Issue - meetings

The Director for Public Health to present a report which provides an update on the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and the new statutory responsibilities for local authorities under the Act, and seeks approval of proposed governance arrangements for a new statutory Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board.

Resolved:  (i)      That Note the council’s new statutory duties under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 be noted.

                   (ii)      That the proposed governance arrangements set out in option 4 be approved.

                   (iii)     That the chairing of the York Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board be delegated to the Director of Public Health.

Reason:     to ensure that the council’s new statutory duties and responsibilities are delivered.

The Director for Public Health and the Nurse Consultant in Public Health presented a report which provided an update on the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (the Act) and the new statutory responsibilities for local authorities under the Act, and sought approval of proposed governance arrangements for a new statutory Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board.

The Act had come into force on 29 April 2021.  Details of its aims and provisions were set out in paragraphs 5-10 of the report.  It placed statutory duties on upper tier and unitary local authorities to provide support for victims of domestic abuse and their children, and to establish a multi-agency Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board.  In York, this latter function was currently provided by the Domestic Abuse Joint Co-ordination Group for York & North Yorkshire.  An independent assessment of the council’s readiness to undertake the requirements of Act had been commissioned, resulting in the advice attached at Annex 1.  This presented a number of recommendations, including options for a new governance structure. 

Members were asked to consider the following options, as detailed in paragraphs 18-22 of the report:

Option 1 – do nothing.  Not recommended, as current arrangements did not fulfil the requirements of the Act.

Option 2 – establish a joint North Yorkshire and City of York Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board.  Not recommended, as it could result in York’s needs being overlooked.

Option 3 – establish a City of York Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board.  Not recommended, as it would not ensure a continued common approach across services.

Option 4 – Establish a City of York Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board with joint strategic commissioning.  This was the recommended option.

In supporting the recommendations, the Executive Member for Health & Adult Social Care welcomed the establishment of a new Board, thanked officers for their work and noted that proposals for a new domestic abuse strategy would come to Executive in due course.

Resolved:  (i)      That the council’s new statutory duties under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 be noted.

                   (ii)      That the proposed governance arrangements set out in option 4 at paragraph 22 of the report be approved, namely:

‘Establish a City of York Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board together with joint strategic commissioning across City of York Council, North Yorkshire County Council and Office of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire.’

                   (iii)     That the chairing of the York Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board be delegated to the Director of Public Health.

Reason:     to ensure that the council’s new statutory duties and responsibilities are delivered.