Use the below search options at the bottom of the page to find information regarding recent decisions that have been taken by the council’s decision making bodies.
Alternatively you can visit the Officer and Mayoral decisions page for information on officer delegated decisions that have been taken by council officers.
GMCA’s Justice and Rehabilitation
Executive has agreed to develop a policy ambition to deliver a
Whole-System Approach to Diversion from the Criminal Justice System
(WSA2D).
This initiative aims to increase diversionary opportunities and
reduce repeat offending in Greater Manchester. One of the key
diversionary pathways is through the Greater Manchester Integrated
Rehabilitative Services (GMIRS) provision.
GMIRS enables Greater Manchester to commission rehabilitative and
resettlement services tailored to local needs, as per the agreement
between HMPPS and GMCA under the local devolution agreement.
The Whole-System ambition will build on the current services
provided by the GMIRS programme. With GMIRS set to be
recommissioned by April 2027, GMCA has the opportunity to redesign
these services and potentially establish a 'single front door' for
referral, triage, and case management.
Our goal is to establish a 'prime model' facilitated by the
creation of a 'single front door' for referral triage and case
management. This will enhance service coordination, improve
evidence-based practices by tracking data to identify effective
strategies, and reduce the demand on the broader criminal justice
system. This initiative is strategically aligned with the ongoing
Sentencing and Criminal Court Reviews conducted by the
Government.
The proposal aims to support GMCA in executing a high-level
technical design phase for a 'single front door' for diversion,
with GMIRS as a central element of the overall objective.
This will build on the Wellbeing Service as a universal offer. In
the longer term, Greater Manchester wants to explore whether a GM
service could provide a system-wide Assessment and Referral
approach that includes arrest, disposal, sentencing, and
release.
Accenture's team will contribute a blend of advanced technical
design expertise and extensive criminal justice industry
knowledge.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 03/04/2025
Decision:
Accenture will conduct a high-level technical
design phase for a 'single front door' for diversion, with a
particular emphasis on GMIRS as a crucial element of the overall
goal, at a cost of £90,000.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Hitch hold the hosting and the domain rights
to the I am Greater website via previous commissioning in 2023
& 2024. During Phase 3 (delivered by Agent Marketing) Hitch
continued to host the website as Agent Marketing were unable to do
so. Phase 4 is being delivered by EY3 Media, and for continuity of
service, it has been determined that the most cost-effective way
forward is to continue to pay Hitch Marketing this award of
£1,020 to continue hosting the I am Greater web domain, as
EY3 Media would be required to purchase fresh domain rights which
would be less cost effective and more time consuming. This funding
award is needed for the website to continue to run
effectively.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 27/03/2025
Decision:
To award Hitch Marketing £1,020 for the
hosting and domain for the I Am Greater website. This is for the
period 1st March 2025 – 28th February 2026 inclusive, when
the campaign will need to be reviewed.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
This decision reflects our commitment to the
ongoing support of the training, learning, development, support,
and networking of the ICV volunteers.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 03/04/2025
Decision:
Lancashire PCC to host the annual Northwest
and North Wales ICV Regional Conference – Saturday 11th
October 25. The venue (as previous years) will be Haydock
Racecourse, including refreshments, 4 speaker PA System and
handheld microphones.
Due to Lancashire PCC having the responsibility for hosting, the
payment of £5722.56 will be met by them.
The remaining 6 PCC regions – Cheshire, Merseyside, GMCA,
Cumbria, North Wales who will then subsequently be invoiced at a
cost of £953.76 each
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
This decision reflects our commitment to the
ongoing support of the training, learning, development, support and
networking of the ICV volunteers.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 27/03/2025
Decision:
GMCA Safer and Stronger Communities Team
hosted the annual Northwest and North Wales ICV Regional Conference
on Saturday 21st September 24 and paid the conference venue,
Haydock Racecourse. However, Cheshire PCC arranged for a speaker to
attend and therefore made payment for £1,309.04 for his
presentation, accommodation and travel costs.
Divided by the 6 regional PCC offices is £218.17 that GMCA
are required to pay.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The reasons for the decision are:
The Hope Collective is a powerful partnership of cross-sector
organisations with aligned values and a shared vision; to work
together in a spirit of unity to create real change for young
people and communities across the UK.
Formed originally to support the 20th anniversary legacy campaign
for Damilola Taylor, the Hope Collective is driven by a shared
purpose - to establish real change that enables UK's most
vulnerable communities to be free from poverty, violence and
discrimination. Through activity led by the Hope Collective, young
people can discuss their thoughts and solutions on issues that
affect them, their lives and their communities. The goal of the
Hope Collective is to 'change the narrative' for young people and
focus on solutions, not symptoms, and most importantly to focus on
their hopes for the future.
The Hope Hack at HMP Forest Bank would be the first of its kind and
build on the success of a previous Hope Hack in Werrington YOI.
This event is much welcomed by HMP Forest Bank and widely supported
by the GM VRU and the Hope Hack collective. This Decision seeks
authorisation to award Unity Radio (Northwest Media Ltd)
£2000 to facilitate the event and provide coverage to be used
on Unity Radio itself, via its broadcast radio function and social
media. Unity have been chosen due to their previous work on
messaging around violence reduction, knife crime etc. having
reached a significant number of our target audience.
The event would take place over a working day in April/May 2025.
There will be an opportunity for 80 young adult men to contribute
to the workshop and round table session around matters in the CJS
which impact and influence them, such as sport, health and
wellbeing, community, and broader issues around commissioning
services for young adults in a CJS space.
The event will be hosted by HMP Forest Bank resourced by their
internal staff with additional expert support being given from Hope
Hack and VRU staff, support by Unity Radio facilitation. The
payment from the VRU to Unity will cover their role in providing
facilitation and media support for the event, including event
facilitation, production of media for broadcast on Unity Radio,
costs for a guest speaker who is managed by Unity Radio, and
ancillary costs such as stationery.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 27/03/2025
Decision:
The Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit
are seeking to make a payment of £2000.00 to Northwest Media
Ltd (Unity Radio) covering costs to facilitate the ‘Hope
Hack’ event at HMP Forest Bank in Q1 2025/26.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The reasons for the decision are:
The VRU’s Education Lead is managing a commission via the
Education Community Partnership to strategically engage all
Aps/PRUs across GM in order to progress the education commitments
of the Greater Than Violence Strategy. As part of this, a symposium
(facilitated by City in the Community, who work with Aps PRUs) is
being held on 27th March with the Education Lead leading planning
for such. The event will explore how the VRU can better engage the
most marginalised young people in education—ensuring it works
in their best interests and leads to stronger outcomes.
The VRU’s focus is on young people in Local
Authority-designated Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) and Alternative
Provisions (APs). Too many of these learners remain outside of
mainstream education and, despite the best efforts of those who
support them, their opportunities and achievements remain limited.
As part of their manifesto commitment, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor
have tasked GMCA with designing a pathway and set of experiences to
help these young people become MBacc-ready—offering them a
future that is both ambitious and achievable.
This will be a high-level discussion, engaging key partners and
stakeholders who shape the strategic agenda across Greater
Manchester.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 27/03/2025
Decision:
The Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit
are seeking to make a payment of £1500.00 to the Manchester
City Football Club to facilitate venue space for a symposium on
engaging Alternative Provision (AP) & Pupil Referral Unit as
part of the VRU’s Education Strategy group. Manchester
City’s charity, City in the Community, are taking part in
this symposium.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Further to the two submissions for the
advertised EOI, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Greater Manchester
Integrated Care, Principal and Senior Policy and Partnership
officer for Victims and Vulnerability, GMCA have reviewed the
documents submitted and agreed that the contract will be awarded to
Dr Helen Lowey Consultancy. For the reasons set out below:
• Good understanding of the evidence base and legal
requirements relating to domestic abuse provision in health care
settings and experience of pulling together literature and evidence
reviews in this area.
• Understands the importance of identifying best practice
models and applying this to a GM footprint.
• Extensive experience of working on similar
programmes/projects at a strategic level and recognises the
importance of considering prevention through to treatment and
management pathways when supporting victims. Clearly articulates
how this programme of work could be undertaken.
• Strong understanding of strategy and commissioning
considerations and partnership working including ensuring the voice
of victims and survivors is included.
• Worked as a consultant advising and working with similar
systems including reviews of domestic abuse provision across Local
authority footprints to develop similar products to what is asked
for in this EOI.
• Worked with other PCCs and their NHS commissioners on
domestic abuse approaches and has experience of working with these
partnerships to effect change.
• Has a strong understanding of the GM landscape including its
structures, processes and networks/relationships.
• Clearly sets out what she considers to be the key
requirements of the business case including the importance of a
sustainable funding model and clear roles and responsibilities of
the lead partners to ensure organisational responsibilities and
outcomes for victims are met.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 18/03/2025
Decision:
In February 2025, it was agreed that NHS
Greater Manchester Integrated Care (NHS GM) would undertake a
commissioning review of domestic abuse provision within health care
settings in Greater Manchester and this would be facilitated
through seeking expressions of interest in this regard.
Following receipt of two Expressions of Interest, it has been
agreed that this will be awarded to Dr Helen Lowey Consultancy to
commence in April 2025 at a cost of £49,999.
The following outcomes are expected as a minimum from this
work:
1. A summary of the evidence base and legal requirements for health
services to identify and support victims of GBV
2. A review of good practice for provision of support to GBV
victims in healthcare settings across the UK and identify how these
pathways are funded
3. A review of funding and commissioning models for provision of
pathways for victims across Greater Manchester in different health
care settings including community, specialist (sexual health and
maternity) and acute settings. (Updating information collated in
2023 mapping exercise)
4. Identify variation in pathways, hidden harm and consider ROI to
implement dedicated referral pathways and advocacy support (health
and justice outcomes)
5. Develop a business case outlining funding, the change required
and commissioning options within the agreed timescales
6. A roadmap for NHS GMs future commitments and ambitions in
relation to the GM GBV Strategy
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The APCC offers the following services to
members:
• Provides Information on national policing policy issues and
legislation.
• Consults PCCs to enable them to develop policy positions and
to influence change.
• Facilitates the leadership of PCCs on national governance
structures such as the College of Policing, National Crime Agency,
other police professional bodies, and fire and rescue bodies.
• Provides a range of opportunities for members to come
together to debate and discuss national policing and criminal
justice policy and engage with senior stakeholders.
• Assists PCCs to share practice and identify ways to achieve
efficiencies through collaboration.
• Support PCCs seeking to take on and fulfil fire and rescue
governance responsibilities.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 10/04/2025
Decision:
The annual subscription of £49,965
(+vat) is due on 1st April 2025 will be paid to the APCC.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
APACE membership brings together collective
skills, knowledge and experience of Chief Executives from around
the country to develop advice and guidance on a wide range of
issues.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 03/04/2025
Decision:
To subscribe to the annual APACE membership
subscription for 2024/25 to the value of £1000
Annual Membership (July 2024 to July 2025) £1000 + VAT
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Due to an office refurbishment and exhausted
all other option at 2PP and Manchester One, The Greater Manchester
Chamber of Commerce offered a Member Rate for room hire for our
team meeting.
Meeting is to discuss in person, the results of the Directorate
B-heard survey and to decide on better ways of working to help the
team going forward.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 12/03/2025
Decision:
to fund 1 x room hire, The Boardroom @ GM
Chamber of Commerce for the Directorate B-Heard Survey
meeting
The cost of the room hire is £465.00 + VAT member rate.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
GMCA wishes to continue the annual hosting of
the Greater Manchester CSE campaign website.
https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/safer-and-stronger-communities/tackling-child-sexual-exploitation
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 03/04/2025
Decision:
GMCA Complex Safeguarding wishes to pay
£360 from the Complex Safeguarding Budget to pay for the
annual hosting fee for
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The GMCA Complex Safeguarding hub wishes for
Research in Practice to continue to support with the implementation
of the revised approach to peer reviews in Greater Manchester. This
is perfectly aligned to the interim suggestions for improvement
made by inspectors as part of the review into CSE
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 27/03/2025
Decision:
GMCA Complex Safeguarding wishes to pay
£2,200.62 from the Complex Safeguarding Budget to commission
continued support from Research in Practice to implement their
Tackling Child Exploitation (TCE) partnership self-assessment tool
as part of the revised peer review methodology.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The GMCA Complex Safeguarding hub wishes to
upskill frontline staff around neurodiversity and the ways in which
this affects vulnerability to exploitation, following an analysis
of training gaps. The links between neurodiversity and substance
misuse has not been explored previously by training providers. This
is a unique opportunity to I AM to share their expertise in this
area to better support children who are victims of exploitation, as
well as to create innovative pathways between specialist
organisations in Greater Manchester.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 12/03/2025
Decision:
GMCA Complex Safeguarding wishes to pay
£900 from the Complex Safeguarding Budget to pay for I AM to
deliver a workshop on the topic of “Exploring the
relationship between young people who are neurodiverse, substance
misuse and exploitation” on March 20th, 2025, as part of the
GM Week of Action professional development offer.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
In 2024 the then Home Secretary Suella
Braverman agreed to fund a Proof of Concept for a police MHCL in
2024. (Both fire and ambulance services already have their own
line.)
This was set up in the Northeast region and commenced service in
June 2024. The evaluation has been positive.
The National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS) has taken the decision
to roll out the service on a national basis. The estimated annual
cost is in the order of £150k per annum and there is an
agreement in principle to fund this via the Comprehensive Spending
Review from April 2026, and it is being included in the
NPCC’s submission.
However, there is an urgent need to establish this before this date
and as soon as possible to provide the support to officers and
staff who are at crisis point. The lack of crisis support has also
been highlighted following a recent coroner’s inquest and the
issuing of a S28 Prevention of Future Deaths. If funding is
available in 2025/26, a provider to deliver a national service can
be selected and the roll out commenced as soon as possible in
2025.
NPWS have asked for a contribution of £4k per force to be
able to do this. In GM it has been agreed this will be funded via
the Deputy Mayor’ PCC budgets.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 12/03/2025
Decision:
£4k is provided to Lancashire Police as
contributory funding towards the Police Mental Health Crisis Line
(MHCL).
This forms part of the National Police Wellbeing Service.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Greater Manchester is one of the few areas in
the country who provide immediate accommodation for potential
victims of modern slavery at point of identification. This allows
individuals to be placed into the place of safety where they can
have their immediate needs met and be allowed the time to be
empowered and decide what is the next best course of action for
them.
It enables immediate hygiene, and nutrition needs to be met, and
provides a safe, warm and comfortable environment for what may be
the first time in years. Clean clothes are provided, and each
victim is able to leave with a bag of possessions, which again they
may not have had for a number of years.
The funding covers the cost of providing utilities to the
accommodation, as well as toiletries, clothes and food for all
victims who use the accommodation for a 12-month period.
In 2023/24, safe and immediate support through the place of safety
was provided to 28 victims, and between 1st Apil 2024 – 31st
December 2024, to a further 21 victims.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 12/03/2025
Decision:
Up to £5,000 will be provided to GMP to
cover the costs of providing the Greater Manchester place of safety
for victims of modern slavery from April 2024 to March
2025.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The Youth Justice Plan is due to be renewed
and the sessions on 25th March & 16th April 2025 will be
in-person sessions to support the development of the next Plan and
allow all stakeholders to come together.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 12/03/2025
Decision:
March 2025:
£321.25 is used for a room booking is made at Friends meeting
house for a session with Youth Justice stakeholders to continue to
develop the next Youth Justice Plan.
Room booking £195
Refreshments £2.65 pp for 25 = £66.25
Digital projector £60
Total £321.25
April 2025
£300 is used for a room booking at HOME for a session with
Youth Justice stakeholders to continue to develop the next Youth
Justice Plan.
Room booking £300
Refreshments for 30 people = £93
Total £393
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The GMCA has responsibility under The Police
(Conduct) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 for the attendance at Police
Misconduct Panels of a Legally Qualified Person (LQP) and
Independent Panel member (IPM).
The LQP’s role is to sit on the Panel in an advisory
capacity. This is not a decision-making role, but they will be
responsible for providing legal or procedural advice.
The IPMs provide independent and impartial views at the misconduct
panel.
Concerns have arisen regarding the indemnification of the then LQCs
and now LQPs involved in the misconduct process, which provides
LQPs with security against legal liability, provided they act in
good faith during the misconduct panel process. This arises from
the potential of a claim for damages against misconduct panel
members arising from an Equality Act claim before the Employment
Tribunal at present.
On 26th November 2021 the GMCA was informed by the then President
of the National Association for LQCs (NALQC) that the organisation
had informed the Home Secretary, H.M. Government, that the NALQC
had advised its members that they should refuse to accept any
further appointments until this matter has been resolved nationally
and specifically worded indemnity is provided by PCCs to its
members.
As a result, the majority were refusing to sit on misconduct panels
until an agreed form of indemnity was provided.
In October 2022, a further development arose out of an LQC having
been summoned by an employment tribunal to give evidence about a
Police Misconduct Panel hearing they chaired and the decision they
reached.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 21/03/2025
Decision:
To provide Indemnity to Legally Qualified
Persons and Independent Panel Members for Police Misconduct Panel
arranged thus far for 2025/26 in accordance with the wording
recommended by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners as
follows: -
In respect of the case of ....... which is to be held on
………. the 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 Person
(“LQP”)/ Independent Panel Member (“IPM”)
in respect of: -
(i) any liabilities arising (including reasonable costs as agreed
with you in connection with responding to or engaging with any
legal proceedings or matters arising from the discharge of your
functions as an LQP/IPM) for anything done or omitted to be done by
you in the discharge of those 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 GMCA
agrees to indemnify you in full in respect of any such
liability.
(ii) any costs you may incur as a consequence of your being in
receipt of a witness summons/order (or an application therefor) to
give evidence in any court or tribunal of whatever nature
concerning and/or relating to your and/or the Panel’s
conducting of those proceedings and/or the decisions of the Panel
in those proceedings. For the avoidance of doubt, this indemnity
includes, but is not limited to, any costs you may incur:
• In seeking legal advice in relation to the receipt of a
witness summons/order or an application therefor.
• In relation to the preparation of any representations and/or
witness statements in relation to an application for a witness
summons/order and/or in relation to an application to set aside the
issuing of a witness summons/order.
• In relation to securing legal representation at any hearing
of an application for a witness summons/order and/or the hearing of
any application to set aside the issuing of a witness
summons/order.
• In relation to the costs (including costs of legal
representation) of participating in any appeal and/or application
for judicial review (and any appeal therefrom) arising as a
consequence of your being in receipt of an application for a
witness summons/order or an application therefor; and
• In relation to attending a hearing or hearings, including
the time spent thereat.
However, save where the issue/matter needs to be addressed by you
immediately, no costs to which this indemnity applies should be
incurred by you before you have notified the Director of Safer and
Stronger Communities of the GMCA of the nature and extent of the
issue/matter giving rise to a claim under it.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Microsoft is one of the key components of
GMP’s technology estate, including user licences, SQL server
licences and Azure cloud consumption. Microsoft do not contract
directly for licences, Instead this is contracted through a Large
Account Reseller (LAR) which in GMP’s case is Phoenix.
However, Microsoft do not contract support through its resellers,
but only deal direct. Due to GMP’s reliance on Microsoft
products, it is a critical support contract for GMP.
We are recommending a 3 year contract over the normal annual
contract with Microsoft as it gives us some cost certainty going
forward and provides a saving of £35K per annum over a one
year contract.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 03/04/2025
Decision:
The Deputy Mayor approves a Direct Award of a
3 year contract for Microsoft Unified Support to Microsoft
Corporation using the suppliers Terms and Conditions. The likely
value of the 3 years spend would be circa £1
million.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Procurement legislation requires GMP to tender
for these goods and services and a tender was completed by
Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) on behalf of Forces in the
Northern Police Consortium (NPC).
The suppliers listed above were the winning bidders for GMP in
each
respective category.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 19/03/2025
Decision:
The Deputy Mayor approves the award of a
3-year
contract for insurance services, to
• Commercial Combined – Maven
• Fidelity Guarantee - Zurich Mutual
• Personal Accident / Travel – Maven
• Engineering Inspection and Insurance – RMP/HSB
with the option to extend for a further 2 years. The likely value
of 5 years spend would be circa £900k.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
GMP have used Chorus software for a number of
years and indeed it was initially a joint development between GMP
and Chorus Intelligence Limited. In August 2024, GMP issued a Prior
Information Notice to understand whether any supplier could provide
additional capabilities beyond the current software capabilities.
GMP received presentations from several organisations, but there
were no products available and whilst suppliers were willing to
develop tools, this was at considerable cost to GMP. Only Chorus
offered to enhance existing functionality for free and at no
cost\risk to GMP.
A short contract is recommended to understand whether Chorus
Intelligence Limited can deliver the required capabilities, but
also because future costs are unknown. Licence costs will be
stable, but the Artificial Intelligence being developed may incur
costly processing charges. Whilst Chorus will bear these costs for
the initial development period, GMP need to understand if the
resultant product will be value for money.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 06/03/2025
Decision:
The Deputy Mayor approves a Direct Award of a
1 year contract for Mobile Phone Analytics Software using Crown
Commercial Supplier G-Cloud 14 call-off process, to Chorus
Intelligence Limited, with the option to extend for a further 1
year. The likely value of the 2 years spend would be circa
£600K
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Following a procurement exercise conducted by
open tender during 2024, a contract for the provision of Drug and
Alcohol Related Deaths Panels for Greater Manchester was awarded to
Liverpool John Moores University. The contract started on 15th
November 2024.
The previous funding agreement had an expiry date of 31st August
2024. In order to fulfil the agreement between the ten Greater
Manchester local authorities and the GMCA to commission DARD
services, the previous funding agreement with LJMU requires
extending to a new expiration date of 14th November 2024 to ensure
there is no break in service delivery.
Drug and alcohol related deaths remain a significant issue at both
a local and national level. The most recently available data shows
a reduction in drug related death rates in GM compared to the
previous period, however between 2020 and 2022 there were 660
recorded drug related deaths across GM, which is a significantly
higher rate per 100,000 population than the national average (8.0
GM, 5.2 national).
The Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths Panels enable data and
information to be compiled by local authority in the following
areas:
• demographics and trends
• substances implicated in toxicology
• cause and verdicts of deaths where available
• common themes such as employment/accommodation/relationship
status
• characteristics of deaths
This information will be considered by local panels of
professionals across a range of disciplines to help in improving
the response to such deaths and assist with delivering the ambition
of reducing drug related deaths in Greater Manchester.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 06/03/2025
Decision:
The funding agreement with Liverpool John
Moores University (LJMU) for the provision of Drug and Alcohol
Related Deaths (DARD) panels with an expiry date of 31st August
2024, is extended to a new expiry date of 14th November 2024 at a
value of £13,225.
GMCA commissions this system on behalf of the ten Greater
Manchester local authorities, with the local authorities fully
funding the system.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Background
The Saint Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)
provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated forensic, medical and
aftercare service to men, women and children living in the Greater
Manchester area who have experienced rape or sexual assault,
whether this has happened recently or in the past.
GMCA and NHSE Greater Manchester (with delegated responsibility for
NHSE Health and Justice budgets) jointly commission the SARC
service.
Demand for SARC counselling has been increasing steadily over the
past 5 years. However, St Mary’s have struggled to recruit
additional counselling staff leading to capacity issues with
therapeutic support for both adults and CYP and waiting list
pressures. Key issues:
• no capacity to regularly monitor waiting lists, to review
suitability, assess risk, and refer to more appropriate services
where necessary.
• no local protocols in place between SARC and
Children’s Services/CAMHS (apart from in Manchester)
• unsuccessful recruitment over the past 2-3 years of
counselling staff to permanent roles in St Mary’s SARC
team
1) Adult counselling capacity
As of December 2023, 1260 adult clients were awaiting a counselling
start date and 348 adult clients awaiting an assessment.
Noting these issues, NHSE Greater Manchester were successful in
bidding for emergency nonrecurrent funding in order to introduce
measures to mitigate and alleviate pressure in this system. An
Investment of £67k has been secured to create a team of Band
6 Bank Counsellors via NHS Professionals, who will support the SARC
Adult Counselling team to:
• Undertake a full comprehensive review of the adult
counselling waiting list and attempt to contact all clients to
determine continuing suitability for SARC counselling, to assess if
clients still require/want SARC counselling, to review current
risks and needs, to identify the type of counselling required and
method of delivery. This will increase the number of counselling
starts and reduce the waiting list times
• Complete a comprehensive review of the SARC Counselling
Service, to examine current processes and provision and identify
opportunities to refine and release efficiencies focused on patient
outcomes. This will allow time for review, redesign and
establishment of a sustainable counselling service provision with
clearly defined pathways of care into SARC and also out of SARC to
local support services. This will result in more effective,
streamlined process, which will improve access to support and
recovery outcomes and ensure counselling wait lists are maintained
at a manageable level.
This will require additional 6 WTE Band 6 Counsellors and a band 6
Business Analyst. (working flexibly via NHSP)
• 4 x WTE at Band 6, 37.5 hours per week for 2 months
£31k (Wait List)
• 2x WTE at Band 6, 37.5 hours per week for 2 months
£16k (Business Process Change)
• 1 x WTE at Band 6, 37.5 hours per week for 2 months
£8k (Business Analyst)
• Provision of laptop and homeworker package for bank staff
members £12k
Total cost of investment requested: £ 67k
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 17/03/2025
Decision:
£67k be committed from funding secured
by NHSE GM Health & Justice Budget to Increase capacity at St
Marys SARC for adult counselling for victims of rape and sexual
assault. The additional staff capacity will increase the number of
counselling starts and reduce the waiting list times leading to a
sustainable counselling service provision with clearly defined
pathways of care.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The reasons for the decision are:
MMU are recognised experts in the youth justice policy field and
host the world leading Manchester Centre for Youth Studies.
MMU led a previous knowledge transfer partnership which developed
the participatory youth practice approach which is central to this
project and therefore GMCA and MMU developed a joint bid to
Innovate UK for a further Knowledge Transfer Partnership.
The key objective of this project is to develop new policy and
practice which foregrounds the 'voice of the child' within justice
interventions. This will help to divert children away from entering
the Youth Justice System and break the cycle of reoffending,
reducing costs and pressure on services across the region.
The main area of focus is developing an evidence-based model for
organisational culture and process change that enables a critical
system evaluation for service re-design across the five key areas
of police custody, out-of-court resolutions, early intervention and
prevention, resettlement, and sentencing.
The project will be the first attempt to harness the evidence base
regarding embedding and evaluating a child-centred organisational
strategy, proposing a model of better practice to transform Youth
Justice outcomes.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Executive
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 25/03/2025
Decision:
£150,281 is provided to MMU over a
period of 3 years for the delivery of a Knowledge Transfer
Partnership. This will fund a Knowledge Transfer Associate who is
employed via MMU and seconded to the GMCA to lead the
project.
This will be match funded via Innovate UK – who provide
funding for the research aspects of the project and the academic
supervision.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Bauer Media originally built the VRU website
and hold responsibilities for hosting the site on an ongoing basis,
as well as the domain name. The VRU pay a small ongoing cost each
financial year to ensure the VRU website stays live for the public
to view and interact with. Given the new government’s
ambitions to halve knife crime and Violence Against Women and Girls
in the next decade, it is crucial that our web service is
uninterrupted.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 06/03/2025
Decision:
The GM VRU is seeking to award Bauer Media
£750 to cover ongoing hosting and domain costs for the VRU
website. This is a yearly concern.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
GM PCC received notification from the Ministry
of Justice on 2nd December 2024 of its 2025/26 budget allocation
for DA/SV, IDVA, ISVA and Core Grant to support victims of crime
on. With 3 months remaining until the start of the next financial
year, it is acknowledged that quick decisions around how these
victims’ budget should be utilised for 2025/26 were
required.
Over the past 18 months, there has been widescale anxiety within
the victims of crime support sector due to the lack of clarity and
confirmation of ongoing MoJ funding after 31st March 2025 following
the end of a 3-year multi-year settlement. This has created a
concern that vital support posts such as IDVAs/ISVA’s could
start to vacate to seek job security without immediate confirmation
that funding will continue.
In order to quickly alleviate this, it was felt that the victims
Grant Funding Agreements of which have been in place since 2022 and
cover a spectrum of different support posts, should be extended by
12 months. This would stabilise initial concerns within the sector
and also allow GM to undertake its own strategic needs assessment
to be in a stronger position to make informed commissioning
decisions in 2026/27.
It was also deemed timely to collate the anticipated national
insurance increase requirements from grant support providers. Other
reasonable cost increases to these posts were considered, such as
those relating to matching the Real Living Wage which the Mayor has
committed to, and meeting other cost of living increases and
general pay awards which haven’t been given over the 3-year
lifecycle of the grant funding agreements. In many cases, CVS
organisations were covering these shortfalls from their own limited
resources.
Original allocation of the Core Grant Funding Agreements
In March 2022, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that nationally
£147m of funding would be committed over a multi-year period
until the end of 2024/25 for victim services.
As part of this funding, PCCs were required to submit an updated
needs assessment in relation to domestic abuse and sexual violence
support services. PCCs were required to undertake an expression of
interest exercise and submit all bids to the MoJ for decision.
However following submission of these there was a change in process
and the MoJ confirmed allocation to PCCs based on the needs
assessment.
The way that this funding was allocated is a local PCC decision,
although all activity and the service provider were required to
meet the necessary MoJ criteria, as set out in their original
Police and Crime Commissioner Funding Allocation Guidance.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 11/03/2025
Decision:
£964,423.19 be committed to award
12-month extensions 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026 to the
2022-2025 Core Grant Ministry of Justice Victims of crime grant
funding agreements that support victims of crime. These Grant
Funding Agreement awards also now includes an increase to cover the
raise in national insurance, real living wage and due salary
increases.
Background papers include details of organisations and
allocations.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
GM PCC received notification from the Ministry
of Justice of its 2025/26 budget to support victims of crime on 2nd
December 2024. With 3 months remaining until the start of the next
financial year, it is acknowledged that quick decisions around how
the victim’s budget should be utilised for 2025/26 were
required.
Over the past 18 months, there has been widescale anxiety within
the victims of crime support sector due to the lack of clarity and
confirmation of ongoing MoJ funding after 31st March 2025 following
the end of a 3-year multi-year settlement. This has created a
concern that vital support posts such as IDVAs/ISVA’s could
start to vacate to seek job security without immediate confirmation
that funding will continue.
In order to quickly alleviate this, it was felt that the victims
Grant Funding Agreements of which have been in place since 2022 and
cover a spectrum of different support posts, should be extended by
12 months. This would stabilise initial concerns within the sector
and also allow GM to undertake its own strategic needs assessment
to be in a stronger position to make informed commissioning
decisions in 2026/27.
It was also deemed timely to collate the anticipated national
insurance increase requirements from grant support providers. Other
reasonable cost increases to these posts were considered, such as
those relating to matching the Real Living Wage which the Mayor has
committed to, and meeting other cost of living increases and
general pay awards which haven’t been given over the 3-year
lifecycle of the grant funding agreements. In many cases, CVS
organisations were covering these shortfalls from their own limited
resources.
Original allocation of the DA/SV Grant Funding Agreements
In March 2022, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that nationally
£147m of funding would be committed over a multi-year period
until the end of 2024/25 for victim services.
As part of this funding, PCCs were required to submit an updated
needs assessment in relation to domestic abuse and sexual violence
support services. PCCs were required to undertake an expression of
interest exercise and submit all bids to the MoJ for decision.
However following submission of these there was a change in process
and the MoJ confirmed allocation to PCCs based on the needs
assessment.
The way that this funding was allocated is a local PCC decision,
although all activity and the service provider were required to
meet the necessary MoJ criteria, as set out in their original
Police and Crime Commissioner Funding Allocation Guidance. This
funding is ringfenced for DA and SV services
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 11/03/2025
Decision:
£652,888.49 be committed to award
12-month extensions to the 2022-2025 Domestic Abuse/ Sexual
Violence (DA/SV) Ministry of Justice Victims of crime grant funding
agreements that support victims of domestic abuse and sexual
violence. These Grant Funding Agreement (GFA) awards includes an
increase to cover national insurance, real living wage and due
salary increases.
Background papers include details of organisations and
allocations.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
GM PCC received notification from the Ministry
of Justice on 2nd December 2024 of its 2025/26 budget allocation
for DA/SV, IDVA, ISVA and Core Grant to support victims of crime
on. With 3 months remaining until the start of the next financial
year, it is acknowledged that quick decisions around how these
victim budgets should be utilised for 2025/26 were required.
Over the past 18 months, there has been widescale anxiety within
the victims of crime support sector due to the lack of clarity and
confirmation of ongoing MoJ funding after 31st March 2025 following
the end of a 3-year multi-year settlement. This has created a
concern that vital support posts such as IDVAs/ISVA’s could
start to vacate to seek job security without immediate confirmation
that funding will continue.
In order to quickly alleviate this, it was felt that the victims
Grant Funding Agreements of which have been in place since 2022 and
cover a spectrum of different support posts, should be extended by
12 months. This would stabilise initial concerns within the sector
and also allow GM to undertake its own strategic needs assessment
to be in a stronger position to make informed commissioning
decisions in 2026/27.
It was also deemed timely to collate the anticipated national
insurance increase requirements from grant support providers. Other
reasonable cost increases to these posts were considered, such as
those relating to matching the Real Living Wage which the Mayor has
committed to, and meeting other cost of living increases and
general pay awards which haven’t been given over the 3-year
lifecycle of the grant funding agreements. In many cases, CVS
organisations were covering these shortfalls from their own limited
resources.
Original allocation of the Core Grant Funding Agreements
In March 2022, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that nationally
£147m of funding would be committed over a multi-year period
until the end of 2024/25 for victim services.
As part of this funding, PCCs were required to submit an updated
needs assessment in relation to domestic abuse and sexual violence
support services. PCCs were required to undertake an expression of
interest exercise and submit all bids to the MoJ for decision.
However following submission of these there was a change in process
and the MoJ confirmed allocation to PCCs based on the needs
assessment.
The way that this funding was allocated is a local PCC decision,
although all activity and the service provider were required to
meet the necessary MoJ criteria, as set out in their original
Police and Crime Commissioner Funding Allocation Guidance. This
funding has been ringfenced for IDVA/ISVA posts only.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 11/03/2025
Decision:
£1,786,287.52 be committed to award
12-month extensions (1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026) to the
2022-2025 IDVA/ISVA Ministry of Justice Victims of crime grant
funding agreements that support victims of crime. These Grant
Funding Agreement awards also now include an increase to cover the
raise in national insurance, real living wage and due salary
increases.
See Background document for details of organisations and
amounts.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The VRU’s current 3-year funding
settlement with the Home Office is due to end on 31st March 2025.
The VRU have engaged extensively with the Home Office ever since
the new government took power in July 2024 to understand what the
landscape for serious violent crime reduction would look like post-
March 2025. As a result, all 20 VRUs nationally have been extended,
with a new, 1 year funding settlement covering financial year
2025/26 confirmed in a letter to the Deputy Mayor of Greater
Manchester and the Director of the Greater Manchester VRU from the
Minister of State for Policing, Fire & Crime Prevention.
Due to this being only a 12-month funding settlement, it has been
agreed that to avoid interruption of the VRU’s programmes for
young people most at risk of becoming victims of- or perpetrating-
serious violence, time to re-procure services via the open market
is not available. Therefore, the GM VRU will maintain its existing
contracts via contract variations for each. This will also mitigate
the risk of experienced staff leaving both providers and GMCA VRU
positions, which would have a detrimental effect on programme
provision. In the first instance, the VRU will extend contracts
expiring on 31st March 2025 by 3 months through 30th June 2025.
This is due to the fact that a grant agreement from the Home Office
will not be received until June 2025. The initial 3-month
extensions will be underwritten by Greater Manchester Combined
Authority capital financing reserves, to cover the highly unlikely
eventuality that the grant agreement from government does not come
through.
It is a requirement stipulated by the Home Office that VRUs must
spend a minimum of 10% of their yearly budget on programme
evaluation. The Violence Reduction Unit commissioned ManMet in 2022
to deliver multi-year programme evaluation, and participatory youth
framework activity to assist with the creation of the Greater Than
Violence strategy. The VRU will continue to require evaluation
support in 2025/26, including a potential focus on systems change
evaluation to identify and evaluate the impact of the GM VRU across
the wider system in which it operates. ManMet continue to have a
direct link to GMP Data via its Big Data centre.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Executive
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 06/03/2025
Decision:
GMCA Safer & Stronger Communities
(Violence Reduction Unit) wish to extend provision of the
VRU’s Programme Evaluation contract by 3 months. The current
contract end date is 31st March 2025. The new end date would be
30th June 2025. The value of this extension will be £75,000.
The extension will be awarded to the existing programme provider,
who are Manchester Metropolitan University (ManMet). The total
amount of the existing contract is £810,249; the total value
once this extension has been completed will be
£885,249.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The VRU’s current 3 year funding
settlement with the Home Office is due to end on 31st March 2025.
The VRU have engaged extensively with the Home Office ever since
the new government took power in July 2024 to understand what the
landscape for serious violent crime reduction would look like post-
March 2025. As a result, all 20 VRUs nationally have been extended,
with a new, 1 year funding settlement covering financial year
2025/26 confirmed in a letter to the Deputy Mayor of Greater
Manchester and the Director of the Greater Manchester VRU from the
Minister of State for Policing, Fire & Crime Prevention.
Due to this being only a 12 month funding settlement, it has been
agreed that to avoid interruption of the VRU’s programmes for
young people most at risk of becoming victims of- or perpetrating-
serious violence, time to re-procure services via the open market
is not available. Therefore, the GM VRU will maintain its existing
contracts via contract variations for each. This will also mitigate
the risk of experienced staff leaving both providers and GMCA VRU
positions, which would have a detrimental effect on programme
provision. In the first instance, the VRU will extend contracts
expiring on 31st March 2025 by 3 months through 30th June 2025.
This is due to the fact that a grant agreement from the Home Office
will not be received until June 2025. The initial 3 month
extensions will be underwritten by Greater Manchester Combined
Authority capital financing & legal reserves, to cover the
highly unlikely eventuality that the grant agreement from
government does not come through.
The Navigator programme is the VRU’s flagship tertiary
intervention, supporting those who have been victims (and
perppetrators) of serious violent crime. The programme works with
young people aged 10-25, to help them to cope and recover from
their experience of violence and assist with access to local
support networks to prevent the potential of further
violence.
Initially rolled out in four hospitals across Greater Manchester
(Royal Bolton Hospital, Salford Royal Hospital, Manchester Royal
Infirmary and Manchester Royal Children’s Hospital), due to
the success of the project, scope has been expanded to Wythenshawe
Hospital, and to include referrals from North West Ambulance
Service (NWAS) and community referrals, whilst a custody navigator
programme has now also been launched.
It is vital that Navigators build trust with young people who may
not otherwise engage with other services. The Navigator project is
completely independent and confidential, young people are entitled
to receive support regardless of whether they report an incident to
the police or not. The GM Navigator programme has been nationally
appraised, with evaluation presented at the Royal College of
Paediatrics and Child Health in March 2024 to widespread
praise.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 04/03/2025
Decision:
GMCA Safer & Stronger Communities
(Violence Reduction Unit) wish to extend provision of the
VRU’s Navigator programme by 3 months. The current contract
end date is 30th June 2025, however this is due to a variation
sought in 2024 that added provision for navigators in custody
settings. The core provision of the contract, including costs, ends
on 31st March 2025 (Pertaining to Navigators in hospital, community
and educations ettings) The end date as a result of this decision
would remain 30th June 2025, however this Decision seeks
authorisation to add £90,000 to the existing contract to
retain existing hospital, community and education navigators
provision until 30th June 2025.. The extension will be awarded to
the existing programme provider, who are Oasis UK. The total amount
of the existing contract is £1,435,646. The total value once
this extension has been completed will be
£1,525,646.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The VRU’s current 3-year funding
settlement with the Home Office is due to end on 31st March 2025.
The VRU have engaged extensively with the Home Office ever since
the new government took power in July 2024 to understand what the
landscape for serious violent crime reduction would look like post-
March 2025. As a result, all 20 VRUs nationally have been extended,
with a new, 1 year funding settlement covering financial year
2025/26 confirmed in a letter to the Deputy Mayor of Greater
Manchester and the Director of the Greater Manchester VRU from the
Minister of State for Policing, Fire & Crime Prevention.
Due to this being only a 12-month funding settlement, it has been
agreed that to avoid interruption of the VRU’s programmes for
young people most at risk of becoming victims of- or perpetrating-
serious violence, time to re-procure services via the open market
is not available. Therefore, the GM VRU will maintain its existing
contracts via contract variations for each. This will also mitigate
the risk of experienced staff leaving both providers and GMCA VRU
positions, which would have a detrimental effect on programme
provision. In the first instance, the VRU will extend contracts
expiring on 31st March 2025 by 3 months through 30th June 2025.
This is due to the fact that a grant agreement from the Home Office
will not be received until June 2025. The initial 3-month
extensions will be underwritten by Greater Manchester Combined
Authority capital financing reserves, to cover the highly unlikely
eventuality that the grant agreement from government does not come
through.
The Community Sports programme is one of the VRU’s flagship
interventions. In recognition of the positive impact that sport can
have on young people’s experiences, and it’s essential
role in helping many young people to avoid negative situations,
peer contacts, and routines and help to prevent involvement in
youth offending, the VRU originally commissioned StreetgamesUK in
2022 to deliver a programme that enables the VRU Community Sport
Lead to continue to explore opportunities to embed the work already
developed in partnership with StreetgamesUK, and their community
sport analysis tool, as an evidence-based approach to delivering
the VRU’s vision for the role of community sport. This
approach seeks:
• More sport in more places
• More workforce with more competencies
• More vulnerable young people referred to- and engaged in
community sport programmes.
This programme is in the process of being evaluated by Manchester
Metropolitan University, as with all VRU flagship programmes.
Streetgames have also commissioned a wider systems change
evaluation via Loughborough University across several of its
programmes, including its VRU funded programme in Greater
Manchester.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 04/03/2025
Decision:
GMCA Safer & Stronger Communities
(Violence Reduction Unit) wish to extend provision of the
VRU’s Community Sports programme by 3 months. The current
contract end date is 31st March 2025. The new end date would be
30th June 2025. The value of this extension will be £50,000.
The extension will be awarded to the existing programme provider,
who are Streetgames. The total amount of the existing contract is
£600,000; the total value once this extension has been
completed will be £650,000.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The VRU’s current 3-year funding
settlement with the Home Office is due to end on 31st March 2025.
The VRU have engaged extensively with the Home Office ever since
the new government took power in July 2024 to understand what the
landscape for serious violent crime reduction would look like post-
March 2025. As a result, all 20 VRUs nationally have been extended,
with a new, 1 year funding settlement covering financial year
2025/26 confirmed in a letter to the Deputy Mayor of Greater
Manchester and the Director of the Greater Manchester VRU form the
Minister of State for Policing, Fire & Crime Prevention.
Due to this being only a 12-month funding settlement, it has been
agreed that to avoid interruption of the VRU’s programmes for
young people most at risk of becoming victims of- or perpetrating-
serious violence, time to re-procure services via the open market
is not available. Therefore, the GM VRU will maintain its existing
contracts via contract variations for each. This will also mitigate
the risk of experienced staff leaving both providers and GMCA VRU
positions, which would have a detrimental effect on programme
provision. In the first instance, the VRU will extend contracts
expiring on 31st March 2025 by 3 months through 30th June 2025.
This is due to the fact that a grant agreement from the Home Office
will not be received until June 2025. The initial 3-month
extensions will be underwritten by Greater Manchester Combined
Authority capital financing reserves, to cover the highly unlikely
eventuality that the grant agreement from government does not come
through.
To ensure a strong public health approach is adopted across Greater
Manchester for Violence Prevention, it is critical to incorporate
senior public health expertise and knowledge. Since Helen Lowey
Consultancy Ltd was appointed in October 2022, the VRU has reaped
multiple benefits, including:
• Provision of sufficient senior expertise to influence and
negotiate with District Directors of Public Health and Strategic
Health Leads across a range of organisations and settings
• Representing GM wide public health agenda in relation to
Police, Fire and Crime to support integration within the developing
locality boards and development of an Integrated Care System
• Advising the Mayor and Deputy Mayor regarding opportunities
and
approaches to support reducing Youth Violence and Gender
Based
Violence
• Representing the Public Health agenda at the GM Violence
Reduction Governance Board and provide credible leadership and
guidance at a senior level to support systemwide change and
improvement.
• Providing oversight of all relevant data and ways to
strengthen and
improve the VRU understanding of all factors relating to
violence.
• The consultant has overseen the production of two Serious
Violence Strategic Needs Assessments during her time with the
VRU
The appointment of Helen Lowey Consultancy Ltd has brought added
value to the VRU via unpaid Public Health Registrar placements.
Whilst the VRU has been in receipt of one placement since Aug 2023
(due to end May 31st, 2024) the qualifications held by Helen Lowey
Consultancy Ltd allows the VRU to receive two unpaid Public Health
Registrar placements at the same time from August 2024.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 04/03/2025
Decision:
GMCA Safer & Stronger Communities
(Violence Reduction Unit) wish to extend provision of the
VRU’s Public Health Lead contract by 3 months. The current
contract end date is 31st March 2025. The new end date would be
30th June 2025. The value of this extension will be £18,000.
The extension will be awarded to the existing provider, which is
Helen Lowey Consultancy Ltd. The total amount of the existing
contract is £208,000; the total value once this extension has
been completed will be £226,000.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The VRU’s current 3-year funding
settlement with the Home Office is due to end on 31st March 2025.
The VRU have engaged extensively with the Home Office ever since
the new government took power in July 2024 to understand what the
landscape for serious violent crime reduction would look like post-
March 2025. As a result, all 20 VRUs nationally have been extended,
with a new, 1 year funding settlement covering financial year
2025/26 confirmed in a letter to the Deputy Mayor of Greater
Manchester and the Director of the Greater Manchester VRU form the
Minister of State for Policing, Fire & Crime Prevention.
Due to this being only a 12-month funding settlement, it has been
agreed that to avoid interruption of the VRU’s programmes for
young people most at risk of becoming victims of- or perpetrating-
serious violence, time to re-procure services via the open market
is not available. Therefore, the GM VRU will maintain its existing
contracts via contract variations for each. This will also mitigate
the risk of experienced staff leaving both providers and GMCA VRU
positions, which would have a detrimental effect on programme
provision. In the first instance, the VRU will extend contracts
expiring on 31st March 2025 by 3 months through 30th June 2025.
This is due to the fact that a grant agreement from the Home Office
will not be received until June 2025. The initial 3-month
extensions will be underwritten by Greater Manchester Combined
Authority capital financing reserves, to cover the highly unlikely
eventuality that the grant agreement from government does not come
through.
The 2023 Greater Than Violence strategy contains multiple
commitments to work across educational settings over the next
decade, particularly concerning pupils with special educational
needs and/or disabilities.
In order to progress this work, the VRU needed to appoint an
individual who could function at a senior level and invoke the
necessary changes across the education system. As such, it
appointed an independent education lead via the College of Maths.
Since July 2022, the education lead has operated in a complex
partnership environment, working with multiple stakeholders to
identify best practice, implement strategy and effective
intervention measures. The independent education lead was appointed
as in order to succeed in this work, it was deemed necessary that
the individual would need to have had extensive experience as a
headteacher, and was both competent and fully conversant with the
business landscape of education, including matters pertaining to
national and local policy, through to direct operational
delivery.
Building resilience within the school community and general
education
setting is vital in order to reduce the risk of young people
becoming involved in violence but also addressing the outcomes and
factors when violence does occur. This work covers all elements of
primary and secondary and further education as well as other
specialist education provision. The Education Lead also supports
delivery of the Mayor’s manifesto commitments around Mbacc
and wider education and employment opportunities for young people
more generally.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 04/03/2025
Decision:
GMCA Safer & Stronger Communities
(Violence Reduction Unit) wish to extend provision of the
VRU’s Education Lead contract by 3 months. The current
contract end date is 31st March 2025. The new end date would be
30th June 2025. The value of this extension will be £19,000.
The extension will be awarded to the existing provider, which is
the College of Maths. The total amount of the existing contract is
£159,400; the total value once this extension has been
completed will be £178,400
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The VRU’s current 3-year funding
settlement with the Home Office is due to end on 31st March 2025.
The VRU have engaged extensively with the Home Office ever since
the new government took power in July 2024 to understand what the
landscape for serious violent crime reduction would look like post-
March 2025. As a result, all 20 VRUs nationally have been extended,
with a new, 1 year funding settlement covering financial year
2025/26 confirmed in a letter to the Deputy Mayor of Greater
Manchester and the Director of the Greater Manchester VRU form the
Minister of State for Policing, Fire & Crime Prevention.
Due to this being only a 12-month funding settlement, it has been
agreed that to avoid interruption of the VRU’s programmes for
young people most at risk of becoming victims of -or perpetrating-
serious violence, time to re-procure services via the open market
is not available. Therefore, the GM VRU will maintain its existing
contracts via contract variations for each. This will also mitigate
the risk of experienced staff leaving both providers and GMCA VRU
positions, which would have a detrimental effect on programme
provision. In the first instance, the VRU will extend contracts
expiring on 31st March 2025 by 3 months through 30th June 2025.
This is due to the fact that a grant agreement from the Home Office
will not be received until June 2025. The initial 3-month
extensions will be underwritten by Greater Manchester Combined
Authority capital financing reserves, to cover the highly unlikely
eventuality that the grant agreement from government does not come
through.
To date, the multi-agency partnership working approach reflected in
its staffing arrangements has enabled the GM VRU to develop new and
existing relationships with partners across a wide range of
thematic areas to tackle serious violence in both GM and across the
UK. The GM VRU is seeking to continue to fund its staff members to
continue developing these programmes of work.
The partners will report to a VRU director and Partnership lead who
are employed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 04/03/2025
Decision:
The GM VRU are seeking to award the following
organisations to continue funding the VRU staff for the first 3
months of financial year 2025-26:
Internal Staff (GMCA)
Programme Support
Victims Champion
Research Officer (Lead Analyst)
External Staff- Secondments from Other Organisations:
Youth Justice Operational Lead (0.2 FTE) to be awarded to Tameside
Council
Youth Justice Strategic Lead (0.1 FTE) to be awarded to Wigan
Council
Probation Lead (0.4 FTE) to be awarded to the National Probation
Service
Clinical Lead (0.2 FTE) To be awarded to the Manchester University
NHS Foundation Trust
Contracts for Professional Services:
Education Lead (0.4 FTE) - to be awarded to the College of Maths
via a separate Decision Notice
Public Health Lead (0.2 FTE)- to be awarded to Helen Lowey
Consultancy Ltd via a separate Decision Notice
Total: £88,043.32
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The VRU’s current 3-year funding
settlement with the Home Office is due to end on 31st March 2025.
The VRU have engaged extensively with the Home Office ever since
the new government took power in July 2024 to understand what the
landscape for serious violent crime reduction would look like post-
March 2025. As a result, all 20 VRUs nationally have been extended,
with a new, 1 year funding settlement covering financial year
2025/26 confirmed in a letter to the Deputy Mayor of Greater
Manchester and the Director of the Greater Manchester VRU from the
Minister of State for Policing, Fire & Crime Prevention.
Due to this being only a 12-month funding settlement, it has been
agreed that to avoid interruption of the VRU’s programmes for
young people most at risk of becoming victims of- or perpetrating-
serious violence, time to re-procure services via the open market
is not available. Therefore, the GM VRU will maintain its existing
contracts via contract variations for each.
This will also mitigate the risk of experienced staff leaving both
providers and GMCA VRU positions, which would have a detrimental
effect on programme provision. In the first instance, the VRU will
extend contracts expiring on 31st March 2025 by 3 months through
30th June 2025. This is due to the fact that a grant agreement from
the Home Office will not be received until June 2025. The initial
3-month extensions will be underwritten by Greater Manchester
Combined Authority capital financing reserves, to cover the highly
unlikely eventuality that the grant agreement from government does
not come through.
It is a requirement stipulated by the Home Office that VRUs must
spend a small proportion of their yearly budget on data sharing
agreements and putting data sharing architecture into place. The
Violence Reduction Unit commissioned JMU Services Ltd in 2022 to
deliver TIIG (Trauma Injury & Intelligence Gathering) data via
a multi-year contract to assist wider programme evaluation.
Liverpool John Moores University receive, process, clean and
securely store anonymised trauma-related injury data collected by
Greater Manchester Emergency Departments. This data is used on a
regular basis by a range of VRU staff and partners to support the
targeting of services and interventions, strategic planning around
need, and problem profiling.
TIIG has been providing services in Greater Manchester for around
15 years, provided throughout that time by Liverpool John Moores
University (JMU Services Ltd). TIIG provide a key link with health
services and non-police data around violence that cannot be
accessed through other means.
This data is used in monitoring core VRU outcomes, evaluating VRU
interventions, supporting partner services and local
authorities’ analytical capacity, and strategic
planning.
The charge for delivery in 25/26 (including the first 3 months
covered by this Decision) is reflective of the agreed workplan to
be delivered by TIIG in 25/26. This is the ‘expanded’
workplan agreed upon in 23/24 and 24/25, following a smaller
workplan in 22/23. These include continuing an intensive work
programme with A&Es to improve the quality of ISTV data. This
will also further fund TIIG’s dedicated Data Quality Lead who
is experienced in working with organisations to improve data
collected.
Use of this data is embedded in a wide range of VRU work, and
discontinuation of the contract would result in significant
disruption to the VRU’s ability to deliver interventions,
monitor outcomes, and report to the Home Office.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 04/03/2025
Decision:
GMCA Safer & Stronger Communities
(Violence Reduction Unit) wish to extend provision of the
VRU’s TIIG contract by 3 months. The current contract end
date is 31st March 2025. The new end date would be 30th June 2025.
The value of this extension will be £12,280. The extension
will be awarded to the existing programme provider, who are JMU
Services Ltd (Liverpool John Moores University). The total amount
of the existing contract is £121,645; the total value once
this extension has been completed will be £133,925.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
To see attached decision
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 19/02/2025
Decision:
The Deputy Mayor approves the award of the
contract for a new police RMS to Mark 43 for a period of three
years with the option to extend for a further year. Total value of
the contract circa £21M
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
GM Complex Safeguarding Peer Reviews have
identified “culturally sensitive practice” as a
training gap and area for improvement for the local Complex
Safeguarding teams. The Roma community in particular faces
discrimination and unconscious bias, which impairs the creation of
relationships of trust with practitioners and constitutes an
obstacle to the safeguarding of children and families from
exploitation.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 26/02/2025
Decision:
GMCA Complex Safeguarding wishes to pay
£300 from the Complex Safeguarding Budget to pay for The Roma
Support Group to deliver a workshop on “Supporting Roma
Children and Families Facing Exploitation” on March 18th,
2025, as part of GM’s Week of Action professional development
offer.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The GMCA Complex Safeguarding hub wishes to
upskill frontline staff around understanding how grooming affects
young people’s lives, as well as what techniques perpetrators
use to make a child feel trapped. The focus on
“recovery” is a topic that has been identified by
Complex Safeguarding managers as an area for improvement during the
GMCS strategy’s consultation process. As a lived
experience-led organization, The Reign Collective are best placed
to advise on ways in which our practitioners can support long-term
recovery from trauma.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 26/02/2025
Decision:
GMCA Complex Safeguarding wishes to pay
£700 from the Complex Safeguarding Budget to pay for The
Reign Collective to deliver a workshop on the topic of
“Healing after Grooming” on March 21st, 2025, as part
of the GM Week of Action professional development offer.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
StreetDoctors has a longstanding partnership
with GM VRU, having delivered app-based learning across GM and
providing bespoke learning sessions in mainstream and alternative
provision learning establishments. Both StreetDoctors and the GM
VRU are keen to engage young people who would not normally access
learning and have developed a ‘train the trainer’ pilot
programme that can be delivered flexibly to a group of 10 young
people (age 16/17) over a maximum of 6 weeks. Young people will be
subject to Youth Justice intervention due to offending / risky
behaviour and be supported to engage in the activity. Those engaged
will be trained by StreetDoctors accredited volunteers (mainly
junior doctors) and learn about the dangers of risky behaviour and
impact of trauma injuries. They will also be trained to deliver
basic first aid training to their peers. Following the course, the
young people will be accredited by StreetDoctors and StreetDoctors
will attend up to 15 sessions to support the young people in
delivery of training.
It is anticipated this intervention will raise the confidence and
aspirations of those involved. The programme will be evaluated by
StreetDoctors and used to support further development and delivery
in other CJ settings including Custody. This programme is endorsed
by the VRU Criminal Justice group.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 26/02/2025
Decision:
The GM VRU is seeking to award £4,999 to
fund a bespoke programme to train young people within the CJ system
to learn about the impact of trauma injuries and deliver trauma
first aid to their peers.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
The Annual Fire Conference and Exhibition is a
key event in the conference calendar for senior fire officers and
members of fire and rescue authorities. The conference provides an
opportunity to meet in-person and discuss key strategic and
practical developments impacting the fire and rescue sector over
the next twelve months.
Decision Maker: Director for Safer and Stronger Communities
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 26/02/2025
Decision:
to fund 1 x delegate to attend the LGA Annual
Fire Conference on Tuesday 11 - Wednesday 12 March 2025, Newcastle
Gateshead.
The cost of the conference is £495.00 + VAT for a non LGA
Member
Lead officer: Lisa Lees
Following competition Robiquity emerged as the
preferred supplier. As G-Cloud 14 was the selected route, a
shortlisting exercise was undertaken and clarifications questions
sent out to the short-listed suppliers to determine the overall
cost to GMP. Robiquity provided the best value to GMP.
Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer
Decision published: 16/04/2025
Effective from: 10/03/2025
Decision:
The Deputy Mayor approves the tender and award
of a 3 year contract for an Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and
Hyper-automation partner following a Crown Commercial Supplier
G-Cloud 14 call-off process, to Robiquity, with the option to
extend for a further 1 year. The likely value of the 4 years spend
would be circa £4 million.
Lead officer: Lisa Lees