PFCC core funding allocations 2024-5

Report reference number:: 040-24
Classification:: Not protectively marked
Title of report:: PFCC core funding allocations 2024-5
Area of county / stakeholders affected:: Countywide
Report by:: Greg Myddelton (Strategic Head of Partnerships and Delivery)
Date of report:: 13/03/2024
Enquiries to:: [email protected]

1. Purpose of Report

1.1. To approve the allocation of core annual grants from the PFCC’s 2024-5 Community Safety Fund to a range of community safety partners as outlined in section 4.1 below

2. Recommendations

2.1. Approve the annual allocation of £1,225,955 to support partner organisations to deliver their core activity, which will support the priorities within the Police and Crime Plan.

3. Background to the Proposal

3.1. This grant funding will enable local community safety partners including Youth Justice Teams, Drug and Alcohol services, Safeguarding Boards, Neighbourhood Watch, and Crimestoppers to undertake their core duties which will have a positive impact on the priorities within the Police & Crime Plan. In supporting these organisations, the PFCC recognises the contribution that they make to creating and sustaining safe and secure local communities.
3.2. This funding supports our partner organisations to deliver on their statutory responsibilities that support the Police and Crime Plan, for instance providing substance misuse treatment services, and working to support young people in the criminal justice system via Youth Justice Services.

4. Proposal and Associated Benefits

4.1. The PFCC will provide the following grant funding allocations;

Youth Justice Services
Essex Youth Justice Service	£253,233
Southend-on-Sea Youth Justice Service	£109,255
Thurrock Youth Justice Service	£81,347
Substance Misuse Services
Essex County Council	£399,785
Southend-on-Sea City Council	£54,296
Thurrock Council	£48,907
Safeguarding Partnerships
Essex Adult Safeguarding Board	£58,564
Essex Children’s Safeguarding Board	£66,426
Thurrock Adult Safeguarding Board	£18,750
Thurrock Children’s Safeguarding Board	£17,777
Southend-on-Sea Adult Safeguarding Board	£22,711
Southend-on-Sea Children’s Safeguarding Board	£14,355
Other organisations
Essex County Neighbourhood Watch Association	£15,000
CrimeStoppers (Call centre)	£55,549
CrimeStoppers (regional manager contribution)	£10,000
	£1,225,955

4.2. This funding is in line with allocations in previous years and has been factored into PFCC budgets for 2024-5.
4.3. In addition to these core grants, the PFCC will also utilise Community Safety Development Fund & Safer Streets Funding for further grant allocations to local voluntary and community sector and statutory partners in 2024-5.
4.4. The PFCC monitors the use of this funding through attendance at strategic partnership meetings, including YJS management Boards, SETDAB, and Safeguarding Boards, as well as through the provision of annual reports and performance information, where relevant.

5. Options Analysis

5.1. The PFCC may consider reducing or removing this funding but that would risk destabilising relationships and positive activity that delivers against the priorities of the Police and Crime Plan.

6. Police and Crime Plan

6.1. This funding will enable partner organisations to support the priorities within the Police and Crime Plan, including further investment in crime reduction, reducing drug driven violence, protecting vulnerable people and breaking the cycle of domestic abuse, and encouraging volunteers and community support.

7.Police Operational Implications

7.1. No direct operational implications

8. Financial implications

8.1. The PFCC will provide annual grants to the value of £1,225,955 to the organisations listed in section 4.1 above. These grants will be subject to our standard funding agreement conditions. These payments are factored into our annual budget, and will be made from the PFCC’s ‘24-5 Community Safety Fund.
The PFCC’s CSF in 2024-5 has a budget of £1,575,352. Following this allocation, there will be £349,397 remaining in the Fund.

9. Legal implications

9.1. This funding is subject to the terms of the PFCC’s standard grant agreements.

10. Staffing Implications

10.1. The use of this funding to employ staff or sessional workers will be the responsibility of the host organisation. No liabilities, immediate or ongoing, will be placed on the PFCC as a result of this funding.

11. Equality and Diversity implications

11.1. The PFCC has a responsibility through the Public Sector Equality Duty to consider how decisions affect people who are protected under the Equality Act. In order to comply with this duty, the PFCC applies conditions on this funding that;

The Recipient shall not unlawfully discriminate within the meaning and scope of any law, enactment, order, or regulation relating to discrimination (whether in race, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, age or otherwise) in employment or otherwise.
The Recipient shall take all reasonable steps to secure the observance of Clause 20.1 by all servants, employees or agents of the Recipient and all suppliers and sub-contractors engaged on the Project.

12. Risks and Mitigations

12.1. A previous internal audit of the PFCC’s commissioning function provided “reasonable assurance” that the necessary controls are in place within the programme, but highlighted a risk that the absence of an agreement with grant recipients places the PFCC at risk of having difficulty in holding the recipient to
account on the use of funds. This risk is mitigated by the issuing of formal, documented grant agreements covering the use of these core funds.

13.Governance Boards

13.1. This funding covers a range of agencies and is discussed at various partnership boards including the PFCC-chaired Criminal Justice Board, Safer Essex, and Reducing Reoffending Board. The PFCC’s Senior Management Team reviewed this proposal at its meeting on 12th March 2024.