Decision Reference Number: WPC3-0054
Lead Officer: Sara Ansell
Chief Officer approval: N/A
Date: 31/03/2025
Publication: Information in this form is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI Act) and other legislation. Unless the information provided is covered by an exemption and stated to be either confidential or partly confidential, the information contained in the form will be published on the OPCC website.
Status: Non-confidential
If partially-confidential or confidential please detail the FOI exemption applied and specify which parts are confidential:
Decision summary:
This decision notice seeks approval for the PCC’s Commissioning Strategy 2025- 2029
I confirm that my register of interests declaration is up to date and that none of my interests preclude me from making this decision.
Signature: P.Seccombe
Date: 08/04/2025
Supporting information
1. Background information: why do we need to make this decision?
The PCC is responsible for allocating funding received from the Home Office policing grant, local police precept and the Ministry of Justice to address issues outlined in the Police and Crime Plan. Priorities in the plan include supporting victims addressing community safety and crime prevention and reducing offending. The Commissioning strategy provides the framework for commissioning such services and sets out the key principles that underpin all the PCC’s commissioning activity to ensure good practice is followed, commissioning governance is clear and that funding arrangements are transparent and understood. This strategy also details when exceptions to a competitive process may arise and how these shall be handled.
The strategy should be considered in conjunction with the Joint Corporate Governance Framework, Financial Regulations and Contract Regulations, to provide an overarching and consistent model for how the PCC will ensure that public funding is spent effectively and efficiently to deliver commissioned services that not only meet service user needs and are fit for purpose but also provide the best value for money.
2. What additional documents are relied upon? Please provide a link or separate attachments.
Commissioning Strategy 2025-2029
3. What benefits will this bring, including financial, social or environmental benefits?
The Commissioning Strategy will provide a framework under which all commissioning activity will be undertaken by the PCC. This should mean that governance processes are strong and well understood and will help to ensure that public money is spent effectively to deliver services that are fit for purpose, meet service user needs and provide value for money.
4. What is the impact of not approving the application?
If this decision is not approved, commissioning activity undertaken by the PCC may not meet user needs, be determined under appropriate governance practise, and/or provide the best use of public funds.
5. How much will it cost? (please provide cost breakdown, including any identified savings, and include where they have been approved)
There are not direct costs associated with the Commissioning strategy. However, the strategy will determine the annual spend of circa £3m of public funding on services to support victims, prevent crime, and reduce reoffending, so it is important that the rules and arrangements for the spending of this funding are well documented and are adopted fully.
6. Who has been consulted on this proposal?
PCC Chief Executive and OPCC Senior managers, PCC.
7. Will this decision have an impact on any specific individuals or groups or communities?
The PCC’s commissioning activity covers services provided to all of Warwickshire’s communities. However, some services are commissioned to meet the needs of specific groups, and these are outlined within the Commissioning Plan 2025/26.
8. Does this decision have legal implications? Has legal advice been sought?
Legal and procurement advice is sought when undertaking any commissioning activity to ensure that processes are ran in a compliant fashion with all relevant legislation.
Comments from the Chief Finance Officer
This Commissioning strategy is the first developed by the PCC to ensure that Commissioning activity is undertaken in a consistent and fair manner, that is compliant with legislation, provides appropriate support to service users and also ensures good value for money for local taxpayers. The strategy will be reviewed bi-annually to ensure that it remains up to date and that it represents best practise.
Comments from the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer
This strategy sets out clearly how the OPCC will approach the commissioning of services.
