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Crime Reduction Programme

BCU Fund Guidance Administrative addendum


For more updated information on the BCU Fund and Guidance, click here

Home Office Circular 12/2003 sets out allocations to Basic Command Units and the criteria for spend of the BCU Fund over the 3 years from 2003 – 2004 to 2005 -2006. The purpose of this addendum is to outline the administrative arrangements for making grant payments and the reporting requirements. Home Office Directors (formerly known as Crime Reduction Directors) in the Regions and Wales may vary the reporting arrangements according to local requirements.

The grant will be paid in quarterly instalments to Police Authorities in each of the 43 police force areas in England and Wales. Force Finance Directors will be responsible for ensuring that appropriate local management controls are in place and that grant monies are expended for the purposes they are intended, including complying with arrangements agreed locally for reporting to the Police Authority . They will make payments to Basic Command Units in accordance with the allocations set out in Home Office Circular 12/2003.

Basic Command Units are required to submit, to the Government Office or National Assembly for Wales, an individual activity plan showing what they intend to deliver with the funding, and that they have the agreement of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership(s). The plans, which should be compatible with the local policing plan, should also be provided to the Police Authority and the Chief Constable. In 2004 – 2005 and 2005 – 2006 the plan should be accompanied by a brief report (no more than one side of A4) on what has been achieved with the fund in the previous year.

The first quarter's payment for 2003 – 2004, and subsequent years, will be made as soon as is practicable after 1 April 2003 to Police Authorities. Force Finance Directors should release the first quarter's payment to individual Basic Command Units following notification from Home Office Directors (or a member of their teams) in the Government Offices in the regions in England, and the National Assembly of Wales. The trigger for the release of funds will be receipt of an agreed plan (as above), in the Government office and National Assembly that meets, to the satisfaction of Home Office Directors, the requirements of the funding criteria.

Payments for 2003 – 2004, and in future years, will subsequently be made on a quarterly basis in July (25% of grant), October (25%) and January (25%). Force Finance Directors should make applications for grant to Government Offices and the National Assembly using the attached form.

The Home Office may reduce the level of grant payable to Police Authorities in –year for the following reasons:

  • Where BCUs have not submitted the required activity plan, as outlined in paragraph 3 above by the end of June - a deduction of 10% of the relevant BCUs' total allocations will be made automatically.

  • Where BCUs' actual spend is significantly behind the expected spend profile and is unlikely to recover in-year then deductions may be made from BCUs' allocations.

The BCU Fund should be spent as part of an overall plan to deliver Partnerships' strategies and the local policing plan, and should be allocated in a strategic way rather than on a piece meal basis. Police Authorities and Chief Constables will wish to put in place appropriate monitoring mechanisms to provide them with assurance that this is the case. BCUs should use the funding effectively and in the year in which it is allocated. Police Authorities are able to make particular arrangements to carry over funding from one financial year to the next in their reserves. In the case of the BCU fund, police Authorities may carry over up to 5% of the individual BCU allocation in reserves. If carry over exceeds this amount then BCUs' allocations may be adjusted by a corresponding sum in the subsequent financial year.

Chief Constables should sign and return the grant conditions to the Home Office Director in their Government Office and the National Assembly of Wales.

Funding for Basic Command Units will be externally audited. The Home Office will send out audit forms in July 2004 covering BCU spend in the financial year 2003 - 2004. The force's chief financial officer and external auditor will need to certify that the figures shown for expenditure by BCUs are correct.

No further Home Office circulars on the BCU Fund will be issued. Assistance is available from the Home Office Directors and the Crime Reduction Teams in the Government Offices and the National Assembly of Wales. Information about what works in crime reduction is available on the Crime Reduction Website.

Further information about this circular can be obtained from Wayne Jones in the Crime Reduction Delivery Team on 020 7035 5224, email wayne.jones@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Home Office
20 March 2003

 

Annex A: Progress Report & Quarterly Grant Claim Form

A hard copy of the completed form should be sent to the Crime Reduction Team, Government Office within seven days of the end of the quarter.

 

Annex B: Grant Conditions

 

Last update: Monday, September 15, 2008

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