Minutes:
Question
Would you please confirm that Cranstoun, who are to replace Berkshire Women's Aid's refuges for abused women, actually have refuges available in Wokingham, ready for the changeover of funding and services, in order to ensure the safeguarding of the vulnerable women, concerned?
Answer
Domestic abuse is a very important and serious issue, which is a key priority for the Government, the Council and the Community Safety Partnership. It is the sad truth that anybody can be a victim, regardless of background and circumstance, that int eh worst case can end in the most tragic way as a fatality.
It is in recognition of this fact I will spend some time covering the question and outlining the work being undertaken to ensure that the Council is working towards striving for excellence in providing support and help for local residents and victims in the Borough.
The provision and availability of refuge service for victims remains securely in place locally. Access to three local refuge spaces remains unchanged for victims who need safe emergency accommodation. In addition to this provision, the new service provider Cranstoun are working to secure more enhanced refuge spaces, which will add to the existing local provision already in place. This will result in more than doubling of local refuge provision for victims at a vital point for providing support. However, this will not stop us actively continuing to improve support and proactively look for opportunities to increase spaces above and beyond this.
Furthermore, in line with the Council’s ambition to strive for best practice and to comply with the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which came in on 1st April 2021, the Council has:
• Increased funding into its local domestic abuse services by 55% in recognition of increasing demands for assistance and requests for help. The increase in financial funding has also in turn allowed the Council to offer an enhanced local 24-7 offer for victims to access support;
• On Monday, the Community Safety Partnership launched our Housing Needs Assessment consultation in line with the Government’s push on domestic abuse. In-depth consultations with local victims have helped shaped this work and our work around this has been recognised as good practice by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government;
• Work is also underway to put together a wider Violence Against Women and Girls’ strategy (VAWG); which will amongst other aspects ensure that our public spaces are safe places;
• Domestic abuse and safeguarding victims and children is a top priority for the Community Safety Partnership and the Council. The work being undertaken feeds importantly into wider and other strategic thinking on work around the poverty, inclusion and equalities strategies.
The valued contribution from both Berkshire Women’s Aid (BWA) and several other local organisations working to make an impact and improve outcomes for victims is highly commended. Our aim is to continue to work closely with all local charities, voluntary sector organisations together hand-in-hand with Cranstoun to tackle domestic abuse for all residents and victims.