Two organisations providing refuges for people who have experienced domestic abuse are likely to receive a share of government money.
The move comes after Brighton and Hove City Council was awarded £606,000 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to enable the council to fulfil its new duties under the Domestic Abuse Act.
The new law requires councils in England to provide support to people experiencing domestic abuse and their children, including refuges and other safe accommodation.
Spending plans going before the council’s Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee next Thursday (16 September) recommend using £241,000 to fund the refuge service provided by Stonewater Ltd.
And the charity RISE could be in line for £100,000 to deliver specialist refuge services for people from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community.
The ministry had previously granted the same amount to RISE for 2020-21 but there was a delay in spending the money because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It was rolled over to be spent in the first half of the current financial year.
RISE provides four refuge units in partnership with Southdown Housing.
The additional money will help the charity’s refuge work for the rest of this financial year.
Councillors are being asked to approve about £30,000 to go towards an independent domestic violence advocate in the council’s housing services department to support survivors of domestic abuse when they access the services.
The committee is also being asked to approve £32,000 to recruit a community engagement official to be recruited by East Sussex County Council to set up a “survivors lived experience board”.
A report to the committee said: “This officer will also provide training, support briefings and debriefings to representatives for the Pan Sussex partnership board.
“Officers will also appoint an independent chair for the Pan Sussex Partnership board. The board is a requirement of the new duties.”
Further recommendations on spending the remaining £203,000 will go before the committee at a later date.
Earlier this year, RISE supporters called for all the ministry’s money to go to the charity.
RISE lost the key contract for community domestic violence and abuse services to Victim Support while housing association Stonewater took over running the council-funded refuge service.
The charity had run domestic abuse support services in the city for 26 years.
The contracts were issued jointly with East Sussex County Council, and bids to run the domestic violence and abuse support services were evaluated by officials from Brighton and Hove City Council as well as representatives of Sussex Police and the Office of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner.
The Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee is due to meet at 4pm at Hove Town Hall next Thursday (16 September).
The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
