Decision details

To approve the Housing Options Domestic Abuse Policy, which outlines the services commitment to supporting those affected by domestic abuse, which is in line with the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

The Committee considered the Housing Option’s Domestic Abuse policy, which had been developed to outline the services survivors/victims of domestic abuse would receive from the Housing Options Service. 

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 came into force on 29 April 2021 and introduced new duties on local authorities to ensure that all victims of domestic abuse and their children could access the right support in safe accommodation.

The Housing Options Team had been working towards gaining the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation, which was a scheme open to housing associations, local authority housing teams and homelessness providers across the UK to help improve their response to domestic abuse.   The Housing Options Team were assessed in June 2022 and successfully awarded the DAHA accreditation.

RESOLVED (unanimously):  That the Committee

1          approve the Housing Options Domestic Abuse Policy, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

2          delegates authority to make any future minor amendments or legislation changes to the policy to the Director of Growth and Enterprise in consultation with the Chair of the Economy and Growth Committee.