Issue - meetings

      Report of the Chief Executive

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Public Protection, Leisure, Libraries, Facilities Management and Operational Assets presented the report seeking agreement to undertake a procurement process to secure future domestic abuse support services in Wiltshire.

Cllr Blair-Pilling reported that the current contract, commissioned jointly by the Council and Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner will expire on 31 March 2023. He confirmed that the service contributes towards the Councils  business plan outcomes of strong communities and protecting the vulnerable. Domestic abuse continued to impact the lives of many living in Wiltshire. The introduction of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 placed a duty on local authorities in England, to provide support to victims of domestic abuse and their children within refuges and other forms of safe accommodation.

The Cabinet noted that the proposed contributions to the Domestic Abuse Pooled Budget from each partner would see a reduction over the current contributions from 1 April 2023, reflecting the disaggregation of the domestic abuse and sexual violence elements of the contract, to be procured separately, with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner leading on the sexual violence support element.

Cllr Gordon King, Vice-Chair of the Health Select Committee confirmed that he, Cllr Johnny Kidney, Chair of the Health Select Committee had met with the Cabinet member and officers on 5 April 2022 to discuss the report. The Members noted the detail about the expiration of the contract and the need to commence the procurement of a new contract, the disaggregation of the domestic abuse and sexual violence elements of the contract and the success in securing a grant for the current financial year of £830,051 to provide support for victims and their children. Cllr King indicated that scrutiny would keep an interest in the procurement and possibly ask officers to provide an update on service provision to a future Health Select Committee.

Cllr Gavin Grant welcomed the continuing provision of the service and sought clarification about out of hours reporting capacity and the division of responsibilities for domestic abuse and sexual violence between partners.  Cllr Blair-Pilling confirmed that reporting capacity would be considered in the new contract and joint working would continue with partners and there would be no change to the level of service provided.   

Resolved:

1. Agree that a procurement process is undertaken to enable the provision of future domestic abuse support services in Wiltshire

2. Delegate authority for awarding the contract to the new service provider/s to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Public Protection, Leisure, Libraries, Facilities Management and Operational Assets, Corporate Leadership Team and the Director of Public Health

Reason for Decision:

The current contract expires in March 2023 and to prevent a gap in service delivery to a vulnerable client group, this paper seeks the endorsement from Cabinet to commence the next steps in the commissioning processes and develop an appropriate service model which continues to meet the needs and demands underpinned by the local evidence-base.