Cabinet considered the report regarding the adoption of the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Strategy.

The Lead member for informed Cabinet that the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 required local authorities to prepare, consult on and publish a Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Strategy to set out their strategic plans to comply with the Act.

The Lead Member said that Cabinet were asked to agree the strategy, associated action plan and six priorities for investment and delivery, with an overarching priority to ensure victims and their families have access to safe, good quality accommodation that meets their needs.

These priorities were: access to safe accommodation, support to remain safely at home, perpetrator management, coordinated support, victim representation, and improved data collection across services.

To ensure the strategy meets local needs, the council undertook a public consultation on its draft strategy, produced with support and input from relevant partner organisations including the Dash Charity, the Domestic Abuse Forum, Thames Valley Police, and health and social care services.

The Lead Member said that there had also been input from the Cabinet member responsible for Adult Social Care and Children’s services and they had both worked on the report.

The Lead Member said that anyone could be affected by domestic abuse in its various forms, and access to good quality, safe accommodation, along with appropriate support, was critical to help victims escape their abuser and start to rebuild their lives.  It was sad to report that reports of abuse had increased during lockdown.  The council had a zero tolerance approach as well as providing support.

The Lead Member said they already worked closely with partners to provide safe accommodation and tailored support packages for victims and their children, and he wanted all victims across the borough to know that they were not alone and help was available through a compassionate, thorough and clear process.

The new strategy complements the excellent joint working, initiatives and other important strategies they already had in place, by prioritising in line with local needs our investment and delivery to support those fleeing domestic abuse, along with an action plan backed with £241,000 from Government in 2022/23.

He thanked those who had worked on this strategy including DASH who were attending on line to address Cabinet.

The Chairman welcomed Alison Bourne and Rebecca Spiller from DASH to address Cabinet.

Alison informed that DASH had been, for the past 46 years, offering specialist support to victims of domestic abuse. It was important to note that this was not just providing accommodation but tailored support. They provided safe accommodation or safety within their own homes.  They did not turn anyone away and were a not for profit organisation.  There met all their KPI’s even during the pandemic. 

Rebecca said that DASH hoped that the strategy would be approved and they were in support of it.  They offered a wrap around support service and were looking forward to bringing the strategy to life.

The Deputy Chairman of Cabinet, Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health said that he had worked closely with DASH over the last 5 to 6 years and remembers the education into the subject they provided when he became Lead Member.

This was an important document to ensure our investment and delivery was focussed on what people think was most needed locally to support victims and their children.  There had been a national increase in domestic abuse during the pandemic and it was clear the need to take a deeper, holistic approach to supporting victims was paramount, which includes access to safe accommodation as a crucial first step.

The Council stood right behind any victim of domestic abuse and would always do what we could with our partners to ensure victims in the borough could escape and get full support. The Council would continue to prioritise victims and also further advance our awareness and education campaign including the critical imperative of prevention and ensuring everyone can spot the signs.  The strategy was victims first and it was important to support DASH and the delivery of the strategy. 

The Lead Member for Finance and Ascot said that about 6 years ago scrutiny had looked at this issue and the fragmented approach, it was clear that care pathway was required.  A lot had changed since then, and this strategy was an important element of any care pathway.  It was important that victims lives were changed for the better and supporting the work that DASH provided.

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Corporate & Resident Services, Culture & Heritage and Windsor said that she supported the paper and that the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 had been championed by the MP Terisa May and the Duchess of Cornwall.  She provided a number of statistic to demonstrate why this was an important issue such as 2 women were killed every week in England and Wales by their partners or ex partners,  that there had been an increase in abuse during the pandemic and around 62% of children were living in a home where abuse was witnessed. The abuse could effect all backgrounds, ethnicity and age. Access to safe accommodation and support was very important.

The Lead Member for Climate Change, Sustainability, Parks and Countryside informed that she was aware how important this was to get right, she had to live with abuse for 17 years whilst brining up her family.  It was a very lonely place to be and that was why organisations such as DASH were so important.

The Lead Member for Public Protection and Parking informed of his background in the police and thus his professional experience had informed how important it was to support this strategy. 

Cllr Tisi said that she supported the report and the support for DASH.  It was important that every penny from the government grant was used to get the best value for money.  She mentioned that there was to be a local partnership board relacing the DAEG and asked what the membership would be and if it would contained representatives from health and children’s services. 

The Head of Housing, Environmental Health & Trading Standards replied that there were health representations, probation services, RBW and children’s services as well as TVP and DASH.

Cllr Tisi said that table 2 showed the roles of a new housing officer and independent person, she asked if the independent person would be from DASH and why was the position not to be filled until December 2022. She was informed that there were two roles one in housing to fulfil the legislative requirements and the other would work with DASH and was being appointed in December to allow the recruitment process. 

Cllr Tisi said that with regards to paragraph 7.4 did they think that when asked if they believe that providing accommodation to perpetrators protects victims, people understood that this meant providing accommodation for the perpetrator.  Where possible it would be that the perpetrators would be provided with accommodation so the family could stay safe in their own home.  She was informed that where possible they tried to keep the family in their own homes safe whilst complying with legislation and with the support of DASH.  Providing accommodation for the perpetrator was usually done when both parents had equal right to the family home and if moving the perpetrator out would keep the family safe.

Cllr Tisa also mentioned that the contract wit DASH was due to expire 2022 with the option to extend by a year, she asked if the grant would be used to help support DASH.  She was informed that last years funding would be used to support DASH and any left over and this years funding would be looked at.

The Deputy Chairman of Cabinet, Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health said that he had been lobbying the Police and Crime Commissioner on this issue as he was aware that it was a policy priority for him.  He would also continue to loby local MP’s to look at more legislation regarding domestic abuse.  The victims should always be the priority.

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

i) Approves the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Strategy 2021- 2024 for publication.