Decision details

To enable the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Strategy to be approved by the Leader ahead of publication on 5th January 2022. The Leader was delegated authority to make this decision by the Executive at their meeting on 7th December 2021.

At the meeting of the informal Executive on 7 December 2021, the Executive delegated the approval of the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation – Draft Strategy to the Leader (a decision that was made by the Chief Executive Officer in consultation with the Executive).

The decision to approve the Strategy was made by the Leader, at a meeting with Neil Irving
Assistant Director Policy Partnerships & Communities, on 4 January 2022, ahead of being published on 5 January 2022.

On 29 April 2021, the Domestic Abuse Act received Royal Assent to “support all victims of
domestic abuse”. The Act aims to “ensure that victims have the confidence to come forward
and report their experiences, safe in the knowledge that the state will do everything it can,
both to support them and their children and pursue the abuser.”

Upper tier local authorities were required to undertake a local needs assessment, to assess
the need for domestic abuse support for all victims (and their children) who reside in
relevant safe accommodation, including those who come from outside the area. This needs
assessment helped to determine the met and unmet needs of the area, providing evidence
for service delivery. The requirement thereafter was for the Local Authority to formulate a
strategy, to meet the ongoing requirements for supporting victims, survivors and their
families in safe accommodation.

The strategy must be published by 5th January 2022

N/A.