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Approval to commence the procurement of
domestic abuse support services with a contract term of 3+1 years,
at an annual value of £161,000.

Reasons for the decision

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 places a statutory
duty on local authorities to ensure that victims of domestic abuse
and their children can access the right support in safe
accommodation when they need it. The current contract for the
provision of domestic abuse support services, which commenced on
1st April 2023, is held with the Dash (Domestic Abuse Stops Here)
Charity. The service was competitively commissioned for a contract
period of three years (two years with the option to extend for a
further one year to March 2026, which has been exercised). The
support services to be procured includes the following service
elements: • Single point of contact/ helpline • Adult
Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) support service for
high-risk individuals • Adult Outreach support service for
medium-risk domestic abuse victims • Children and young people
restorative programme (through 1:1 and group support) • Safe
accommodation support • Education and training on raising
awareness on domestic abuse and services to support workforce
development and community understanding • Signposting and
advocacy, ensuring joined up support pathways across health,
housing, social care and criminal justice The proposal will support
the vision to ‘Put the council on a strong financial footing
to serve the borough effectively’ by advertising the tender
with a fixed budget of £161,000 per annum allocated within
the base budget. The proposal supports the objective within the
Council Plan 2024-2028: The Domestic Abuse Strategy supports the
RBWM Council Plan 2024-2028: A cleaner, greener, safer and more
prosperous borough; Supporting children and young people to have a
great start in life and opportunities through to adulthood and
developing resilience for families; People living healthy and
independent lives in supportive communities; Listening to local
people, strengthening partnership work with VCSO and statutory
bodies, transparency and accountability, and empowering our
workforce. The procurement, which is being overseen by the
Procurement Team, is compliant with the Council’s
constitution contract and tendering rules and the Procurement Act
2023 and guidance. The contract terms and conditions are being
drafted by the RBWM Legal Services Team.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing - The provision of domestic abuse
support services is a statutory duty for local authorities under
the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. This option would mean the existing
contract would lapse in March 2026 without ongoing arrangements in
place, bringing the council into breach of its obligations. This
option is not compliant with the contracting and procurement
standing orders and regulations as the existing contract will have
reached the end of all possible extension options by March 2026 and
is, therefore, not permissible.