Developing a London hate crime forum

Report: 8
Date: 27 March 2008
By: the Chief Executive

Summary

This report outlines proposals for developing a London Hate Crime Forum. It reflects the decisions made at the full authority on 31 January 2008 on the future of the Race Hate Crime Forum. It outlines proposals that build on the successes of both the RHCF and the MPA Domestic Violence Board.

A. Recommendation

That Members are asked to:

1. Agree the draft model and terms of reference for a “Hate Crime Forum”.

2. Endorse the timetable for establishing the new forum outlined below.

3. Support the proposals to consult on the revised model and terms of reference.

B. Supporting information

1. At the full authority meeting on 31 January 2008, members received a report on the Race Hate Crime Forum (RCHF). The report outlined the achievements of the RCHF over the last four years, and invited Members to identify a preferred option for developing the RCHF in the future. In the subsequent discussion, members agreed that the MPA should continue to scrutinise race hate crime but that this should be extended to all hate crime (excluding domestic violence), and should reflect the MPS integrated hate crime strategy. It was agreed that a further report would be present to full authority, responding to the issues raised in that discussion.

2. A report outlining the MPS’s strategic approach to addressing hate crime is presented elsewhere on this agenda. Hate crime has been identified as a specific strand within the MPS’s serious violence strategy and it is envisaged that the revised forum will play a key role in ensuring its successful implementation.

MPA London Hate Crime Forum

3. To date scrutiny of the MPS response to hate crime has been through the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board (EODB) and the Planning, Performance and Review Committee (PPRC). However, this has been at a pan-London, strategic level and has not benefited from any significant contribution from our partners. Development of a London Hate Crime Forum will allow more focused MPA scrutiny of the extent to which the MPS is delivering its hate crime strategy at a borough level.

4. The model outlined below responds to the good practice developed both by the predecessor Race Hate Crime Forum and the more recently established MPA Domestic Violence Board, and will provide the MPA with a mechanism to enable better engagement with partners and to raise the profile of hate crime in London. Most importantly it will provide MPA members with a mechanism with which to focus scrutiny and support on the MPS response to hate crime.

5. As agreed at the full Authority discussion on 31 January, the new London Hate Crime Forum (LHCF) will remain a multi-agency partnership but with a distinct MPA identity. The LHCF will be funded and managed by the MPA and will have full access to the resources of the MPA. Once a final decision has been reached about the shape for the LHCF, a formal constitution will need to be drawn up.

6. It will adopt a problem solving approach to working with boroughs, with a view to providing support and assistance whether possible, particularly around engaging with external partners. One of the real benefits of the RHCF was its ability to identify and disseminate good practice. It is our intention to build on this success in the new Forum. In more detail, it is proposed that draft aims are agreed as follows:

• To monitor scrutinise and support the MPS in its response to hate crime and its implementation of the hate crime strand of the serious violence strategy.
• To ensure the delivery of consistent implementation of the strategy across all 32 boroughs by focusing LHCF activity on how the strategy is being delivered at a borough level and on the monitoring and co-ordination at the corporate level.
• To share and disseminate best practice and innovation across the 32 boroughs, particularly as the roles of the borough based hate crime co-ordinator and public protection desks develop
• To identify needs and gaps highlighted by MPS boroughs and central units and to ensure where appropriate that these concerns are taken forward by the MPA.
• To increase community trust and confidence in the MPS’s response to hate crime
• To engage with partner agencies across London to ensure there is an appropriate multi-agency response to hate crime.
• To consider the MPS contribution to CDRP/LAA responses to hate crime at a borough level.
• To work in partnership with London Councils and individual borough councils, and other key stakeholders, to promote effective multi-agency working at borough and regional levels

7. One of the successes of the RHCF was the level of engagement with both statutory and voluntary agencies across London. It is proposed that this engagement continues, but is widened to include organisations that represent the other diversity strands so that the strand specific issues are identified and addressed in a systematic way. Further, borough-based voluntary organisations will be invited to meetings that focus on activity in their borough. It is proposed that the MPS is invited to make a full contribution to meetings, as it is to the DV Board, but that it is not formally a member of the Board. This will help reinforce the independence of the scrutiny carried out by the Forum.

8. Whilst it is right that the LHCF makes the final decision about how it works in practice, it is proposed that in broad terms it meets between four and six times per year (it may need to be more in the first instance) and has an agenda based on the objectives outlined above. It is proposed that the Forum retains the locus on borough scrutiny, and that borough commanders are invited to present to the meetings as they have previously done with the DV Board and the RHCF. Templates will be developed to enable consistency. An important aspect of the presentations and the subsequent scrutiny will be the effectiveness of partnership approaches adopted by the individual boroughs to reduce hate crime and improve community cohesion in their locality. Space will be created on each agenda to ensure there is sufficient scrutiny of the corporate contribution to service delivery (e.g. training).

9. The Hate Crime Co-ordinators Group and other sub-groups of the current RHCF, will continue. Although there may be a need to review this in due course.

10. Permanent staff in the Equalities and Diversity Unit within the Corporate Development and Strategic Oversight Directorate will provide staff support for the new Forum. (Subject to normal processes, the existing support staff for the RHCF will be given the opportunity to be assimilated into new posts to support the new Forum). Data analysis will be provided by the Planning and Performance Team, and links will be developed with the Engagement and Partnership Unit who will provide “eyes and ears” at borough level and who will support link members in keeping hate crime on CDRP agendas

11. Subject to the agreement of the Authority, officers will need to undertake a comprehensive consultation process with partners and potential Forum Members. This will have two key objectives – firstly to garner commitment to the concept of a London Hate Crime Forum and secondly, to develop a detailed terms of reference, constitution and work programme. In terms of timescale, officers would like to carry this out over the next three months, with a view to launching the forum in September 2008.

C. Race and equality impact

The new forum would demonstrate the commitment of the MPA to tackle the variety of hate crime suffered by different communities. It would also assist the MPA deliver a number of actions outlined in its equality scheme and progress towards level 3 of the local government equality standard.

D. Financial implications

The existing budget provision for 2008/09 is £85,000. No additional financial implications are envisaged.

E. Background papers

• The London Race Hate Crime Forum,  Report 7, Full Authority 31 Jan 2008
• Minutes of Full Authority 31 Jan 2008

F. Contact details

Report author: Siobhan Coldwell, Interim Assistant Chief Executive, MPA

For more information contact:

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

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