2024 Decisions

This decision relates to the second round of funding of the 2024/2025 financial year, ring-fenced for People Zones.

This funding round opened on 30/09/2024 and closed on 28/10/2024.  12 applications were submitted during this time. Community Development Officers Lily Thorne and James O’Connell, as well as Community Development Lead Jessica Ball individually marked each application during the period 29/10/2024 - 15/11/2024, and then moderated their scores on 21/11/2024.

Two applications scored 70% or above, five applications scored 60% or above, four applications scored 40% or above and one application scored below 40%.

For this round, it was decided that applications scoring 65% and above would be awarded funding, providing all criteria is met. In this round, that resulted in six bids being recommended.

Upon review, the Senior Management Team approved to fund the recommended six bids. This equates to a funding commitment of £39,305.40.

A decision is necessary for additional £98,000 (approx) funds to facilitate the safe removal of asbestos flooring and contaminated infrastructure.

The initial CMD asbestos site surveys did not detect asbestos, during the floor being removed asbestos was identified. The organisation must now legally remove safely the asbestos discovered and protect its employees in doing so.

Early estimates are approx. £98,000 to move asbestos and supply fit new infrastructure and flooring across the whole CMD floor.

To accept a notional gift from the Mattioli Charitable Trust who will directly fund the memorial garden project.

Round 1 opened for applications on 8th August 2024 and closed on 5th September 2024. 88 applications were submitted during this time, with one application later being withdrawn, therefore leading to a total of 87 applications.

The applications were assessed in line with the Commissioners Safety Fund criteria and moderated by a panel 16/09/2024 – 18/09/2024. Of the 87, 21 applications scored 71% or above, 11 scored between 65% - 70% and 55 scored less than 64%.

Due to the exceptional volume of applications and the quality of bids received, the decision was made to approve the recommendation on 25/09/2024 to award funding to those applications scoring 71% or higher.  The decision was made that the PCC fund 21 projects. This equates to a funding commitment of £206,006.89.

The current hardware maintenance contract (CON895) expires 30th September and a further competition was published using the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) RM6100 Technology Services 3 framework. We received three tenders and have awarded the contract to CDW as the most economically advantageous tender. The award has been approved by Assistant Chief Officer (Finance & Resources) and we are asking the Police Commissioner to sign the contract & to add his seal.

The Community Development Reserve is a reserve that was set up in 2021-22 to fund several initiatives, one of those initiatives was the MUGA courts. The previous PCC/Deputy PCC were working with Leicester City Council (LCC), Leicester City in the Community (LCiC), the Football Foundation and the CRUYFF Foundation to develop Multi Use Game Area (MUGA) courts as set out in the PCC Legacy Programme (decision record EXE0005-21 dated 21/03/2021), a joint endeavour provided by LCC as both a contribution to capital costs and to support the provision of sports led activities at the MUGA courts for a total (including a contribution from LCIC) of £158k.

A total expenditure of £72,027 was spent on the development of the MUGA court, leaving a balance of £85,973 for the sports led provision; however due to Covid19 restrictions the project was not moved along at the time.

It is requested that £85,973 (the MUGA courts balance) is transferred back into the Commissioning reserves.

East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) Technical Services requires an upgrade of the EMSOU control rooms, with support & maintenance. There was a maintenance contract of the current control rooms equipment, however this expired 31st January 2023.

It was agreed to procure a new system through an open tender, advertised on Contracts Finder and Find a Tender service. This followed a Prior Information Notice and a Supplier Engagement event. The competitive with negotiation procedure was used and a shortlist of six companies tendered for the opportunity.

Procurement are recommending that we award the contract to Bedroq Limited for a price of £311,753.57. This has been approved by the Assistant Chief Officer (Finance & Resources) and we are asking the Police Commissioner to sign the contract & to add his seal.

The current Crime Scenes Consumables contract (CON986) with WA Products t/a SceneSafe, expires 30th September. Bluelight Commercial (BLC) have a new Crime Scenes Consumables framework we can use. The framework is from 1st October 2024 to 30th September 2028, is made up of ten lots and all the lots have been awarded to WA Products (UK) Limited t/a SceneSafe.

Procurement are recommending that we award the Crime Scenes Consumables opportunity to WA Products (UK) Limited t/a SceneSafe, for an estimated value of £640,000 over the four years. This has been approved by Assistant Chief Officer (Finance & Resources) and we are asking the Police Commissioner to sign the contract and add his seal.

The current vehicle hire contract with Enterprise expires 31st March 2024, with an annual value of £100,000. It was agreed to publish a further competition using the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) RM6265 Vehicle Hire Solutions framework, Lot 1: Hire of Vehicles up to 3.5T.

Procurement received three tenders. However, only one compliant tender, from Scot Group t/a Thrifty.

Procurement, with the approval of Assistant Chief Officer (Finance & Resources), are asking the Police Commissioner to sign the contract and add his seal.

This decision relates to the 1st round of funding of the 2024-2025 financial year, ring fenced for People Zones.  This funding round opened on 05/07/2024 and closed on 02/08/2024. 

Nine applications were submitted during this time. Community Development Officers Lily Thorne and James O’Connell, as well as Community Development Lead Jessica Ball individually marked each application during the period 05/08/2024 - 08/08/2024, and then moderated their scores on 09/08/2024.  For this round, it was decided that applications scoring 60% and above would be awarded funding, providing all criteria is met.

In total, two applications scored 70% or above, three applications scored 60% or above and four applications scored 50% or below. Therefore, five applications were approved by moderators.

Upon review, the Senior Management Team approved to fund the recommended five bids. This equates to a funding commitment of £36,046.41.

IT require the upgrade and support for the current DS3000 Integrated Communication Control System (ICCS). This considered better value and within budget costs to Leicestershire Police.

It was agreed to procure by direct award using the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) RM6259 Vertical Applications Solution framework.

This produced one compliant offer from SSS Public Safety (SSSPS). Procurement is requesting that the Police Commissioner signs the contract and adds his seal.

For the financial year 2024/2025, a budget of £148,000,00 has been approved by the Senior Management Team in the OPCC and is ring-fenced as detailed in the Decision Record.

That the Police and Crime Commissioner signs and adds their seal to the Police Digital Service call off order form for the purchase of 100 x radios and accessories with Sepura, with the option to buy a further 200 x radios and accessories, for the overall value of £360,702.00. The contract will be in place until 31st December 2024.

At the end of the 2023-24 financial year, approximately £140,705.06 was saved from the 2023-24 Community Safety Partnership LLR wide budget due to the implementation of an improved monitoring framework with CSPs.

This decision record is to explore how this money is to be used in the following 2024-25 financial year.

We currently have a beat office at the Uppingham Town Council offices for which we pay no rent or other costs but which we funded the construction of in 2011. The Council has now offered us a replacement office within their building but require an annual rental of £1,750.

The proposed replacement office is larger than the current office, is better located within the building and would give a better presence to members of the public.

Axiom Consultants have recommended that we change our water supplier to Anglian Water Business (National) Limited Trading as Wave. This will save £6,145 saving against current contract, while billing is better than the incumbent supplier.

A phase of co-production activity with children and young people from Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland to improve understanding of VAWG and in particular dating and relationship violence from their perspective and experiences. This will help to ensure that the interventions listed below – such as the resources and the content/ delivery method of the programme and campaigns – are designed with and for children and young people.

Round 1 opened for applications on the 8th April 2024 and closed on 21st April. 17 applications were submitted during this time.

Sharan Dhillon – Violence Against Women and Girls Programme Lead, Jess Ball – Community Development Lead, Heather Pearce – Commissioning and Contracts Officer all individually evaluated the applications from the 20th – 22nd April 2024. Moderation took place on the 23rd April 2024.
6 applications were approved by moderators.

Upon review, the PCC approved to fund 6 bids in this round. This equates to a funding commitment of £7998.

In August 2023, the OPCC was given the opportunity to bid for funding from the Home Office as part of Safer Streets Round 5. There were 3 themes outlined that the home office wanted to see tackled for relevant areas which were VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls), Neighbourhood crime and ASB (Antisocial Behaviour). There was a strict time limit with less than 4 weeks to put together a comprehensive bid to apply for the funding. The amount available was just under £1 million initially across the three bids (so approximately up to £330,000.00 for each bid. There was a 50% match funding element also required meaning for whatever what bid for, we had to find approximately 50% in match funding from within our own expenditure for the themes being applied for.

Leicestershire Police require the installation of ground solar panels at Headquarters. It was agreed to publish a further competition using SPO Renewables framework, Lot 1 Supply, Installation and maintenance of Solar PV systems and associated products.

The contract has been awarded to SDE Energy Solutions Ltd for a price of £325,537.33. Due to the value the contract requires the Police Commissioner to sign and add his seal.

The current Taser contract (CON918) expired 12th March 2022 and Bluelight Commercial have awarded a new Taser framework with Axon Public Safety UK Limited, as the sole supplier.

Leicestershire Police has been reviewing the future planning of Conducted Energy Devices (CED) for front line officers and COT have approved the purchase of 100 X2s on a payment plan, plus live and test cartridges.

Axon require a five year contract to be signed and the contract value is £1,504,146. The contract will need to be signed and sealed by the Police Commissioner.

The current Appropriate Adults regional framework (covering Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire) framework and Leicestershire contract (CON886), with The Appropriate Adult Service (TAAS) expires 31st March. Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Police Forces decided to publish an open tender, advertised on Find A Tender and Contracts Finder. Nottinghamshire Police decided not to.

The tender has been awarded to TAAS for a four year framework with an option to have five year contracts. This has been approved by Assistant Chief Officer (Finance & Resources) and Procurement are requesting that the Police & Crime Commissioner signs and seals the framework and call off contract.

The contract for the Victim First Project which gives assistance to victims of crime has recently been re-tendered with the successful contractor being Catch 22, who are also the current contractors. As such it will be necessary to renew the internal lease agreement in respect of their occupation of room G-152, Admin 1 Block at Force HQ. Accordingly, terms have been provisionally agreed whereby it is proposed that Catch 22 enter into a three year lease commencing on the 1st April 2024 at an annual rent of £9,000 with an option for a further two years running consecutively, at the same rent, which would take their occupation up to the 31st March 2029. It has further been provisionally agreed that Victim First will move to an alternative police location, should a restructuring of the project be required by the PCC. The other terms of the agreement remain the same as in the current agreement.

Recommendations presented

The current framework for non-Police vehicle disposal, with [Supplier Name withheld], expires 31st March 2024 and this covers Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire Police Forces.

An open tender, advertised on Find a Tender Service (FTS) and Contracts Finder was published. The framework has been awarded to [Supplier Name withheld] due to the estimated annual income of £616,860.00 for Leicestershire Police, with other Forces expected income is expected to be equivalent depending on their size and vehicles included. After deducting vehicle recovery and other costs, the approximately net income to all the Forces is 360,000 a year.

The framework. will need to be signed and sealed by Leicestershire Police & Crime Commissioner (as the Force leading the procurement), who will also sign the Leicestershire Police call off contract.

The current Azure Cloud contract (CONT0008) expired 26th November 2023 and we have procured a new Azure Cloud contract (CONT0303) with Insight Direct. The contract will be from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025 and the maximum value is £277,000.00. The contract was procured by direct award using the Crown Commercial G Cloud 13 framework. We are asking the PCC to sign and seal the contract.

The current Oracle licences expire 5th April 2024 and we are looking to renew for a further year. The procurement is a direct award using the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Back Office Software framework (BOS) – reference RM6194

The current Fuel Card contract (CON884) expires 22nd March 2024. Bluelight Commercial (BLC) have tendered on behalf all the Police Forces and have awarded a framework to Allstar Business Solutions as the sole supplier. Procurement is looking to enter into a contract with Allstar for 2 years with an option to extend for a further two periods of one year. The estimated annual value is £2,000,000 million and the contract requires the PCC to sign and seal the contract.

In August 2023, the OPCC was given the opportunity to bid for funding from the Home Office as part of Safer Streets Round 5. There were 3 themes outlined that the Home Ofice wanted to see tackled for relevant areas which were VAWG (Violence against women and girls), Neighbourhood crime and ASB (Antisocial Behaviour). There was a 50% match funding element also required meaning for whatever we bid for, we had to find approximately 50% in match funding from within our own expenditure for the themes being applied for.

The delivery period for Safer Streets 5 was to be from October 2023 to March 2025 and therefore 18 months. The first grant given from the Home Office would cover the first 6 months which is October 2023 to the end of March 2024 (6 months). The second grant will cover April 2024 to March 2025 (12 months).

Round 3 opened for applications on 11th December 2023 and closed on 15th January 2024. 34 applications were submitted during this time. The applications were assessed in line with the Commissioners Safety Fund criteria and moderated by a panel between 16th January and 29th January 2024.

Of the 34, 13 applications were disqualified during an initial sift for either not meeting the criteria of the specialist round or delivering out of the target areas. 1 application was unfortunately disqualified as they are currently in receipt of OPCC funding. The remaining 20 applications were individually evaluated by the Commissioning Team, and the scores moderated. During the moderation period it was agreed that a further 6 applications either did not meet the criteria for the specialist round, delivered out of the target areas, or did not meet the requirement for 12 months of delivery. Of the remaining 14 eligible applications, 2 scored above 70%, 6 scored between 60% - 70% and 6 scored less than 60%. Due to the quality of the bids received and the limited funds available for this round, it was agreed to recommend awarding those applications scoring 63% or higher.

The PCC approved to fund 7 bids in Round 3. This equates to a funding commitment of £99,087.58.

The Digital Hub are seeking to implement a greenfield deployment of a digital forensics network, on-premises, private cloud infrastructure, public cloud services used for data archiving, deployment of Magnet Forensics Digital Investigation Suite (MDIS) software and implementation of a fully managed service provision. The contract will be for five years with two optional extensions.

The current agreement with the LSCP for their occupation of the former Red Room at Force HQ terminates at the end of April next year. As such, it has been provisionally agreed with the Partnership that they will enter into a new three year agreement from the 1st May 2024 at the rent of £80,000 per annum. The other terms will remain the same as in the current agreement whereby the LSCP occupy on an all-inclusive basis with the Force being responsible for the upkeep of the property and the provision of services with the LSCP being responsible for any damage they cause to the accommodation.