Portfolio Holder for Business, Leisure Item and Opportunities xx March 2017

Report of Deputy Chief Executive Author Tina Hinson ( 01206 506903 Title Allocation of Department of Communities and Local Government grant funding for refuges, domestic abuse specialist accommodation based support and services Wards All wards affected

This report seeks approval to award the Department of Communities and Local Government grant for domestic abuse services to and Women’s Refuge

1. Decision Required

1.1 To award the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) grant of £263,453.90 for domestic abuse services to Colchester and Tendring Women’s Refuge, as set out in the joint bid with Colchester Borough Council, Council, District Council, Council and Colchester and Tendring Women’s Refuge.

2. Reasons for Decision

2.1 As lead authority for the bid to the DCLG’s fund for refuges, Colchester Borough Council has received the funding from DCLG to provide the services set out in the bid.

3. Alternative Option

3.1 Not to allocate the funding. The funding would need to be returned to DCLG. If this course of action were followed there would have been no point in making the bid to DCLG in the first place.

4. Supporting Information

4.1 A bid was made by a partnership of Colchester Borough Council, Braintree District Council, Council, Tendring District Council and Colchester and Tendring Women’s Refuge to the DCLG’s fund for refuges, specialist accommodation based support and service reform to meet the priorities for domestic abuse services.

4.2 The bid was made by a partnership as one of the criteria the DCLG proposed to use to assess bids was that local areas of three or more local authorities work collaboratively across local authority boundaries to strengthen provision. Colchester and Tendring already share Refuge provision. Braintree District Council and Maldon District Council do not have a Refuge within their District. Applicants for funding were also asked to demonstrate their partnership arrangements with other relevant services such as health partners and local specialist domestic violence service providers. The bid was supported by Anglia Community Enterprise (ACE) and Changing Pathways (who provide Women’s Refuge services in ). Bids were also asked to demonstrate evidence-wide 1 assessment of need, and take into account the particular needs of victims from isolated and/or marginalised communities/ BME backgrounds.

4.3 A requirement of submitting a bid was that one local authority agree to be the lead authority and receive the DCLG grant funding. Colchester Borough Council agreed to take on this role.

4.4 The Fund will operate for the 2016/18 financial years.

4.5 A service level agreement will be signed between Colchester Borough Council and CTWR setting out the services to be provided and the monitoring and governance arrangements.

4.6 A Project Delivery Board, consisting of all the local authority partners and the partners named in the bid will oversee the delivery and monitoring of the project.

5. Proposals

5.1 To award the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) grant of £263,453.90 for domestic abuse services to Colchester and Tendring Women’s Refuge as set out in the joint bid with Colchester Borough Council, Braintree District Council, Maldon District Council, Tendring District Council and Colchester and Tendring Women’s Refuge.

6. Strategic Plan References

6.1 This report supports the Strategic Plan priority Welcoming...... a place where people can grow and be proud to live. • Ensure Colchester is a welcoming and safe place for residents, visitors and businesses with a friendly feel that embraces tolerance and diversity . 7. Consultation

7.1 The Portfolio Holder was consulted informally as part of the submission of the bid. Each local authority that was party to the bid submitted a letter of support.

8. Publicity considerations

8.1 This funding will see services provided to ensure that no victim of domestic abuse is turned away from the support they need and therefore is likely to generate positive publicity.

9. Financial implications

9.1 This grant is provided by central government for refuges, specialist accommodation based support and service reform to meet the priorities for domestic abuse services as set out in the bid submitted by the Partnership.

9.2 Although the grant is not ring-fenced under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003, Colchester Borough Council committed in its role as lead authority, to ensuring that any grant received will be used for the purposes it was intended as set out in the partnership bid.

10. Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Implications

2 10.1 We have fully considered the equality and diversity impacts by undertaking an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) and conclude there are no adverse impacts that cannot be mitigated. To view the EQIAs please use this link to the Council’s website: http://www.colchester.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=19487&p=0

11. Community Safety Implications

11.1 Work to respond to and support those experiencing domestic abuse is likely to have a positive impact on community safety.

12. Health and Safety Implications

12.1 This report has no significant health and safety implications.

13. Risk Management Implications

13.1 The principle risk to this expenditure is that the funded services do not achieve the intended outcomes. We will mitigate this risk by agreeing clear service level agreements with performance targets, and then monitoring performance.

Background Papers

None

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