- Essex Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner

Report reference number:: 136- 23
Classification:: Not protectively marked
Title of report:: Brake (Road Safety) Grant 2023-24
Area of county / stakeholders affected:: Countywide
Report by:: Greg Myddelton (Strategic Head of Partnerships and Delivery)
Date of report:: 08.08.2023
Enquiries to:: [email protected]

1. Executive Summary

1.1. This report seeks approval for the allocation of an annual grant of £7,055 to the road safety charity, Brake, for the provision of victim information packs and a contribution to the costs of their helpline and central caseworker team.

2. Recommendations

2.1. That the PFCC approves the allocation of an annual grant of £7,055 from the 2023-24 Community Safety Fund to Brake for the provision of support and information to those involved in serious injuries or road deaths in Essex.

3. Background to the Proposal

3.1. The road safety charity Brake provides dedicated caseworkers and victim information packs which are provided to those seriously injured and the families of those killed in road collisions.
3.2. The PFCC has provided funding to Brake in the past as a contribution to the Charity’s work including provision of a national helpline, information packs for victims, campaigning and raising awareness to improve road safety, and dedicated case workers to help those impacted by road crashes. Most recently, this was approved through decision report 85-22 in June 2022.

4. Proposal and Associated Benefits

4.1. The PFCC would allocate £7,055 to Brake as a contribution towards the charity’s work to improve safety on the roads, provide information packs for victims and / or victims’ families, and support those impacted by road crashes.

4.2. In Essex, Brake’s National Road Victim Service (NRVS) information packs are distributed by Essex Police’s Family Liaison Officers (FLOs), who then help families to refer into the NRVS. Families then receive a specialist, trauma informed, case management service that deploys professional NRVS Caseworkers from day one of the crash, supported by a triage and clinical team. NRVS Caseworkers assess needs, develop support plans, provide care directly (including face to face) and open doors to other care needed (e.g. counselling, peer support, and / or mental health treatment). The NRVS delivers wellbeing outcomes, including improved mental health and support with getting back to work and education.

4.3. In Essex, between April 2021 and September 2022, 22 families, nearly all suffering bereavement, received NRVS Caseworker-led care, with all bereaved families receiving printed copies of the NRVS bereavement packs.

5. Options Analysis

5.1. The PFCC has the option not to provide grant funding for Brake’s work, but that would risk destabilising the charity, which relies on contributions from a range of national and local partners including P(F)CCs.

5.2. The PFCC receives positive endorsement of Brake’s work, particularly the impact and quality of their information packs, from Essex Police.

5.3. Failing to provide funding would limit the support available to victims of road deaths and serious injuries in Essex. It may also compromise Brake’s ability to lobby and raise awareness for safer roads nationally.

6. Consultation and Engagement

6.1. Essex Police continues to endorse the value of Brake’s work. Insp. Matt Crow (Roads Policing) provided support for this grant on 8th August 2023.

7. Strategic Links

7.1. Brake supports the PFCC to deliver on commitments within the Police and Crime Plan. Brake is also keen to explore how it can engage with and support the work of the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP).

8. Police operational implications

8.1. Essex Police makes use of Brake’s victim information packs, sharing them with victims and their families. They also refer into the case workers where appropriate.

9. Financial implications

9.1. The PFCC will allocate a one-off grant of £7,055 from the 2023-24 Community Safety Fund to the road safety charity Brake. Following this allocation, and the allocation from DR 137-23, the Community Safety Fund has £1,512 remaining (as at 16.10.23)

10. Legal Implications

10.1 This funding will be subject to the PFCC’s standard funding agreement.

11. Staffing implications

11.1. There are no staffing implications arising from this decision report.

12. Equality and Diversity implications

12.1. The support provided by Brake is available to all victims (and / or their families) of road death or serious injury. Referrals into Brake are normally made via Essex Police’s Family Liaison Officers (FLOs).

12.2. Brake makes its resources available in different languages and has multilingual case workers as well as access to Language Line for interpretation services, if required.

13. Risks and Mitigations

13.1. There are no risks associated with this funding.

14. Governance Boards

14.1. This grant proposal has not been reviewed by a governance board, but SERP has been approached to explore the opportunity for Brake to engage in the partnership.