Safer London Foundation end of year report 2010/11

Report: 5
Date: 7 July 2011
By: Natasha Plummer on behalf of the Chief Executive

Summary

This report updates the committee about the development and activities of the Safer London Foundation in 2010/11. A detailed report of the work of the SLF has been completed by its Chief Executive and is attached as Appendix 1.

A. Recommendation

That

1. Members note the Safer London Foundation end of year report in Appendix 1; and
2. members recognise the work that has been conducted by SLF during 2010/11 and confirm that they are content with the way in which the 2010/11 grant has been used.

B. Supporting information

1. The Safer London Foundation (SLF) was founded jointly by the MPA and the MPS and has been funded since 2006 from Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) confiscations and from the Police Property Act Fund (PPAF). SLF is supported by a Board of Trustees on which the Authority is represented by Cindy Butts.

2. The report attached at Appendix 1 updates the committee about the development and activities of the Safer London Foundation in 2010/11. The report also seeks confirmation that the committee is content with the way in which the 2010/11 grant has been used in order to confirm the Finance and Resources Committee’s decision to approve continued funding for SLF from POCA funds in 2011/12.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. SLF is committed to making the lives of Londoners, especially young Londoners, safer and to helping make a difference locally. As such, much of its work is focussed on those who are disproportionately affected by crime, e.g. victims and perpetrators of gun and knife crime, hate crime and domestic violence and young people more generally through the various diversionary programmes it funds.

Consideration of Met Forward

2. SLF’s work supports the Met Partners, Met Connect and Met Standards strands of Met Forward. As such, the Authority’s continued support of SLF contributes to the development and maintenance of effective partnerships to fight crime, ensure better conversations with London’s communities and to identify and reward good practice.

Financial Implications

3. Since its creation in 2006 the Safer London Foundation has received funding totalling £3.4M from the MPA/MPS. This includes £2.5M of funds from the proceeds of crime fund paid over a five year period so that the SLF could grant fund community groups and initiatives, providing the opportunity to “put something back into London’s communities” in line with Home Office Guidance on the use of POCA funds.

4. The POCA funding for SLF has now come to an end as planned. However to enable the SLF to put in place a fund raising strategy, the Finance and Resources Committee have agreed to provide £0.5M funding from the PPAF for 2011/12 only to enable further grants to be made to community groups and initiatives, subject to this committee confirming with how the grant for 2010/11 was spent.

Legal Implications

5. The MPA Co-ordination and Policing Committee agreed the grant criteria for the PPAF on 6 February 2004 and the administrative arrangements were approved by the Finance Committee on 19 February 2004. The grant criteria stipulate that in addition to supporting specific projects, grants may also be made to support the general activities of an organisation provided the organisation can demonstrate on-going financial viability which is not dependent on MPA funding. Paragraph B5 of the report that was submitted to the FRC on 23 June 2011 implies that the SLF may not be financially viable without the donation of £0.5m for 2011/12. FRC has agreed that this should be ascertained but, on the basis that it is financially viable, legal advice confirms that the donation can be approved in compliance with relevant law and MPA standing orders.

Environmental Implications

6. There are environmental implications arising from this report.

Risk Implications

7. There are no risks implications arising from this report.

D. Background papers

• None

E. Contact details

Report authors: Natasha Plummer, Engagement and Partnerships Manager

For information contact:

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

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