Police Community Consultative Groups and  Independent Custody Visiting panels

Report: 7
Date: 22 May 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

This paper explains the process used to allocate funds to meet one-off costs for Police Community Consultative Groups (PCCGs) and Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Panels.

A. Recommendation

The Committee note the process and agree the allocation of funds see Appendix 1 for 'one-off' bids for consultative groups and ICV panels.

B. Supporting information

Background

This report proposes the allocation of the budget in support of 'one-off' bids.

1. The budget to fund consultative groups is structured into two components, the largest component (£877,000) for Consultative Groups is provided to meet the costs of funding their work programme and anticipated running costs, such as salary and accommodation. The independent custody visiting allocated budget to cover the above areas and all one off bids requests was £270,000.

2. The second component of the budget (£20,000) is designated for the Authority to fund special initiatives and requirements for the year. 70 per cent of this (£14,000) to Consultative Groups and 30 per cent (£6,000) earmaked for ICVPs. In the past this has included the purchase of IT equipment and one-off consultation initiatives, such as crime prevention awareness campaign for the elderly, conferences, staff training etc.

3. The main budget allocation for both Consultative Groups and ICV Panels was approved at the Authority's meeting on 19 April 2001. Following that meeting they were notified of their funding.

CPCG/PCCG process

4. As part of their funding application, Consultative Groups were invited to apply for 'one-off' funds for the year 2001/2002. This year, 13 Groups applied for such funds. Officers met with the lead member dealing with consultative groups to assess these bids.

5. The bids were assessed taking into account the following factors:

Criteria used:

• Training Requirement
• IT Development
• One off consultation events

A number of requests were made for training in general, but when probed groups were unable to supply specific details of training requirements and possible courses. £2,000 has been allocated for training subject to further details as stated in the Appendix 1.

Similarly, a number of groups requested funds for IT development eg: purchase of computers and software. As with the issue of training, £6,300 has been allocated for IT subject to further details as stated in the Appendix 1.

Officers and members agreed initiatives where it was felt Groups demonstrated value for money and the outcomes where contributed to the Authority's aims of improving consultation arrangements or policing priorities for the respective borough.

6. The proposed recommended use of the budget see Appendix 1.

ICV process

7. One-off bid applications were received from four Independent Custody Visiting panels totalling £6,955.95. Members approved the bid for Hammersmith and Fulham's office lease/Professional fees (subject to receiving receipts) and Merton's costs which theoretically should have been included in their main bid.

8. All bids were assessed taking into account the following factors:

• that the proposed activities demonstrate best value;
• it clearly contributes to the Authority's aims of improving the delivery of this service and further sustains the interface between detainee, the police and the local community. This could include for example the piloting of new initiatives that could be replicated across London;
• that the proposed costing does not duplicate existing activities undertaken by the MPA;
• that the bids do not pre-empt the MPA's policy position.

Key emerging issues

9. Officers are exploring the costs/benefits of the MPA purchasing en-masse IT equipment, software and providing other IT support for PCCGs and ICV panels.

10. Groups will need to be provided with more detailed advice about the application process in order to ensure that they ensure greater detail is provide the MPA with greater detail at the time of their bid application.

11. Over the next 12 months the 'one off' bid process will need to be reviewed within the wider context of the MPA's financial responsibilities and strategic priorities for service delivery and consultation processes as a whole. The Best Value Review on Consultation recommended that there should be a challenge fund run by the MPA, but this was not to be solely limited to consultative groups.

C. Financial implications

For the year 2001/02 £20,000 was allocated to fund CPCGs. Appendix 1 recommends £10,175 spend from this budget is approved.

Members met with officers on the 3 May 2001 to discuss policy and guidance issues. Members recommended one off cost payments to two ICV panels totalling £771.95.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The authors of this report are Sultan Taylor and Floyd.

For information contact:

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

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