Agenda item

Purpose: To receive a report relating to activity being undertaken in response to domestic abuse in West Berkshire.

(Councillor David Rendel declared a personal interest in Agenda item 12 by virtue of the fact that his wife was a GP in West Berkshire. As his interest was personal and not prejudicial he determined to take part in the debate and vote on the matter).

(Councillor Tony Vickers declared a personal interest in Agenda item 12 by virtue of the fact that his wife sometimes worked with victims of domestic abuse. As his interest was personal and not prejudicial he determined to take part in the debate and vote on the matter).

Councillor Quentin Webb introduced the final report of the Domestic Abuse Task Group. Councillor Webb thanked all of those who had taken part in and supported the review.

Councillor Webb advised that 16 witnesses had provided evidence and had shown that overall the different agencies were working well together but the task group had concerns over resilience. The recommendations put forward were intended to improve effectiveness and to address the issues that had been identified.

Councillor Brooks acknowledged the volume of work undertaken during the review and that it had been thorough and useful. Councillor Brooks made the following points:

·        Councillor Brooks was not confident in the costs to West Berkshire of domestic abuse as he did not believe it was possible to be so precise given the subjectivity of the costs involved;

·        Councillor Brooks questioned the broad statement regarding the lack of engagement from the health service. Councillor Webb responded that the PCT (Primary Care Trust) had been involved in the review and had provided information to support the view. Councillor Gwen Mason added that the engagement of GPs had been a recommendation from the Pemberton Domestic Homicide Review which had not proven to have been sufficiently implemented;

·        In paragraph 49 Councillor Brooks would have preferred to have seen evidence to support the statements made. Councillor Webster confirmed that these figures were available and could be inserted;

·        Councillor Brooks was concerned that the presence of recommendation 5 provided a let out clause to any incoming Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and suggested it be amended. The Commission agreed to amend the wording to ‘In the event that the desired outcome at recommendation (4) cannot be achieved, the Council would need to review the implications of this decision.’

·        Councillor Brooks requested that recommendation 24 be amended to remove the requirement for training for all staff, but instead to require awareness raising for all staff, with training for those in identified posts.

Councillor Vickers requested that the minutes from the task group meetings be circulated to members of the Commission for information. The Chairman requested that these be treated as confidential. Andy Day advised the Commission that the full set of papers referred to in the final report were available to view in the Strategic Support Unit.

Andy Day suggested that the final report be amended to include a list of witnesses, and a list of the background papers referred to.

Councillor Vickers asked whether there were plans to reconvene the task group in order to address issues where full information had not been available. Councillor Webb responded that the task group would not be reconvened, however the recommendations requested the provision of improved information.

Councillor Webster commented that this had been one of the most challenging and valuable pieces of work she had been involved in with the Council, and stated that although the recommendations had implications for budgets and resources, the task group had felt it would not be appropriate to remove a recommendation for fear of it being rejected, but instead to lay out all recommendations as were appropriate for the review and make it clear how challenging this area was.

Andy Day advised the Commission of a number of typographical errors that had been identified, and assured the Commission that these would be corrected, along with the agreed amendments, prior to submission to the Executive.

Resolved that:

·        The final report from the Domestic Abuse Task Group be approved for submission to the Executive subject to the following amendments:

• Paragraph 49: Provision of data to support the statements made;
• Recommendation 5 to read ‘In the event that the desired outcome at recommendation (4) cannot be achieved, the Council would need to review the implications of this decision.’;
• Recommendation 24 to remove the requirement for training for all staff, but instead to require awareness raising for all staff, with training for those in identified posts;
• The inclusion of the list of witnesses, and a list of the background papers referred to;

·        Elaine Walker to circulate the minutes from the task group meetings to members of the Commission;

·        Elaine Walker to correct typographical errors identified in the final report.