Issue - meetings

That:

1)              a new domestic abuse support contract, of an initial period of 5 years with an option to add a further two years to the contract period with a total contract value of £1,554,000, be procured;

2)       authority be delegated to the Director of Community Insight and Change, in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment and Leisure, to award the contract(s) to the successful bidder(s) following completion of the evaluation process;

3)       it be noted that following a review of the local demand levels and service performance additional growth has been requested through the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

The Executive considered a report which sought agreement to procure a new domestic abuse support services contract and set out the timetable to ensure that a new contract would be in place when the current contract expires at the end of June 2021.

The Executive Member for Environment and Leisure introduced the report and advised that the Council was responsible for commissioning domestic abuse support for individuals who were identified as being at high or medium risk from harm.  The services provided would include a helpline, access to independent domestic abuse advocates, outreach children and young people support, group-based programmes and refuge support. 

Councillor Batth advised that the demand on domestic abuse services had increased substantially since 2018 which had led to additional short-term funding of £35,000 being required to ensure service quality and safe caseloads within the commissioned service.  Additional funding, based on the increased demand for services and additional statutory duties that were expected to be placed on local authorities, of £150,000 had been requested for the 21/22 financial year increasing by a further £35,000 in 22/23.  

Councillor Haitham Taylor informed the meeting that since 2018-19, 2.4m people aged between 16-74 were victims of domestic abuse, with two thirds of those being female.  It was highlighted that domestic abuse was not limited to physical violence and the new Bill, which had been taken through Parliament last year, recognised other forms of abuse including emotional, controlling and economic abuse.  Councillor Haitham Taylor was therefore pleased that the Council was raising awareness of domestic abuse and investing more in the services to support victims and survivors and also help perpetrators change their behaviours.

RESOLVED that:

1)              a new domestic abuse support contract, of an initial period of 5 years with an option to add a further two years to the contract period with a total contract value of £1,554,000, be procured;

2)       authority be delegated to the Director of Community Insight and Change, in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment and Leisure, to award the contract(s) to the successful bidder(s) following completion of the evaluation process;

3)       it be noted that following a review of the local demand levels and service performance additional growth has been requested through the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).