Home Office funding (Violence Reduction Unit, and SeriousViolence Duty) (2024/25)

Report reference number:: 031-24
Classification:: Not protectively marked
Title of report:: Home Office funding (Violence Reduction Unit, and Serious Violence Duty) (2024/25)
Area of county / stakeholders affected:: Countywide
Report by:: Samantha Grant (Violence and Vulnerability Unit Project Manager)
Date of report:: 14/03/2023
Enquiries to:: [email protected]

1. Executive Summary

1.1. To seek approval to receive £1,512,572 from the 2024-25 Home Office Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) fund and £297,912.58 from the 2024-25 Home Office Serious Violence Duty (SVD) Fund, totalling £1,810,485. That these funds are to be used to deliver the work programme for the Essex Violence
and Vulnerability Partnership for 2024-25, for activity from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025.

2. Recommendations

2.1. That the PFCC approves the receipt of up to £1,810,485 Home Office funding to the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Partnership. This funding will be utilised to deliver the agreed priorities of the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Partnership for 2024-25.

3. Background to the Proposal

3.1. Essex has been allocated £1,512,572 of Home Office VRU funding for 2024- 25, and £297,912.58 of Home Office SVD funding for 2024-25, as one of the 20 Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) across England and Wales.

3.2. Essex has agreed to utilise this as part of its 2024-25 V&V work programme (which has approval from local partners, members of the Essex Violence and Vulnerability / V&V Round Table).
3.3. The V&V work programme is overseen by the V&V Operations Board on behalf of the V&V Round Table. These two groups are jointly referred to as the Violence and Vulnerability Partnership. The V&V Operations Board report progress against the work programme to the V&V Round Table.

4. Proposal and Associated Benefits

4.1. This funding enables local partners across Essex to have a positive impact on issues relating to violence and vulnerability, including drug driven violence, gangs, ‘county lines’ and exploitation.
4.2. This funding supports organisations to deliver on areas of work outlined in the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Framework (2018), the Violence and Vulnerability Business Case (2022) and within the Partnership’s work programme for 2024-25, to reduce serious violence and safeguard those being exploited and at risk of exploitation through gangs and ‘county lines’.

5. Options Analysis

5.1. The PFCC has the option to reject this funding but that would limit the deliverables of the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Partnership and could impact the ability of the Partnership to attract future national government funding.

6. Consultation and Analysis

6.1. The VV work programme is informed by the Violence and Vulnerability Operations Board and delivers against the activity outlined in the Violence and Vulnerability Business Case approved by the Violence and Vulnerability Round Table in June 2022.
6.2. It is also supported by analysis within the Serious Violence Strategic Needs Assessment produced in January 2024.

7. Strategic Links

7.1. This funding will enable local organisations to support delivery of the priorities within the Police and Crime Plan, including protecting children and vulnerable people from harm and reducing drug driven violence. It will also deliver against the Violence and Vulnerability Business Case. The funding will also
be utilised to ensure local partners are able to deliver against the requirements of the Serious Violence Duty, which came into force in January 2024.

8.Police Operational Implications

8.1. There are no operational implications. Essex Police is well engaged with this programme at a strategic and operational level.

9. Financial implications

9.1. The PFCC will receive £1,512,572 from the 2024-25 Home Office Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) fund and £297,912.58 from the 2024-25 Home Office Serious Violence Duty (SVD) Fund. The PFCC will allocate these funds, according to the agreed 2024-25 V&V work programme.
9.2. The funding will be subject to the funding requirements set out by the Home Office; these will be reflected in the PFCC’s funding agreements with partner organisations in the county which deliver elements of the work.
9.3. Funding is to be used by 31st March 2025. Any underspend must be returned to the Home Office.

10. Legal implications

10.1. The award of the grant is subject to the Home Office grant agreement, with data monitoring arrangements outlined as a condition of the Home Office grant.

11. Staffing Implications

11.1. Monitoring of projects funded from these Home Office funds (VRU and SVD), as for the whole of the V&V work programme, is supported by the VVU’s dedicated Evaluation and Impact Officer, and with support by the VVU’s Project Support Officer.

12. Equality and Diversity implications

12.1 No direct implications in accepting this grant allocation.
12.2 Monitoring arrangements for interventions funded through these grants will include the requirement to report on the number of vulnerable children and young adults supported as well as steps taken to ensure offers of support are as accessible as possible.

13. Risks and Mitigations

13.1. There is a risk that funding will not be utilised by the end March 2025 though this is mitigated by early planning, building on the learning to date and by ensuring organisations are aware of the restrictions on funding and are able to deliver against these.

14.Governance Boards

14.1. This funding supports the work of the partnership V&V programme, which is discussed at various partnership boards, including the Violence and Vulnerability Round Table, and V&V Operations Board as well as internal PFCC meetings. The approaches and activities within the Essex V&V work programme are developed by the multi-agency Operations Board and subject to Round Table approval.
14.2. The V&V Operations Board has responsibility for ensuring oversight of delivery of the 2024-25 V&V Work Programme. The V&V Operations Board provides appropriate reporting of progress to the V&V Round Table.

15. Links to Future Plans

15.1. This work supports delivery of the Police and Crime Plan and the multi-year Violence and Vulnerability Business Case.

16.Background Papers and Appendices

Letter from Home Office to PCCs regarding Violence Reduction Unit funding 2024/25

E-mail from Home Office to Essex Violence & Vulnerability Unit regarding Serious Violence Duty funding 2024/25