LGA responds to draft Domestic Abuse Bill

Responding to the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill announced by government today, Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said:

“Tackling domestic abuse is an issue that councils take very seriously which is why we support further measures to improve work with local partners to help support more victims and stop this horrendous crime.

“However, the ability of councils to fund services for victims is constrained by pressures on their budgets, with local authorities increasingly being forced to prioritise spending for those at immediate risk of harm, rather than on vital earlier support services and prevention schemes which help stop domestic abuse occurring in the first place.

“With local government facing a £3.1 billion funding gap in 2019/20, any legislative changes in this Bill must be matched with adequate resources and funding.”