Agenda item

To consider a report by the Housing Needs and Resources Manager on the Council’s Supporting Residents – Domestic Abuse Policy.

Executive Councillor: S Ferguson

The Cabinet has approved the Supporting Residents - Domestic Abuse Policy.

With the aid of a report prepared by the Council’s Housing Needs & Resources Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet received a report inviting consideration of those recommendations regarding the Council’s Supporting Residents – Domestic Abuse Policy.

By way of background the Executive Councillor for Executive Councillor for Customer Services reported that Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) is committed to ensuring that all residents experiencing domestic abuse are responded to in an appropriate and sensitive manner and that staff act in a believing, non-judgemental way. This policy sets out the level of service that HDC aims to provide. At all times it is the organisation’s intention to increase victim safety, housing security and hold perpetrators to account for their harm. It also aims to improve staff confidence in identifying and dealing with domestic abuse and links to the internal looking Domestic Abuse Staff Support Policy which covers how the Council support staff who may be affected by domestic abuse. The staff policy has recently been adopted through the Employment Committee.

The Cabinet noted that for the purposes of this policy: (i) the statutory definition of abuse applies and incorporates behaviours of violence as well as other forms of abuse, including economic abuse and coercive control; and (ii) both policies have been developed following good practice from the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA), the leading specialist domestic abuse organisation supporting Councils and housing providers to improve their response to domestic abuse.

Members were pleased to observe that HDC already responds to residents experiencing domestic abuse in many types of situations. The most common of these is where a resident requires advice and assistance regarding their housing rights and options when wanting to leave an abusive relationship, although this is not the only type of situation. The Policy explains how HDC will treat all reports of domestic abuse with respect, sympathy and confidentiality and will listen to the needs and wishes of the victim in agreeing an appropriate course of action. It was noted that the safety and security of those experiencing domestic abuse will always be the paramount consideration.

Cabinet observed that the Policy also explains how HDC will ensure that residents are linked into specialist support providers where necessary and how HDC works with a range of other agencies to ensure that victims are fully supported. It was noted that this multi-agency network also extended to collaborative working to manage certain perpetrators and the risks that they may pose.

Members were informed that as HDC has joined the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) it is supported in improving the response to domestic abuse, through a membership model, accreditation framework and training packages. It was noted that the DAHA framework and model of response to domestic abuse is nationally recognised as best practice, through the Domestic Abuse Act Statutory Guidance 2022, and is endorsed by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England & Wales. It was noted that this Policy before Members follows the DAHA good practice model, and HDC will be working towards full DAHA accreditation in 2024.

Cabinet agreed that by embedding best practice and approving policies that demonstrates that HDC is demonstrating a commitment to supporting residents and staff in the best way possible.

Members attention was drawn to the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel in particular it was noted that as a result of questions raised by (i) Councillor Bywater, that HDC had a good relationship with local housing providers and that many social landlords were also working towards the same DAHA accreditation as the Council; and (ii) Councillor Hunt, the Panel had heard that the team were working hard to meeting the accreditation requirements and were working with the assessor to ensure compliance. It was also observed that training would be rolled out for both staff and Councillors later in the year.

After careful consideration of the report the Chair Moved and Cabinet:

RESOLVED

To approve the Supporting Residents - Domestic Abuse Policy.