Decision details

For Cheltenham Borough Council to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) relating to a grant payment of £33,553 which is to support the delivery of statutory duties relating to the provision of support within domestic abuse safe accommodation under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has

determined under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 that a grant of £124.6 million should be paid to the local authorities in England to cover the cost of the new burdens placed upon local authorities in England to carry out their statutory duties/functions relating to the provision of support within domestic abuse safe accommodation (which is contained within Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021) during 2022/23.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (The Act) received Royal Assent on 29 April 2021. Part 4 of The Act places a statutory duty on Tier 1 Authorities relating to the provision of support to victims of domestic abuse (DA) and their children residing within safe accommodation, which includes their home where appropriate safety measures are in place.

The New Burdens Funding for Accommodation-based support covers revenue expenditure relating to the functions set out in the new statutory duty (within the Domestic Abuse Bill) on Tier 1 Local Authorities relating to the provision of support to victims of domestic abuse and their children residing within safe accommodation and is for the period from 01 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.

Tier 2 authorities will be required to support Tier 1 Local Authorities to fulfil the functions of the new statutory duty so far as is reasonably practicable.

The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to formalise the working relationship and expectations relating to the grant payment from DLUHC which is based on the understanding that:

a) The grant only covers revenue expenditure relating to the functions set out in Part 4 of the Act on Tier 1 Local Authorities relating to the provision of accommodation-based support to victims of domestic abuse and their children and on Tier 2 Local Authorities to co-operate with Tier 1 Local Authorities as far as reasonably practicable.

b) The grant is distributed to Local Authorities for the period from 01 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 for the purpose of fulfilling the functions of the duties in line with the Act.

The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to formalise the working relationship and expectations relating to the grant payment from (DLUHC)

This will support the delivery of the Domestic Abuse Bill 2021 and enable Cheltenham Borough Council to support Gloucestershire County Council to fulfil their statutory duty under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 relating to the provision of support to victims of domestic abuse and their children residing within safe accommodation from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

None.

Memorandum of Understanding

Officer decision for CBC to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:12^th April 2021

https://democracy.cheltenham.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1527