Decision details

This is further to the key decision taken by the Cabinet Member for Communities, Voluntary Sector and the Environment on 16th March 2021 which gave approval for:
a) the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Safe Accommodation Duty and accepts the £732,742 grant funding;
b) that the funding will be spent on the areas detailed in the report at paragraph 10;
c) approves to delegate authority to the Director of Adults, Health & Wellbeing, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Communities, Voluntary Sector and the Environment, to amend the spend subject to completion of consultation, a needs assessment and the development of a new Domestic Abuse Strategy for Doncaster (and in accordance with the grant conditions).

See attached Officer decision Record for further details.

1) To agree the proposed plans for spending the MHCLG safe accommodation grant for victims of domestic abuse, with permission given for variation in the amounts

2) For the 2021-2022 financial year only, to use MHCLG funding to pay for commitments currently being funded by Doncaster Council funds, and to ensure that Doncaster Council contracts will revert back to being paid for Doncaster Council if there is insufficient money from MHCLG in 2022-2023.

3) To agree to roll forward any underspend from the grant into 2022-2023

The funding has been accepted and so we do not have any other option but to spend the grant.

There are currently no other options that have been suggested for the spend. Decisions about the remaining spend will be based on the needs assessment and consultation and must be in line with the grant agreement.
Without re-profiling the Doncaster Council money that it is already being spent on domestic abuse projects we do not have the flexibility to meet the growing demand for support that we have evidence to prove exists. This leaves victims of domestic abuse at risk of further harm.

Using agency workers or shorter term contracts has been considered and in the case of the Survivor Liaison Worker is being pursued. However, using agency workers is more expensive and we risk losing workers to longer term contracts offered elsewhere. A minimum of 12 months is felt to be the best option. This therefore requires funding to be rolled forward into 2022-2023.