The Community, Cultural, and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee of Lancashire County Council met on Thursday, 30 April 2026, to discuss domestic abuse services and the council's schools catering provision. The committee received updates on the council's public health approach to domestic abuse, including commissioned services and statutory responsibilities, and an update on the traded schools catering service, its operating model, quality standards, and growth opportunities. The committee reviewed the work programme for 2025/26 and made recommendations for future actions.

Domestic Abuse - A Public Health Approach

The committee received a comprehensive update on Lancashire County Council's approach to tackling domestic abuse, described as a significant issue affecting 20% of all recorded crime in the county. The report highlighted the scale of the problem, with nearly 18,000 offences reported in the last 12 months, and emphasised the hidden nature of domestic abuse, with only 28% of victim-survivors formally reporting incidents.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 was discussed, outlining the council's statutory duties to provide support within safe accommodation and to publish and deliver a local strategy. A public health approach, focusing on prevention and early intervention, was detailed as crucial for reducing harm and improving outcomes for victim-survivors and their children. The committee heard about the significant economic and social costs of domestic abuse, estimated at nearly £847 million in Lancashire for recorded crimes in 2025, with the true cost likely higher due to under-reporting.

Several commissioned services were presented, including:

• Domestic Abuse Support Services Lancashire (DASSL): Providing 190 units of safe accommodation across the county, including specialist provision for complex needs and protected characteristics, alongside community outreach support for adults and children.
• Preventing Abuse Behaviour Change Programme: A 10-week, one-to-one programme for 11-19 year olds exhibiting abusive behaviours in their relationships.
• Connect & Respect Healthy Relationships Programme: A school-based programme for secondary schools focusing on healthy relationships, consent, and digital abuse.

The committee heard that the council is enhancing community outreach and working to align the Connect and Respect programme with the PSHE curriculum. Plans are also underway to prepare for a potential Home Office Perpetrator Intervention Fund. The White Ribbon Campaign, aimed at engaging men and boys in challenging harmful behaviours, was also highlighted.

Discussions during the meeting covered referral pathways for the behaviour change programme, the impact of economic abuse and the cost of living crisis on victims, and the issue of homelessness linked to domestic abuse. Councillors also raised concerns about the prevalence of misogynistic content online and its influence on young people, and the challenges of addressing domestic abuse in older adults. The committee was assured that services are available across all districts and that efforts are made to ensure accessibility for diverse communities, including those with English as a second language.

Recommendations were made to write to the Cabinet Member for Resources, HR and Property regarding a potential public health underspend and seeking increased funding for domestic abuse services, and to invite the newly appointed champion for violence against women and girls to future sessions. It was also suggested that training on domestic abuse be made mandatory for councillors.

Traded Services – Schools Catering Service

The committee received an overview of Lancashire County Council's Schools Catering Service, described as the largest maintained local authority school catering service in England, serving approximately 68,000 meals daily. The service operates on a hybrid public-sector commercial model, combining aggregated demand with efficient procurement to offer high-quality meals at competitive prices.

Key aspects of the service discussed included:

• Operating Model: A sliding scale meal pricing model incentivises schools to increase meal uptake, improving labour productivity and offering competitive pricing. The service also provides additional services and a planned/reactive kitchen maintenance scheme.
• Quality and Nutrition: The service fully complies with Government School Food Standards and voluntarily adheres to additional standards like Soil Association Food for Life (Bronze level) and Sugarwise (Gold level). There is a strong focus on reducing fat, salt, and sugar, minimising ultra-processed foods, reducing food miles, and enhancing local SME engagement.
• Workforce: The service employs over 1,500 frontline catering staff, with a structured operational delivery across nine geographic areas and central support functions.
• Sustainability and Social Value: With an £11.5 million annual food procurement spend, 55% of ingredients are sourced from within Lancashire, contributing an estimated £26-£28 million annually to the local economy. This supports local SMEs, reduces food miles, and enhances food security.

Financially, the service has a £42.8 million revenue budget for 2026/27, with an income target of 8.92% contribution to overheads. The report acknowledged the complexity of financial management due to external factors like the cost of living and global economic impacts.

Discussions touched upon the percentage of food sourced locally, with explanations provided regarding the necessity of importing certain products like rice and bananas due to the UK's shorter growing season. The potential for extending growing periods through initiatives like greenhouse projects was mentioned. Councillors also questioned the realistic limit of local sourcing and the strategy for growth, particularly in attracting schools from other authorities. The value for money of bespoke products, such as Jule cheese, was debated, with the service arguing that value extends beyond cost to include nutritional benefits and support for local producers.

The committee was assured that the service is well-positioned for growth, with plans to leverage the increased demand from expanded free school meal eligibility and a strategic approach to expanding into neighbouring authority areas.

Community, Cultural and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2025/26

The committee reviewed the work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year. This programme outlines the planned scrutiny activities and topics to be covered by the committee. The next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, 1 July 2026, at 10 am.

The committee also made several recommendations:

• A recommendation was made to write to the Cabinet Member for Resources, HR and Property regarding a potential underspend in the public health budget and to inquire about seeking increased funding for domestic abuse services.
• It was recommended that the champion for violence against women and girls be invited to future committee sessions.
• A suggestion was made to consider making domestic abuse training mandatory for councillors.
• The committee recommended that the Cabinet be asked to consider further support for the third sector, given the current economic challenges.
• A briefing session for all councillors on domestic abuse, including resources and a review of the relevant website, was recommended.
• It was recommended that an emergency card provided to councillors be updated with further information.
• A recommendation was made to review the work programme and responses outlined.