Aligning social value with the strategic priorities of West Mercia
Any business supplying into West Mercia's emergency services, local authorities, NHS and criminal justice services can now deliver strategic social value through the region's DICM.
All DICM listed community-led activities from local charities and social enterprises, are aligned with and support the long-term strategic priorities of the Police & Crime Plan and Community Safety Partnerships.
This means that businesses are supporting the local activities linked by the DICM to strategic aims and priorities set-out by these bodies, and their social value is clearly specified within their supply contracts; the DICM then tracking all suppliers' social value and measuring this contribution to safer communities in line with the strategic priorities.
Social value as a sustainable resource for community impact
The structures, partnerships, governance and measurement structures are all in place for community-led activities to align with, the DICM connects public contracting within the region to harness social value as the missing resourcing to enhance results and impact.
The established strategic collaborations across the region...
West Mercia is served by one police force, three unitary authorities (Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin) as well as the two-tier county of Worcestershire with its six district/borough councils. There are two fire and rescue services, two Integrated Care Boards, and two Probation Delivery Units cover the area. There are three prisons and one approved secure premises in the area. There are five Community Safety and Partnership Boards that operate across West Mercia.
Partnership working features within all priorities set out in the West Mercia Safer Communities Plan and underpins most activities and commitments that have been made.
DICM (West Mercia) Lead Partner
West Mercia Police’s Contracts & Procurement Department operates a refreshed 5-year strategy.
At the heart of this is the innovative 3-9-27 model which connects-into the DICM and seamlessly aligns all suppliers at contract level; contracts and supplier social value tangibly supporting the 5-year police strategy, the Safer West Mercia Plan and Procurement Act from the impact achieved by community-led provisions being supported by supplier social value.
Police & Crime Commissioner
The West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner is the elected official tasked with setting out the way crime is tackled by West Mercia Police in the English counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.
The PCC's published Plan sets out “Working with partners and the public to deliver safer, stronger communities in West Mercia.”
Community Safety Partnerships
The partnerships provide strategic leadership for all community safety work across the Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire and are responsible for producing an annual Community Safety Agreement and Action Plan. Suppliers serving public bodies with social value through the DICM, are aligned to the aims and priorities set-out within counties, and are able to cite activities which specifically link to each partnership.
Worcestershire
Across Worcestershire the local delivery of Community safety priorities is overseen by district based operational groups. There are currently 4 strategic priorities for Community Safety work across Worcestershire, these are set out in the Community Safety Agreement and are as follows:-
- reducing re-offending
- harm reduction (including anti-social behaviour, safeguarding, hate crime, community cohesion and preventing violent extremism)
- domestic abuse and sexual violence
- drugs and alcohol
Herefordshire
Across Herefordshire the local delivery of Community safety priorities is overseen by The Herefordshire Community Safety Partnership (HCSP) with representatives from five ‘responsible authorities’, plus representatives from West Mercia Youth Justice Service and the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner.
The HCSP is established with four strategic priorities for 2024-2027:
- Domestic Abuse
- Violence Against Women & Girls
- Misuse of Drugs
- Neighbourhood Crime
Shropshire
The Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership (the Partnership) is a wide range of partners who come together to prevent and tackle Child and Adult abuse and Community Safety (with scrutiny from the Independent Chair).
Each partner organisation retains its own existing lines of accountability and responsibility.
The Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership acts to seek assurance, scrutinise, challenge and ensure agencies are enabled to work together to achieve the aims of the Partnership.