Title and Reference – PCC/D/112
Subject: Release of Cameras, Tickets and Collisions Competition
Report of: Police and Crime Commissioner
Date: 13/11/2023

Summary:

Service provision has already been allocated from the Cameras, Tickets and Collisions fund for financial year 2023-2024 supporting the Roads Victims Trust supporting victims of road traffic incidents and Bedfordshire Police Bike Safe initiative. Wishing to build upon this service provision, Bedfordshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) have taken the opportunity to award funding to a further 10 projects up to the cost of £5,000 each for the provision of a project/service/ activity to deliver in the three local authority areas.

Due to the nature of the spend under the Cameras, Tickets and Collisions fund and the ambition to complete activity supporting road safety and educational initiatives to reduce the risk to road users, the value of £,5,000 is awarded for local/ community developments, education initiatives and awareness activities that can work to support the wider Highways and Council led ambitions to improve road safety. To prevent duplication or disruption to the existing plans and initiatives, the funding is suggested for the introduction of projects/ services/ activity to improve road safety, offer education and/ or awareness across Bedfordshire as opposed to the implementation of road safety initiatives and calming measures as these falls within the responsibility of the other statutory partners.

The process was completed in line with the OPCCs commitment to working closely with 7 Force Commercial Services, ensuring that the Commissioning Team and wider OPCC adhere to the local Financial Regulations and Contract Standing Orders which set out the following financial thresholds:

• £0-£5,000 – one written quote required to commission services
• £5,000 – £50,000 – three written quotes required to commission services
• £50,000 and above – services to be commissioned via competitive tender.

Although the OPCC is required to only obtain 1 quote per initiative as the funding allocation is under £5,000, The competition will be held to follow best practise, awarding up to 10 projects to a value of up to £50,000. The funding will be allocated following a bidding opportunity, releasing a specification of the opportunity to obtain bid responses on the OPCC website and via email to known stakeholders of the office. 

Once bid responses are received, a process of reviewing due diligence and independent evaluation will take place to review the responses and score them against the criteria published, ensuring sustainability against the Police and Crime Plan, and providing assurance that the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is funding initiatives in a supportive and considered way, bearing in mind sustainability and appropriateness of each project. The funding will then be awarded to the 10 highest scoring projects following evaluation.

Recommendation

A recommendation is made to implement a funding competition to increase the number of road safety initiatives available across Bedfordshire, introducing projects/ services/ activity to improve road safety, offer education and/ or awareness. Using best practise following the decision to align to the 7 Force Commercial Services Financial Regulations and Contract Standing Orders, the competition will ensure the OPCC receive over the 3 quotes required for the funding limit and will provide a structure on decision making to identify which bid responses will be successful.

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner
I hereby approve the recommendations above.