Purpose

1.8 The purpose of this report is to update
Cabinet on the progress of the newly launched SDAS model and to
inform and seek approval for the proposed spend plan for the
Domestic Abuse Part 4 Duty Funding 2025/26, subject to formal
agreement with the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local
Government (MHCLG).

Content

The Cabinet considered
a report of the Director of Public Health and Communities, which
sought approval to accept the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation
Grant and to allocate the funding as set out in Appendix 1 of the
report.
 
The Assistant Director
Public Health and Communities was in attendance to present the
information and to address the questions and the comments of the
Cabinet Members.
 
The Officer informed
that, in April 2021, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 had become
legislation, which subsequently had placed a number of statutory
duties on local authorities in relation to domestic abuse.
 
Following the
introduction of this Act, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing
and Communities (now known as the Ministry of Housing, Communities
and Local Government) had provided local authorities with grant
funding to cover the cost of new burdens placed upon them to carry
out these statutory duties and functions. The funding specifically
related to the provision of support within domestic abuse safe
accommodation, which was contained within Part 4 of the Domestic
Abuse Act 2021.
 
The funding had been
previously referred to as “new burdens funding” For
2025/26 it had recently been renamed as “Domestic Abuse Safe
Accommodation Grant”. Rochdale Borough Council had received
the following amounts so far: £565k in 2021/22, £567k
in 2022/23, £578K in 2023/24 and £589K in 2024/25.
 
The Ministry of
Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) had recently
informed councils across England that they would now receive
further funding for 2025/26. Rochdale Borough Council would receive
£734,625.
 
In consultation with
relevant key stakeholders, a spend plan had been produced for
2025/26 funding. This was outlined in Appendix 1 to the report.
 
Cabinet Members also
noted the update on the progress of the newly launched Specialist
Domestic Abuse Service model (SDAS).
 
Resolved:
1.   
That the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant (DASAG) 2025/26 be
accepted and the funding be allocated as set out in Appendix 1 to
this report;
2.   
That it be noted adding DASAG 2025/26 to the Community Safety
reserve for use in future years as indicated in the spend plan to
support the costs of the SDAS contract;
3.   
That the modification of existing contracts as detailed in this
report be agreed to enable the delivery of services funded via the
DASAG 2025/26;
4.   
That authority be delegated to the Director of Public Health and
Communities in consultation with the Assistant Director of Legal,
Governance and Coroners and the relevant Portfolio Holder to spend
the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant as per plan outlined in
Appendix 1 to the report and to enter into relevant agreements;
5.   
That it be noted that the Director of Public Health and Communities
has the ability to vire budget between
allocated areas within the spend plan to ensure most effective
spend and delivery;
6.   
That it be noted that any in year underspend would be transferred
to the Community Safety Reserve as per the Reserve Policy. This
reserve would contribute to the cost of delivering the
Council’s domestic abuse statutory duties;
7.   
That the positive implementation and performance update of SDAS and
the associated funding pressures be noted.
 
Reason for
decision:
The Domestic Abuse
Safe Accommodation Grant had been made available to local
authorities to enable them to fulfil the functions of the statutory
duty outlined in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 relating to the
provision of support to victims of domestic abuse and their
children residing within safe accommodation.
The SDAS model was
contract managed by Public Health and Community Safety.
Section 5.9 onwards of
the report considered progress of the model so far, outcomes
achieved and challenges. The proposed spend plan for the DASAG
2025/26 had been developed based on this, domestic abuse needs
assessments and with the statutory duties as the focus.
 
Alternatives
considered and rejected:
Alternatives had been
considered when developing the spend plan for the grant. The most
significant alternative considered was utilising all available
grant in 2025/26 rather than carrying some forward to help manage
budget pressures in future financial years. This option was not
recommended, as it would have potentially created a large budget
pressure for 26/27 onwards with no guarantee of this funding
continuing. By allocating the grant as recommended, immediate
pressures in 2025/26 could be managed as well as longer-term
pressures in the domestic abuse service model, therefore reducing
budget pressures for the council.