Issue - meetings

To receive an update on domestic abuse within the Wokingham Borough

The Committee considered a report, set out in agenda pages 15 to 20, which gave an update on instances of domestic abuse within the Borough.

The report outlined a number of progress updates within the Domestic Abuse Strategy, including an increasing awareness of safe accommodation choices, provision of an inclusive range of accommodation options, provision of support for victim-survivors in safe accommodation, strengthened partnership working to drive and improve outcomes, and support for individuals to help them to begin rebuilding their lives.

Narinder Brar (Community Safety Manager) and Steve Moore (Interim Director of Place and Growth) attended the meeting to answer member queries.

During the ensuing discussion, members raised the following points and queries:

·         The Committee thanked Narinder Brar and her team for a great deal of hard work in providing an essential service;

·         Was a detailed breakdown of where instances of domestic abuse took place within the Borough available? Officer response – A more granular breakdown was being worked on for the future, which would be reported on a quarterly basis.

·         Would the strategy be taken to the residents’ equality forum? Officer response – There was a real drive to reduce any barriers to accessing services where possible, and it was key to not homogenise different communities. The residents’ forum was one area which could be included more in the future to help achieve these aims.

·         Would a range of KPIs and their performance be available for the Committee to view at a later date? Officer response – A full suite of KPIs were being developed, and these could be reported to the Committee in future.

·         Could officers confirm that no-one escaping domestic abuse within the Borough had been turned away? Officer response – This was correct. There was a 3-bed refuge available within the Borough, whilst housing and homelessness legislation was in place as a safety net to allow safe accommodation to be provided by Wokingham Borough Council (WBC).

·         Was there an update on the 2021 Community Safety Partnership contract which included provision of services to schools to work with children who had seen or suffered domestic abuse? Officer response – This was quite a specialised area of work, and Cranstoun had recruited a young people’s worker who was now on maternity leave. Plans were in motion to get play therapy, one to one counselling, drama therapy and counselling therapy back on track and delivered.

·         What successes had been realised in the perpetrator intervention programme to help to address abusive behaviours? Officer response – There had been a number of challenges at the start of this programme, and more details on uptake and successes would be circulated to the Committee.

·         How had the independent domestic violence advocate service been working? Officer response – Advisors were allocated to an individual once they had been risk assessed. Advisors would work flexibly with victims dependent on their individual needs, with face to face meetings or advice given via phone call in a way that was safe. This strategy was front and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8