Agenda item

MOPAC UPDATE REPORT

Minutes:

ES 18044

 

The report was written by Mr Vale to update the Committee concerning MOPAC funding for Bromley from the London Crime Prevention Fund.

 

The Committee was appraised that the total funding received by Bromley for the two years 2017/18 and 2018/19 was £643,430. A breakdown was provided concerning how the money had been allocated. The funding allocation for the two years 2019/20 and 2020/21 had been reduced to £483,398. This was a reduction of £160,032 or 25%.

 

The report briefed the Committee on the nature of the projects that had received funding, and the possible impact on services if funding was not found to replace the current projected deficit.

 

However, there was some light at the end of the tunnel. The Portfolio Holder informed the Committee that she had attended a meeting at City Hall two weeks previously. MOPAC had indicated that as a result of a revised allocation formula it may be the case that Bromley could receive an extra funding of 0.6% above the current allocation; this would equate to £356K over the two year period.

 

The problem facing Bromley and other boroughs was that the final funding allocations were unlikely to be agreed until September, and this made it difficult for boroughs to make decisions about contract extensions and re-procurement as the final budget was not clarified.

 

Mr Vale stated that an updated report would be brought to the Committee in December. The report would make known the final funding allocations, and would make recommendations to the Committee as to where the funding should be allocated.

 

A Member asked what was meant by ‘gang flagged offences’ and the Portfolio Holder said that she would find out and provide an explanation. A post meeting explanation was provided by MOPAC to the Portfolio Holder which explained that ‘gang flagged offences’ were crime incidences ‘flagged’ on the police computer as having possible links to gangs. The indicator was no longer going to be used by MOPAC as it was not considered reliable and two other indicators would be relied upon instead. These were flags for gun crime and non-domestic abuse relating to people under the age of 25.

 

A Member raised an issue concerning who could be accepted for help by Bromley Womens’ Aid. She stated that she had been informed of a case where a female in need of housing relating to domestic abuse had been refused help from BWA because she was not in receipt of housing benefit. Because of this she had instead been referred to the Bromley Homeless Shelter. Mr Vale said that this was a matter that he would look into, and would provide a subsequent update to the Member and to the Chairman. 

 

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1) The Committee note the MOPAC Update report 

 

2) A report should be brought back to the December Committee with confirmation of the funding awarded for 2019/20 and 2020/21. The report should set out options to deal with any funding deficits.

 

3) Mr Vale should investigate the matter of BWA being unable to help women who were not in receipt of housing benefit, and to provide an update on this to the Member who raised the issue and to the Chairman. 

 

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