Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director Regulatory Services & Community Safety

Purpose of report

The Council works in partnership with the other local authorities in Oxfordshire and the Police and Crime Commissioner to commission support services for domestic abuse victims in the county. Cherwell contributes £25k per annum to the current domestic abuse support services contract with A2 Dominion. This current contract expires in April 2023 and therefore work is underway in preparation to tender for a new domestic abuse support services contract.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 introduced new statutory duties on local authorities in relation to support for domestic abuse victims in safe accommodation. Subsequent national guidance published in the Domestic Abuse Plan 2022 includes additional recommendations for prevention and perpetrator services to help reduce domestic homicides, suicides, risks, and harm to victim-survivors.

This paper updates the Executive on progress in Oxfordshire to meet the new statutory duties and to commission a new domestic abuse support services contract.

Ensuring there is an effective response to domestic abuse in Cherwell contributes to the corporate priority to promote healthy, resilient and engaged communities. In particular it supports the commitment to work with partners to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour, and it also supports our commitment to equalities, diversity and inclusion and work with partners to address the causes of health inequality and deprivation.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To note the work taking place across Oxfordshire to meet the new statutory duties and to commission a new domestic abuse support services contract.

1.2       To agree that Cherwell will maintain its contribution to the costs of this contract.

Resolved

(1)          That the work taking place across Oxfordshire to meet the new statutory duties and to commission a new domestic abuse support services contract be noted.

(2)          That it be agreed that Cherwell District Council will maintain its contribution to the costs of this contract.

The Assistant Director Regulatory Services & Community Safety submitted a report which updated the Executive on progress in Oxfordshire to meet the new statutory duties in relation to support for domestic abuse victims and to commission a new domestic abuse support services contract.

The report explained that Cherwell District Council worked in partnership with the other local authorities in Oxfordshire and the Police and Crime Commissioner to commission support services for domestic abuse victims in the county. Cherwell contributed £25k per annum to the current domestic abuse support services contract with A2 Dominion. This current contract would expire in April 2023 and therefore work was underway in preparation to tender for a new domestic abuse support services contract.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 introduced new statutory duties on local authorities in relation to support for domestic abuse victims in safe accommodation. Subsequent national guidance published in the Domestic Abuse Plan 2022 included additional recommendations for prevention and perpetrator services to help reduce domestic homicides, suicides, risks, and harm to victim-survivors.

Ensuring there was an effective response to domestic abuse in Cherwell contributed to the corporate priority to promote healthy, resilient and engaged communities. In particular it supported the commitment to work with partners to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour, and it also supported the council’s commitment to equalities, diversity and inclusion and work with partners to address the causes of health inequality and deprivation.

Resolved

(1)          That the work taking place across Oxfordshire to meet the new statutory duties and to commission a new domestic abuse support services contract be noted.

(2)          That it be agreed that Cherwell District Council will maintain its contribution to the costs of this contract.

Reasons

The new statutory duties relating to domestic abuse and the need to commission a new support service contract for Oxfordshire are driving considerable partnership activity in Oxfordshire. Work is progressing to bring in additional capacity to support Cherwell with this work.

The Executive is recommended to:

a) Agree that we will continue to contribute to the cost of the Domestic Abuse support services contract for Oxfordshire at current funding levels.
b) Agree that proposals for seeking White Ribbon Accreditation should be developed if the council is successful in appointing a suitable candidate to the new Domestic Abuse Lead Officer post.

Alternative options

The Council could withdraw its funding for the Domestic Abuse Support Services Contract. This was discounted since this would result in the Council not meeting its statutory duties and would also lead to a significant reduction in domestic abuse support services in the district.