Subject: Prioritising domestic abuse victims in housing allocation

Date of meeting: 14 December 2023

Proposer: Councillor McLeay

Seconder: Councillor Pickett

Ward(s) affected: All

Notice of Motion

Green Group Amendment

That deletions are made as shown with ~~strikethrough~~ below and additional recommendations are added as shown in bold italics below:
---

Therefore, resolves to call for an officer report to the next HNC Committee which addresses the following:

4) How to ensure that appropriate priority for those who have fled domestic abuse or violence is included in the review of the Council’s housing allocation policy

5) Sets out what steps are required for the Council’s housing team to achieve Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation, identifying how the Council will work in close collaboration with communities, local specialist domestic violence and VAWG organisations to ensure they are at the heart of the process;

6) Detailing also the process for review, to ensure good practice is embedded

7) Identifies how the Council will work with all local housing providers to ensure that they are also working towards securing DAHA accreditation

8) How the Council will ensure that all council staff and relevant staff of housing partner organisations are trained to recognise potential signs of domestic abuse, as well as the 8 priority areas outlines in the DAHA accreditation

[8] And, to avoid any unnecessary delay to housing priority for those currently fleeing domestic violence, requests officers to consider whether any changes can be made before the next HNC meeting, as well as in the long term

Recommendations to read if carried:

This council notes:

1) We recognise that many people fleeing from domestic abuse and facing homelessness have already suffered significant trauma and likely spent time in unsettled accommodation in a refuge

2) More should be done to support those who have fled domestic abuse or violence to find safe and secure accommodation

3) DAHA accreditation is the UK benchmark for how housing providers should respond to domestic abuse in the UK and something that the Council’s housing team and all housing providers should be aiming for

Therefore, resolves to call for an officer report to the next HNC Committee which addresses the following:

4) How to ensure that appropriate priority for those who have fled domestic abuse or violence is included in the review of the Council’s housing allocation policy

5) Sets out what steps are required for the Council’s housing team to achieve Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation, working in collaboration with communities and local specialist domestic violence and VAWG organisations to ensure they are at the heart of the process; detailing also the process for review to ensure good practice is embedded in the organisation;

6) Identifies how the Council will work with all local housing providers to ensure that they are also working towards securing DAHA accreditation

7) How the Council will ensure that all council staff and relevant staff of housing partner organisations are trained to recognise potential signs of domestic abuse, as well as the 8 priority areas outlines in the DAHA accreditation [1]