WEST MERCIA PCC: DISCLOSURE LOG
RESPONSE TO REQUEST
Reference: 2021 – 249 / WE4333
Date of response: 15th June 2021
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – INFORMATION REQUEST
Request
Violence against women and girls in Herefordshire
ORIGINAL REQUEST:
- What are the West Mercia Constabulary’s plans to safeguard all women in our county in the light of recent distressing attacks and deaths in the UK and the increase in domestic abuse during the pandemic? Who is the lead officer in West Mercia for this work? Are there public reports on this work?
- What is the conviction rate for Herefordshire in relation to crimes of sexual violence against women and/or domestic abuse of women in 2019 and 2020?
- What specific funding exists for victims of sexual crimes and/or domestic abuse in Herefordshire as opposed to broader victim support? How much of this comes from the police budget?
- What police enforcement is there for social platforms to take responsibility for discriminatory and often dangerous content? #MyImageMyChoice is a campaign to make illegal the sharing of images without consent or threatening to share images and the West Midlands region has been highlighted as an area of specific concern.
Following clarification between both parties, it was established and agreed that points 1, 2 and 4 needed to be addressed to West Mercia Police rather than the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
In respect of point 3, the following clarification was received:
“It would also be helpful if you inform us about both the PCC’s budget for commissioning and additional funding received from Ministry of Justice or Home Office e.g. recent £2million funding from Ministry of Justice, for Independent Domestic Violence Advisor and Independent Sexual Violence Advisor roles.”
An offer was made from the Office of the PCC to provide information in respect of how much of the PCC’s budget for commissioning will go to victims of sexual crime and/or domestic abuse in Herefordshire. Your response is noted that “it would be helpful to tell us the amounts spent and/or committed for 2019/2020, 2020/21 and 2021/22.”
Response
Please see the below response to your request.
All information on the funding of services and commissioning activity is published on the PCC’s website. The majority of the information sought is already disclosed via https://www.westmercia-pcc.gov.uk/funding/
Other relevant information is below.
Please find attached the commissioning allocation and grant funds to Herefordshire and those West Mercia Wide for 2019/20 and 2020/21.
The PCC’s office predominantly seeks to commission West Mercia wide services, so the commissioning summary is also provided for both years.
In relation to any additional funding received from MoJ/Home Office – all additional funding received is detailed on the website at the link above. However, a brief summary is also provided below:
In respect of MoJ COVID DA/SV funding, the funding breakdown for services that supported Herefordshire residents is as below:
| Applicant Organisation | Grant Category | Grant Area | Grant Amount Round 1 | Grant Amount Round 2 |
| Longlands Care Farm CIC | Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence | South Worcestershire Herefordshire | £4,000.00 | £4,520.00 |
| Willowdene Rehabilitation Ltd | Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence | West Mercia Wide | £16,717.00 | |
| Purple Bamboo CIC | Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence | West Mercia Wide | £6,000.00 | £7,350.00 |
| NewStart Networks CIC | Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence | West Mercia Wide | £3,199.00 | |
| Victim Support | Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence | West Mercia Wide | £35,983.00 | |
| West Mercia Women’s Aid | Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence | West Mercia Wide | £60,777.00 | £81,617.63 |
For the £2 million IDVA/ISVA MoJ funding this information is all on the PCC’s website – WMRSASC and WMWA will support Herefordshire. – 2021/22 and 22/23
Perpetrator Funding for DA 2020/21 – Home Office funding and PCC contribution funded DRIVE in Herefordshire and Respect Young Peoples Project which is West Mercia Wide – £386,026
Please also see the PCC’s Domestic Abuse strategy for future aspirations and priorities in relation to VAWG – https://www.westmercia-pcc.gov.uk/app/uploads/2020/11/PCC-Domestic-Abuse-Strategy-V4.pdf?x38713&x43411
Other information around DA, SV and VAWG will be incorporated within the PCC’s new Police and Crime Plan, which must be produced by law following the elections in May. This plan is in draft form currently and will be published in due course.
It is recognised that there is an inherent public interest in the contents of this plan. However, the details of the plan are dynamic. Early publication of elements of the plan (which remain subject to change) could confuse and as a result skew upcoming consultations involving the public and partners. Full publication of the draft plan is expected within a month. Given this brief delay in publication and the importance of consulting on a single, consistent document the relevant information contained within the draft police and crime plan is exempt from disclosure at this time under S.22 of the FOIA (Information Held With a View to its Future Publication).
The same exemption is also applied to the 2021/22 commitment for Herefordshire. Again, it is recognised that transparency is helpful in respect of publication in the public interest. However, these figures are being collated and audited ahead of publication in the next month. The publication of a single set of audited figures is in the greater interest of the public in respect of consistency and accuracy of information.
Please be assured however, to repeat, in respect of both exemptions, the information in question will be pro-actively published on the PCC website within a matter of weeks.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write to the Information Compliance Unit; Information Compliance Unit, PO Box 55, Worcester, WR3 8SP. Email: [email protected]
Yours sincerely,
FOI Officer
West Mercia PCC
Complaints
If you think that the Police and Crime Commissioner has failed to supply information in accordance with the publication scheme, then you should write in the first instance, to the:
Chief Executive, OPCC – West Mercia, Hindlip Hall, Worcester. WR3 8SP
The PCC will aim to deal with your complaint within 10 working days. If you are dissatisfied with the response you can ask for the matter to be internally reviewed. Internal reviews will be completed promptly and a response given to you within 20 working days of your further request.
If, after the internal review, you remain dissatisfied, then you can complain to the Information Commissioner (Office of the Information Commissioner), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF).
