Decision details

The reasons for the decision are:

The Victim Service Coordinators and Lead role were introduced in Sept 2017, as a pivotal element of the Assessment and Referral Model. They are employed by GMP and fully funded by GMCA. The team are led by the GMP Victim Services Strategic Lead and are responsible for the leadership and oversight of the victim services work at a divisional level, to improve partnership working and align services more effectively to improve pathways for victims.

During 2019/2020, GMCA lead a review of victim services across Greater Manchester. The purpose of the review was to ensure that the commissioned services and grant fund are: aligned to the Standing Together priorities; cost effective; achieving the desired outcomes in the Victims Outcome Framework and; most importantly were supporting the needs of victims’. The outcome of the review was to agree a recommissioning process for victim services in Greater Manchester.

The impacts of Covid19 have resulted in delays to the timelines of delivering the commissioning exercise, therefore it is recommended that the Victim Services Coordinator posts and Victim Services Transformation Lead post be extended for a further 6 months (1st April 2022 to end of September 2022). This is to act as an interim until the newly commissioned service has been put in place to commence on 1st October 2022.

In addition to a number of key successes and activity that the Victims Coordination Team have carried out, partners have also identified a number of key challenges and opportunities that GMCA will consider as part of the broader redesign work and shape commissioning of how this service is delivered after September.

To extend the funding of the GMP Victim Services Transformation Lead role and 11 Victim Services Coordinators posts, for a further 6 months (1st April 2022 to 30th September 2022), as in interim measure whilst commissioning for the multi-crime gateway service for victims in GM is implemented.

The proposed funding extension of the above posts also intends to align to the extension of both the Assessment and Referral Service and the grant funded victim services operating across Greater Manchester.

Total funding to be approved is for the Victim Services Transformation Lead role and the 11 Victim Services Coordinators is £291,000.

The extension of the posts will be funded via the annual MOJ Victims Budget allocation for 22/23.