £6.42 million.
• Corporate Territorial Policing (TP) projects, including Operation Blunt to combat knife crime, received Home Office funding. Value: £0.393 million.
• TP also received funding from the London Development Agency in support of the administrative management of the Metropolitan Police Volunteers Programme. Value: £0.037 million.
• Central Operations (CO) was granted funds by Transport for London to operate the London Safety Camera Partnership, to undertake speed and red-light camera enforcement. Value: £5.9 million.
• CO received further grants from Transport for London in support of initiatives to lower the number of motorcycle rider casualties and to promote general road safety measures. Value: £1.18 million.
• Total value: £21.859 million.

MPA Partnership Fund

• Each of the 32 BOCUs was allocated fifty thousand pounds by the MPA to fund local partnership-related activity, specifically supporting each borough crime and disorder reduction strategy; this formed part of the BOCU base budget allocation. Value: £1.6 million.
• A number of BOCUs received a re-allocation of prior-year underspends against the MPA-funded partnership allocation, again to support the local crime and disorder reduction strategy. Value: £0.252 million.
• Total value: £1.852 million.

Borough grant income

Single borough grant-funded projects occurred across all BOCUs and generally entailed the MPS working in partnership with various units from the Local Authorities to develop local initiatives to combat crime and disorder, as identified by the respective local partnerships. The funding received by each BOCU for this type of initiative was as follows:

Figures are in £000:

• Barking and Dagenham 484
• Barnet 0 05
• Bexley 202
• Brent 325
• Bromley 0 61
• Camden 317
• Croydon 193
• Ealing 0 89
• Enfield 526
• Greenwich 485
• Hackney 851
• Hammersmith and Fulham 0 96
• Haringey 622
• Harrow 022
• Havering 110
• Hillingdon 584
• Hounslow 070
• Islington 145
• Kensington and Chelsea 116
• Kingston 0 30
• Lambeth 227
• Lewisham 063
• Merton 351
• Newham 352
• Redbridge 0 98
• Richmond 0 34
• Southwark 280
• Sutton 337
• Tower Hamlets 415
• Waltham Forest 136
• Wandsworth 0 15
• Westminster 291
• Total value 7,932

European Commission grant income

There were 4 EC-funded projects operational in 2008/09. Funding amounted to £1.001 million and was allocated as follows:

• Operation Golf, a TP project involving a joint investigation between the MPS and Romanian National Police into Romanian Roma Organised Crime Networks trafficking and criminally exploiting children from within the Roma community. Value: £0.643 million.
• The Comenius project, based on Haringey borough, supported the creation of a European safer schools partnership through education for citizens. Value: £0.243 million.
• CO was involved with Operation Torch a project to conduct a four-day event, which included a real-time simulation of the body recovery and identification phases of a mass fatality incident in a crowded place. Value: £0.112 million.
• SO received funds for project EU SEC II for involvement in a project to coordinate national research programmes and policies on security at major events in Europe. Value: £0.003 million.
• Total value: £1.001 million.

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