Purpose

1)    Approves the acceptance of £1,033,000 external grant funding from MOPAC and Foundations for the delivery of the Safe and Together London Partnership from 2026 – 2028.

2)    Approves Waltham Forest acting as the lead grant recipient and accountable body.

3) Approves the commissioning of Respect and London Metropolitan University’s Child and Women Abuse Studies Unit as delivery partners in accordance with the grant conditions.

Please note that Waltham Forest is entitled to claim £115,000 over two years for project management costs. The remaining funding will be paid to our delivery partners:      1) Respect and,

2) London Metropolitan University’s Child and Women Abuse Studies Unit.

Decision

Cabinet:

(1)          approved the Safe and Together proposal for 2026 – 2028 and approved the project commencing immediately so that we can proceed with mobilising the London partnership across the new sites (boroughs TBC);

(2)          approved the acceptance of £1,033,000 external grant funding from MOPAC and Foundations for the delivery of the Safe and Together London Partnership from 2026 – 2028;

(3)          approved Waltham Forest acting as the lead grant recipient and accountable body;

(4)          approved the commissioning of Respect and Child and Women Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU) as delivery partners in accordance with the grant conditions; and

(5)          delegated authority to the Strategic Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Lead Member for Children and Young People, and the Portfolio Lead Member for Community Safety, to accept the Safe and Together London Partnership grant from MOPAC on behalf of the Council, and to allocate the funding to the VAWG team to continue the rollout of the Safe and Together model across Waltham Forest Children’s Services.

Options & Alternatives Considered

Option 1: Approve the proposal (recommended)

Accept the grant funding and continue delivery of the Safe and Together London Partnership.

Benefits:

-       Secures over £1m of external funding

-       Maintains Waltham Forest’s leadership role

-       Improves outcomes for children affected by domestic abuse

-       Strengthens partnership working across London

Option 2: Do not approve the proposal (not recommended)

Risks:

-       Potential loss of £1,033,000 external funding if the Partnership is unable to find another lead borough

-       Disruption to programme as project management is transferred to another local authority

-       Guaranteed loss of £115,000 towards Project Management roles for Waltham Forest

-       Delays to payment for delivery partners during mobilisation period, as project management is transferred

-       Reputational risk with MOPAC, Foundations, and partner boroughs

-       Loss of opportunity to participate in a pan-London transformation programme

-       Reduced capacity to improve domestic abuse practice locally and regionally

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No alternative delivery models are viable as the grant conditions require commissioning of Respect and CWASU. The recommended option is therefore to approve the proposal.