The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report which introduced the Domestic Abuse and Safe Accommodation Strategy 2023-2026 that had been produced in collaboration with Reading’s Domestic Abuse Partnership Board.

The report explained that the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 placed new statutory requirements on local authorities to assess the need for domestic abuse support in their area for all victims who resided in relevant safe accommodation, including those from outside their area and to prepare and publish a strategy for the provision of such support to cover their area having regard to the needs assessment.  The comprehensive strategy assessment had been carried out and would be used to inform the commissioning of new safe accommodation provisions and support services as a result of current contracts coming to an end.  The following documents were appended to the report:

Appendix A:  Domestic Abuse and Safe Accommodation Strategy 2023-2026;

Appendix B:  Priorities Consultation – Response Summary

Appendix C:  Equality Impact Assessment.

The report explained that a comprehensive Needs Assessment had been undertaken in the spring of 2022 to understand the needs of victim survivors in relation to safe accommodation and support and shape the following priorities:

·       Effectively commission refuge and other Safe Accommodation spaces;

·       Raise awareness about Domestic Abuse;

·       Engage with those in diverse communities experiencing abuse with a view to encourage trust to remove barriers to access support services and supporting victim survivors to view seeking help early;

·       Develop and support a multi-agency approach to working with an array of groups, inclusive of perpetrators and victim survivors (irrespective of gender/sexuality identity);

·       Continue to safeguard and advocate for all children who have witnessed or experienced domestic abuse.

A public consultation had been undertaken between July and September 2022 to seek views about the proposed strategy priorities, and an overview of the responses was set out in Appendix B to the report.  The Domestic Abuse Strategy would ensure that the needs of all victim-survivors of domestic abuse and their families, both within safe accommodation and the community, would be considered and this was reflected in the strategy’s priorities.  The Domestic Abuse Strategy would be launched on 5 January 2023 and the Partnership Board would complete the accompanying action plan.

The report also explained that the Domestic Abuse Partnership Board and wider Community Safety Partnership were committed to developing a realistic and achievable delivery plan, given the current economic situation, and to ensuring the effective, efficient and collaborative use of the resources each agency had to reduce harm caused by domestic abuse.  An interim contract had been put in place with the current provider, Berkshire Women’s Aid, which would run until 30 June 2023, to allow for the commissioning process to be carried out.

Resolved:     That the Domestic Abuse and Safe Accommodation Strategy 2023-2026 be endorsed and adopted.