Author and Job Role: George Bell, Policy & Commissioning Lead for Victim Services
Protective Marking: Official
Executive Summary:
The Police & Crime Commissioner for Surrey is responsible for commissioning services that support victims of crime, improve community safety, tackle child exploitation, and prevent reoffending. For the financial year 2025/26 the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner used a proportion of locally derived funding to support the delivery of local services.
Applications for Standard Grant Award above £5,000 – PCC Fund
- Surrey County Council – Bridge the Gap Trauma Informed Assertive Outreach Service – Lisa Byrne
Brief overview of service/decision – To award a grant of £94,000 to Surrey County Council. This grant funding will be directed to Specialist Bridge the Gap Community Outreach within Surrey’s Domestic Abuse Partnership. There are currently four 0.5 FTE Bridge the Gap (named) practitioners embedded within the four main domestic abuse partnerships in North, South, East, West Domestic Abuse Services in Surrey.
Reason for funding – Domestic abuse is a core component of multiple disadvantage, affecting housing, finances, mental health, family relationships, substance use as a coping strategy, and interactions with services such as health and criminal justice. Bridge the Gap provides relational, trauma informed outreach that helps stabilise people in the community and reduce the factors that drive offending.
- The Clink Charity – The Clink Gardens – Donna Marie Edmonds
Brief overview of service/decision – To award a grant of £20,000 to The Clink Charity. This grant funding will be directed to The Clink Gardens. This is a horticultural training and rehabilitation project delivered by The Clink Charity within HMP Send. The programme provides structured, five-day-a-week training leading to nationally recognised City & Guilds qualifications from Level 1 to Level 3 in Practical and Work-based Horticulture, alongside intensive pre- and post-release resettlement support.
Reason for funding – Surrey, like the wider prison estate, is operating under significant pressure, including overcrowding, staffing shortages and rising mental health need. Many individuals in custody present with complex histories of trauma, substance misuse, poor educational attainment and unemployment. Without structured intervention, these factors are strongly associated with reoffending and continued demand on policing and community safety services.
Recommendation
That the Commissioner supports these standard grant applications to the PCC Fund and awards to the following:
- £94,000 to Surrey County Council
- £20,000 to The Clink Charity
Police and Crime Commissioner Approval
I approve the recommendation(s):
Signature: PCC Lisa Townsend (wet signed copy held in Office)
Date: 11th March 2026
All decisions must be added to the decision register.
Areas of consideration
Consultation
Consultation has taken place with appropriate lead officers depending on the application. All applications have been asked to supply evidence of any consultation and community engagement.
Financial implications
All applications have been asked to confirm the organisation hold accurate financial information. They are also asked to include the total costs of the project with breakdown where the money will be spent; any additional funding secured or applied for and plans for on-going funding. The Reducing Reoffending Fund Decision Panel/Criminal Justice policy officers considers the financial risks and opportunities when looking at each application.
Legal
Legal advice is taken on an application-by-application basis.
Risks
The Reducing reoffending Fund Decision Panel and Criminal Justice policy officers considers any risks in the allocation of funding. It is also part of the process to consider when refusing an application, the service delivery risks if appropriate.
Equality and diversity
Each application will be requested to supply appropriate equality and diversity information as part of the monitoring requirements. All applicants are expected to adhere to the Equality Act 2010
Risks to human rights
Each application will be requested to supply appropriate human rights information as part of the monitoring requirements. All applicants are expected to adhere to the Human Rights Act.