Decisions

The GMCA are one of the key partners and conveners of Programme Challenger, a partnership approach to tackling serious and organised crime in Greater Manchester.

Due to the availability of meeting space within GMCA offices, and the need for meetings to represent a partnership approach independent of a single organisation, external venues may be required for future meetings

Funding of £1000 be made available for costs associated with Challenger Executive Board meetings, including catering and external venues.

To aid the delivery of North Wales and North West Regional ICV Conference 16th September 23.
The region hold a joint ICV conference every year and invite all ICVs, it can accommodate 100 people, we have guest speakers that will be attending.

Authorisation is received for the payment of £785.83 (before tax)

In November 2019, The Mayor of Greater Manchester commissioned an independent assurance review into safeguarding practices in the borough of Oldham. The report has been published following a launch on the 20th June 2022.

The total cost of £9765.87 towards the launch of the publication of the CSE Independent Assurance review into safeguarding practices in Oldham report.

At the Annual General Meeting of the National Association of Legally
Qualified Chairs (NALQC) a resolution was passed that all members would be advised not to sit as chairs unless indemnity was strengthened by PCC’s.
It has been the view of most LQCs that the previous wording provided does not give adequate protection and they have sought to take out of the indemnity the words unless the act or omission is shown to have been in bad faith, reckless or is the product of gross and obvious irregularity for which panel members are responsible.
The NALQC Chair and others met with the Home Office on 10 November 2020 to raise the issue. The concerns of the NALQC have also been relayed to other interested parties, such as the APCC, the APACE and the Police Superintendents’ Association. The Home Office is considering legislative change to “cure” the problem, but this will take time. Pending any legislative change, the NALQC has given the advice as described above to its members.
APCC has worked with APACE, Home Office and the National Association of LQCs to develop a pragmatic solution and a form of wording for the indemnity which offers both LQCs and PCCs some reassurance. It offers LQCs assurance that they are covered for damages unless it is shown in a court or similar that they have acted in bad faith (this is similar to the wording of the magistrates' indemnity set out in the Courts Act 2003). It provides PCCs with a backstop to ensure that LQCs act professionally in their role as panel chair. The agreed wording is set out above.

To provide indemnity to Legally Qualified Chairs and Independent Panel Members of Police Misconduct Hearings arranged thus far for 2022/23 in accordance with the wording negotiated by APCC, APACE, and the National Association of LQCs as follows: -
In respect of the case of ....... which is to be held on ………. Greater
Manchester Combined Authority (the legal entity in which the property,
rights and liabilities of Police and Crime Commissioner for the Greater
Manchester Area are vested) agrees to indemnify you as the Legally
Qualified Chair/ Independent Panel Member in respect of any liabilities arising (including reasonable costs in connection with responding to legal proceedings) for anything done or omitted to be done by you in the discharge of your functions unless, having received representations or submissions by or on your behalf, you are proved in a court of law or other tribunal with appropriate jurisdiction to have acted in bad faith. Furthermore, in the event of your being held to have any liability for anything done or omitted to be done by another member of the Panel of which you are part, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority agrees to indemnify you in full in respect of any such liability.

To complete deployment of the business-critical Windows 10 Client services Project (Project 2).
The Windows 10 Programme consists of three projects, the first two having been commissioned in 2019:
(i) Project 1 (Infrastructure Services) – technical architecture, services and cloud platform deployment
(ii) Project 2 (Client Services) – deployment of devices and operational applications
(iii) Project 3 (Transformational Services) – realisation of business benefits of the new technology
Project 1 had a budget of £1,951,320 capital and £27,500 revenue, and is in the final stages of completion with a balanced financial position.
Project 2 had an OBC budget of £23,198,005 capital and £268,249 revenue and is making good progress on its deliverables, having been the subject of delays caused by resourcing and international supply chain issues. The FBC is subject to an increase in funding of £2,147,459 capital and £373,910 revenue as a result of the delays noted above and the subsequent global shortage of component parts; the police officer uplift requiring additional hardware purchases; and the decision to purchase SIM cards following the business pilot.


Project 3 is in the process of being commissioned. It has a preliminary budget of £391,000 to procure consultancy services in developing a long-term strategy and FBC to maximise business benefits of the technology and develop early use cases in line with NEP accreditation for launching Project 2. Further funding of £350,000 - £750,000 will be required (depending on the preferred specification) which will be subject to a separate business case and associated approval process.

The decision is that:

The Deputy Mayor approves the proposals set out in the Business Case and approve the necessary investment to deliver the Windows 10 Client Services project (Project 2), and also acknowledge the requirement for future investment to deliver the Transformational Services project (Project 3), which will be subject to a full business case.

The Deputy Mayor approves funding as set out below:
• Approve the Windows 10 Client Services Project Full Business Case at an estimated cost of £25,345,464 capital and £642,159 revenue over the life of the project.
• Note the increase estimated cost of the Client Services Project since the Outline Business Case of £2,147,459 capital and £373,910 revenue (one-off) due to delays in completing and delivering the Windows 10 deployment in 2022/23 caused by international supply chain issues and global shortage of component parts as well as change to the scope of the project following the business pilot to include SIM cards and additional hardware.
• Note the slippage of £1,063,858 of capital and £284,360 of revenue from 2021/22 into 2022/23.
• Note the expected investment of up to £750,000 to deliver the Windows 10 Transformational Services (Project 3) for Office 365 transformation and SharePoint migration in 2022/23. The full business case and request for approval of funding will be brought at a later stage in the year.
• Note that the funding requirements for the overall Windows 10 programme of Infrastructure Services, Client Services and Transformational Services (projects 1 – 3) has been included in the 2022/23 revenue and capital budget and 2022/23 – 2024/25 medium-term financial plan and capital programme to be reported to Police, Fire and Crime Panel on the 7th June 2022.

GMCA have run a competitive process and Acorn’s submission scored highest after evaluation.

2 submissions were received and were sent to a full evaluation panel. All submissions were checked by GMCA’s Information Governance Team and were found to be acceptable. The finances of the bidding companies were also checked, along with the safeguarding policies submitted.

The Invitation to Tender comprised of 3 parts, covering (75%) Quality, (15%) Social Value and (10%) Price.

Following evaluation and moderation, Acorn Training were ranked highest of the two bids however, both bids were strong and this is reflected in the moderated scores for both providers.

The Successful provider’s scores were deemed acceptable and comprehensive throughout their submission and offered an economically advantageous tender. Acorn Training scored higher in the Performance & Contract Management and Financial Value for Money sections and the evaluation panel were particularly impressed with their responses concerning their delivery model, quality and track record and engagement and stakeholder management.

Following a competitive procurement process using GMCA’s Education Work and Skills Flexible Procurement System, GMCA wishes to award a £1,499,992.50 contract to Acorn Training. This is part of the Skills for Growth programme and focuses on skills in the Education (Early Years) sector in GM.
Delivery is expected to start no later than end of August 2022, enrolments must finish by end of March 2023, and all contract activity and support must conclude by the end of September 2023. Exceptional performance may result in discussions around extension option being implemented.

Using a further competition under a Crown Commercial Services Framework as a compliant and competitive tender route, Corps Security are the highest scoring bidder able to meet requirements.
The service is an ongoing requirement, and a company needs to be appointed to provide the services.

To award the contract GMFRS 0079a Security Services to the winning bidder: Corps Security for a 2-year contract, with the option to extend 3 x 12 months.

This work will be funded through Skills Underspends agreed by GMCA in October 2018, and allocated to develop activity that supports under-represented groups to access apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship activity leading to improved social mobility for the individual.

3 grants of £25k are paid to LA’s to develop Supported Apprenticeship Programmes.
GMCA, through the Education, Work and Skills Directorate, would like to build on a successful Removing Barriers to Apprenticeships project in Salford that created 15 Supported Apprenticeships for people with SEND / EHCP’s.
LA’s will be invited to submit an EOI, the the 3 that most closely meet the criteria will be allocated funding.
Additional funding is being sought for the remaining LA’s.