Decision Title: Roads Victim Needs Assessment
Decision Reference Number: WPCC3-0059
Lead Officer: Precious Williamson
If force business, date approved by Chief Officer: n/a
Date: 16 June 2022
Status: Non confidential
Decision summary:
Following the completion of a tender process, approval is given to award the contract for the Road Victims Needs Assessment to Staffordshire University.
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: Philip Seccombe
Date: 26 June 2022
Supporting information
1. Background information
2019 Department for Transport reporting shows that 1752 people died on UK roads in 2019 more than twice the number of deaths from homicides and terrorism combined. A further 25,945 people were seriously injured. Many are innocent victims.
In Warwickshire in 2019, 34 people lost their lives on Warwickshire’s roads and a further 282 people were seriously injured as the result of collisions – there were a total of 1962 collisions.
The impact of road traffic collisions can be substantial. Fatal and most serious injury crashes where life changing injuries occur result in life long consequences impacting on physical health, mental health and socio-economic disadvantage for many involved. The emotional strain left on those who find themselves in a bereaved or caring capacity is immense. Key aims of this needs assessment include ensuring those who are bereaved or who have received sudden catastrophic life changing injuries receive information and emotional support to help cope and recover from the trauma. For those who are victims of road traffic crime (usually offences contained within sections 1,2 and 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988) it is vital that they are assisted in receiving their rights under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime 2020.
The PCC currently grant funds a range of road safety initiatives across Warwickshire including a road safety charity that specifically provides an independent roads victim advocate service to victims of road trauma in Warwickshire. The independent road victims advocate service has been in operation since early 2020 and is scheduled to run to the end of March 2023. It is a pilot project very much aimed at supporting victims of road trauma in Warwickshire but also helps to inform the PCC of the scale and type of need that a future commissioned service might need. The Commissioner is now considering options regarding how road safety projects are funded and provided from 2022/23 onwards. Commissioning a needs assessment will therefore help the PCC to understand current victim need and demand in Warwickshire and ultimately inform future service provision and commissioning processes.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) was shared with various consultants, organisations and universities that works in this area of business. The budget for the needs assessment was set at 20k. One bid was received from Staffordshire University. An evaluation panel (consisting of the Chief Executive Officer, Commissioning and Grants Officer and Policy and Partnerships Officer Lead for Victims and Road Safety) has reviewed the bid and determined the criteria set out in the RFP Document set has been met and that the consultant will be able to deliver a high quality needs assessment. This decision notice therefore seeks formal approval to award the contract to Staffordshire University.
2. List of additional information attached as appendices
Specification of requirements and email invite tenders
3. Expected benefits
The overall aim of this research is to enable the assessment of needs of victims across Warwickshire in order to increase our understanding of victims of road crime in terms of their path from incident, recovery and to support and how best to meet these needs. This needs assessment will inform the funding and ongoing of development of road victim services going forward.
4. Impact of not approving the application
If a consultant is not appointed in a timely fashion this risks the delay in developing a
commissioned road victim service which will deliver both quality of support and be a
more efficient way to spend public.
5. Costs (including any identified savings)
Revenue: £19,477.00 for securing consultancy services from Staffordshire University. These costs can be met from existing resources.
6. Equality implications
None
7. Legal comments
The force procurement team have been involved and provided support to ensure all procurement legislation is complied with.
8. 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.
Comments from the Treasurer
The costs of undertaking the needs assessment will be financed from the road safety reserve funding. The assessment will provide evidence to determine the best use of funding for developing a commissioned road victim service in Warwickshire.
Comments from the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer
Due process has been followed to commission this important needs assessment.
