Agenda item

 A report had been presented to the Group from Victoria Roberts (Interim DV/VAWG Commissioner).

Section 2.1 of the report detailed some of the work that had been carried out to date concerning the DHR (‘Susan’), Task and Finish Group.

The Group were informed that the Task and Finish Group met on 16^th June 2016 to look at the progress made to date by various agencies against the DHR action plan. The Group were dismayed to learn that out of the 11 members invited to the Task and Finish Group meeting, only two attended; these were Lina Wallace (Victim Support) and Clare Lewin (CCG). Superintendent Trevor Lawry explained that it was important to receive feedback from the other partner organisations so that the DHR recommendations could be properly implemented. This was a sentiment echoed by Ms Roberts, who highlighted that buy in was required from all agencies.

The Chairman asked Ms Roberts to supply him with the details of the partner agencies that had failed to attend, and stated that he would contact those agencies concerned, and would highlight the need for them to participate in the process. He asked Barbara Godfrey from Oxleas why Oxleas did not send a representative. Ms Godfrey responded that she was not aware of the email or of the meeting of the Task and Finish Group. The Chairman was very concerned that representatives of many of the partners had not attended, and noted that this was a very important piece of work that needed to be completed; it was also the case that report had to be completed and sent to the Home Office.  

The MOPAC contract was discussed, and the various projects supported by MOPAC funding were noted. The Group were concerned that all of the MOPAC commissioned services were contracted until March 2017 only, and there were no other sources of funding currently. The Group were updated that a Gateway Review outlining strategic aims would be submitted to the Executive for approval, and then a funding application would be submitted to MOPAC. Ms Roberts suggested that external sources of funding should be considered as a contingency.

Anne Ball from MOPAC explained that all of the current projects would fall within the remit of the London Crime Prevention Programme, and funding allocations would be made after the programme was finalised. The EDECS (Executive Director of Environmental and Community Services) pointed out that LBB would have difficulty in commissioning services going forward until the funding issue was resolved.

Rob Vale (Head of Trading Standards and Community Services) informed the Group that this was a matter that was flagged up on the risk register as high risk, and that similar circumstances had arisen previously, which meant that LBB officers had to work to tight deadlines at short notice to get funding applications in on time. Ms Roberts highlighted the fact that it took 5-6 months to recommission a service, and Anne Ball stated that MOPAC were relying on the new administration at City Hall.

Ms Roberts updated the Group concerning the Bromley Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women and Girls Forum. The purpose of the forum was explained, and it was noted that a meeting of the Forum had taken place on 17^th May 2016 which was well attended with 25 attendees. The newly elected Chairman was Rebecca Hitchen (Operations Manager for the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre) and the Vice Chair Person was Constanze Sen (CEO-Bromley Women’s Aid).

Ms Roberts updated the Group concerning the Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Group. It was noted that this Group did not exist currently in Bromley. The Strategic Group (when formed) would be a sub group of the Safer Bromley Partnership. The Strategic Group would be the link between the SBP, DV/VAWG Forum and the MARAC Steering Group. 

The next update was concerning the Domestic Violence and VAWG Strategy. The Group noted that this Strategy would need to align with the strategy suggested by central government in order to attract funding.

The final update was concerning the Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC). The Group heard that Bromley MARAC was subject to a self-assessment carried out by ‘SafeLives’ on 9^th June 2015. A number of concerns had arisen out of the self-assessment, including then fact that during 2014, Bromley MARAC discussed only 118 cases out of a possible 520, which was only 23%. Because of this, it had been agreed that a MARAC Steering Group be set up. It was intended that the MARAC Steering Group be a sub group of the Safer Bromley Partnership. The first MARAC Steering Group meeting would provisionally take place in September 2016. 

RESOLVED that:

(1) the Chairman would contact those agencies that had not attended the DHR task and Finish Group

(2) the DV & VAWG Strategic Group for Bromley be set up as a sub group of the Safer Bromley Partnership

(3) a MARAC Steering Group be set up