Issue - meetings

Report of the Assistant Director, Communities.

The Committee considered a report which provided an update on the work of the Domestic Abuse Partnership Board and its Mid-Year Report, published in September 2024. The report was presented to Members to provide an understanding of the work of the Domestic Abuse Board and how the Council collaborated with partners to respond to the requirements of the Domestic Abuse Act locally.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 placed duties on Local Authorities across England to ensure that victims of domestic abuse and their children can access the right support in safe accommodation when they need it. The Council received £631,105 in new burdens funding for 2024/25 for delivery of this duty. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government had confirmed that the domestic abuse safe accommodation grant would continue in 2025-26.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issue:

·       If training on Domestic Abuse was mandatory for elected members.

Following further discussion, the Committee felt that it was important that training on Domestic Abuse for elected Members should be mandatory in order for Members to better understand the risk elements and the correct approach Members should take when contacted by residents about cases of domestic abuse.

RESOLVED: That

(1)          the update be noted; and

(2)          it be recommended that Domestic Abuse training be considered as a mandatory training course for elected members and the suggestion be referred on to the Member Development Steering Group.

Report of the Assistant Director - Communities.

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Director – Communities that updated on Sefton’s strategic approach to tackling domestic abuse; which provided an understanding of the work of the Domestic Abuse Board and how the council collaborated with partners to respond to the requirements of the Domestic Abuse Act locally; and provided assurance as well as information and insight to support overview and scrutiny of this issue.

The report indicated that the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 placed duties on local authorities across England to ensure that victims of domestic abuse and their children could access the right support in safe accommodation when they needed it; that the council received £631,105 in new burdens funding for 2024/25 for delivery of this duty; and that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government had confirmed that the domestic abuse safe accommodation grant would continue in 2025-26. 

Attached as an appendix to the report was the Sefton Domestic Abuse Partnership Board Mid-year Report September 2024. Key highlights/objectives from the report related to:

·       To prioritise a strategic partnership approach to the reduction of domestic and sexual abuse in our communities

·       To improve the prevention, early identification and response to domestic and sexual abuse

·       To increase the reporting of domestic and sexual abuse through awareness raising and access to support services

·       To work with commissioners to ensure a wide range of services are in place to support and protect victims and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, including children

·       To hold perpetrators to account through appropriate criminal justice sanctions and effective interventions that promote long term behaviour change

·       To safeguard children and vulnerable adults from the impacts of living within a household experiencing domestic and sexual abuse

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

• The positive impacts were acknowledged of the introduction of the new Healthy Relationships offer for children and young people delivered in Sefton schools by Sefton Women and Children’s Aid (SWACA)
• The opening of Sefton’s new 24-hour refuge provision Eva House managed by SWACA for female victims of domestic abuse and their children and the opening of Athena House managed by Excel Housing Venus to support female victims of domestic abuse with other complex needs.
• It was important to acknowledge that in the interests of fairness refuge service provision should be available for all people whatever their self-identification
• Whether incidents of domestic abuse where much higher than shown in data due to under reporting

RESOLVED:

That the report on Sefton’s strategic approach to tackling domestic abuse be noted.

Report of the Assistant Director, Communities.

The Committee considered a report which provided an update on the work of the Domestic Abuse Partnership Board and its Mid-Year Report, published in September 2024. The report was presented to Members to provide an understanding of the work of the Domestic Abuse Board and how the Council collaborated with partners to respond to the requirements of the Domestic Abuse Act locally.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 placed duties on Local Authorities across England to ensure that victims of domestic abuse and their children can access the right support in safe accommodation when they need it. The council received £631,105 in new burdens funding for 2024/25 for delivery of this duty. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government had confirmed that the domestic abuse safe accommodation grant would continue in 2025-26.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       If there were any refuge facilities for male victims of Domestic Abuse

·       Members were pleased to hear about all the successful work around Domestic Abuse Services.

RESOLVED:

That the update be noted