Progress report on CPCG funding for 2004/05

Report: 13
Date: 14 October 2004
By: Clerk

Summary

This report summarises the progress being made on the implementation of funding arrangements for Community Police Consultative Groups (CPCGs) for 2004/05

A. Recommendation

That

1. the Committee note the progress being made on the implementation of funding arrangements for CPCGs for 2004/05;
2. officers be directed to continue the implementation of the funding arrangements within the Committee’s guidelines; and
3. any outstanding issues that cannot be resolved at an officer level be referred to the Members' Panel for decision.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. The last meeting of the Consultation Committee, held on 26 July 2004, received a progress report on Community Police Consultative Group (CPCG) funding for 2004/05. The Committee noted the progress being made on the implementation of funding arrangements and asked to receive a further report at its next meeting.

2. Since then officers of the Community Engagement Unit have invested considerable time and effort in assisting those CPCGs not currently receiving full years funding in revising their work programmes and other arrangements so that funding can be restored. Work is also in hand in setting up the Community Safety Board pilots in Islington and Hammersmith and Fulham.

3. Significant progress has been made, and at the time of writing it would seem likely that the majority of Groups will have funding restored to them by the end of September/early October.

4. Where funding has been restored on the basis of specific conditions, the fulfilment of those conditions will be taken into account when dealing with next year’s funding applications.

5. Following the last Community Engagement Committee a Members’ Panel was set up to support and direct officers over difficult funding decisions between Committee meetings. The work of the Panel is referred to under item 9 – Lambeth below.

Progress on the 2004/05 funding arrangements

6. The Consultation Committee at its meeting of 18 March 2004 agreed the funding arrangements for the Community Police Consultative Groups (CPCGs) for 2004/05. The Committee’s decisions on funding can be divided into four categories:

• Band 1 – Twelve months funding
• Band 2 – Six months funding extended to 12 months subject to conditions
• Band 3 – Three months funding extended to 12 months subject to conditions
• Those Groups where it was agreed that no funding would be made

Groups in Band 1 – (twelve months funding)

7. These Groups received funding for 12 months – nine months to be paid in advance and the final three months to be paid upon receipt of accounts and progress report by end September 2004. These include Barnet, Bromley, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon, Kensington & Chelsea, Kingston, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Sutton, Waltham Forest and Westminster. There is no reason to believe that any of these Groups will fail to submit the appropriate reports in the required timescale.

Groups in Band 2 – (six months funding)

8. These Groups received funding for an initial 6 months – to be extended to 12 months subject to satisfying conditions as agreed by the Committee These include Bexley, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Hounslow, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Wandsworth. An officer of the Unit has visited each of these Groups and explained what was required for funding to be released. In general, this has been well received and it is anticipated that these Groups will submit satisfactory reports allowing the release of outstanding funding.

Groups in Band 3 – (three months funding)

9. Community Engagement Unit staff have been in consultation with all the Groups in this Band to ensure that conditions are satisfied in order to release further funding. These include Croydon, Ealing, Hackney, Lambeth, Newham and Southwark. The following represents the current situation:

Croydon

10. Funding will be released on receipt of a satisfactory Service Level Agreement.

Ealing

11. Funding will be released on receipt of a satisfactory resolution of outstanding staffing issues.

Hackney

12. Funding will be released on receipt of the outstanding review of administrative arrangements.

Lambeth

13. Lambeth’s application was referred to the Members' Panel on 23 August 2004 and a number of grant conditions were confirmed. The Panel consist of Abdal Ullah, Aneeta Prem and John Roberts. Subsequent to that a considerable amount of correspondence and telephone exchanges have taken place and a revised Action Plan has been received. Officers have been able to recommend to the Members’ Panel that funding be released once agreement has been reached over the budget and the Action Plan priorities. Subject to the Panel’s decision, officers will be seeking a meeting with the Group’s Executive to finalise matters and release funding.

Newham

14. The full years funding has already been released.

Southwark

15. The full years funding has already been released.

Barking and Dagenham

16. Officers have attempted to establish contact with the Chair in order to carry out the review required by the Committee. The release of funding is dependent on a satisfactory review being carried out.

Havering

17. Further funding to be provided upon receipt of the revised constitution and a satisfactory Service Level Agreement.

Greenwich

18. This is the subject of a separate report to the Committee.

Community Safety Boards

19. In Islington and Hammersmith and Fulham funding and recognition was withdrawn from the CPCGs. The MPA is currently developing the concept of Community Safety Boards. These pilots, based in Islington and Hammersmith and Fulham will work in partnership with the Safer Neighbourhood’s Community Panels who will be given a seat on the Boards as each Neighbourhood Team rolls out. Thus, the Community Safety Boards will eventually consist largely of representatives from the Safer Neighbourhood Community Panels plus appropriate borough wide community and voluntary sector bodies and diverse groups which do not operate at a neighbourhood level.

20. A further development will be that both Community Safety Boards will be much more outward going in terms of ensuring that diverse community interests are reflected in their discussions and recommendations. Progress reports will be made to the Committee on a regular basis.

Islington

21. Two meetings of the core group have been held and there is great enthusiasm for developing the Community Safety Board. Other potential members have been identified and are being recruited. It is hoped to hold the first meeting of the Board before Christmas.

Hammersmith and Fulham

22. The first meeting of the core group was held on 22 September. It was co-chaired by Cindy Butts and Heather Valentine (Borough Commander). A significant number of those present wish to go forward and a second meeting is being arranged. Further work needs to be done to identify other potential members of the Board and to develop the core group’s view of its priorities. A second meeting of the core group will take place in November and the first meeting of the Board will follow soon after that.

London Chairs’ Forum

23. A meeting took place on 28 August 2004 between officers of the London Chairs' Forum (LCF) and of the Community Engagement Unit. This discussed training and development needs and an initial list of potential topics has been submitted to the LCF for their consideration. A brief discussion was had on reviewing the nature of the support for CPCGs. Both these issues will be taken forward as soon as the next funding round is launched.

C. Race and equality impact

A major component of the improvements that are being encouraged in the work of CPCGs that officers have met with, relate specifically to ensuring greater integration of equality and diversity provisions in their governance processes and work activities.

D. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications from this report. Funding for the CPCGs is included in the MPA 2004/05 budget.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Christopher Calnan, MPA

For more information contact:

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

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