Race Hate Crimes Forum

Report: 11
Date: 17 July 2003
By: Clerk

Summary

The first meeting of the Race Hate Crimes Forum was held on Monday 7 July 2003. This report provides an update of the issues discussed and work to be progressed.

A. Recommendations

1. That the Board note the priorities that will be immediately progressed by the Forum in paragraph 5
2. That members recommend to the Forum that it looks into the funding of local racial incidents panel and make recommendations to the EODB and other key agencies for addressing this.

B. Supporting information

1. The London Race Hate Crimes Forum (LRHCF) held its inaugural meeting at the MPA offices on Monday 7 July. The main criminal justice agencies were in attendance at the meeting including the Crown Prosecution Service and a representative of the Recorder for London, the London Muslim Coalition and the Board of British Jews were also represented. Many of the organisations that were previously in membership whilst the Forum was being developed have remained. The organisations currently invited became members are attached at Appendix 1. Further work is underway to extend the membership and seek the involvement of black and minority ethnic organisations and representation from the health sector.

Forum administration

2. The administration for the Forum is currently on a temporary basis and is based at Victim Support London, who are providing office accommodation and day-to-day supervision of the administrator. The administrator has been progressing the setting up of the office (telephone, website, stationery etc.) and coordinating the inaugural meeting of the Forum. She will also be progressing other areas such as initial research, meeting arrangements etc.

3. The Government Office for London (GOL) have now confirmed the funding for the development worker post and the Greater London Authority (GLA), Mayor’s office and the MPA have been delegated the responsibility to finalise details for the appointment of an individual who will initially be on a twelve month contract. Details of this, including the reporting line and project management, will be reported to this Board once a decision has been reached.

4. The Forum would like to have an individual in post at the earliest possible opportunity and propose to advertise for a secondee through the internal recruitment processes of the organisations represented on the forum. This is likely to take place late August to early September. It is hoped that there will be someone in post by end September 2003.

5. At its first meeting the Forum agreed to progress three priority work areas:

1. Consultation on the draft London wide race hate crimes protocol
2. Civil and criminal justice good practice in dealing with race hate crimes; and
3. Information on initiatives by local authorities and other partners on dealing with hate crimes.

Each area of work will be progressed by a sub group and will report to the September meeting of the Forum. Details of progress will be regularly posted on the Forum web site once this has been fully developed.

Funding for Racial Incidents/Harassment Panels

6 The issue of funding sources to support the work of local Racial Incident/Harassment Panels surfaced during the annual MPA cycle of allocating funding to Community and Police Consultative Groups (CPCG) when it emerged that about eight of them used the funding provided by the MPA to support this area of work. The Authority has taken the decision that this is not a core MPA responsibility. The Chair of the Forum, Peter Herbert agreed the legitimate business of the Forum and it is therefore proposed that this Board recommend to the Forum that the funding for local panels be extended and a subsequent report be brought for its consideration.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The work of the race Hate crimes Forum will add significant benefit to the performance and practice of dealing with race hate crimes across London

D. Financial implications

1. The total budget available for the work of the Forum in this financial year £55,000. This is inclusive of the £30,000 from GOL, £20,000 from the MPA and £5,000 from the Crown Prosecution Service. The in kind contributions of the GLA and Victim Support have not been costed.

2. The cost of the Administrator and office set-up cost is £6,222.00. This can be met within the existing budget.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Julia Smith

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: List of invited representatives for the London-Wide Race Hate Crime Forum:

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback