MPA funding to boost community involvement in London policing

18/04
11 March 2004

The Metropolitan Police Authority will decide next week on new funding for London’s community and police consultative groups to help them strengthen their involvement in policing in London.

The MPA’s consultation committee will be asked to approve payments from a 2004/5 total budget for the groups of more than £1 million towards the cost of staff, meetings and special events, such as Richmond’s acclaimed annual youth crime conference.

Richard Barnes, MPA Deputy Chair and lead member for community and police consultative groups, said:

“This year we are determined to raise the standards of all groups to those of the best to reinforce excellence where it exists and spread good practice where performance could be better.

“We have made the bidding and awarding process as fair and open as possible so that everyone understands how we have arrived at the payments.

“If approved by the committee, some groups will receive more money to act as beacons for others and to build on their success. Most others will have rises in line with inflation. Some groups have been told that payments will be made conditionally and in stages while they make improvements.”

Cindy Butts, chair of the MPA’s consultation committee, said:

“I am pleased that the MPA is strengthening its partnership with community and police consultative groups, driving up standards. We are also improving our own mechanisms in determining funding to make them even more equitable and transparent.”

The MPA has, following wide consultation, come up with new guidelines to ensure minimum standards are met before money is handed out. These include the need for the groups to work more closely with local residents so that they can influence police plans and priorities and strengthen community and police relations. The groups also have to demonstrate they are representative of, and accountable to the community they serve.

Richard Barnes added:

“We want these groups to be a powerful local voice and catalyst for community engagement in borough-based policing. We cannot reduce crime and the fear of crime without the active encouragement of and support from the communities we serve. The new funding regime we are looking to implement will go a long way to making the consultative groups key players within the policing family.”

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