The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 became law on 29 April 2021 and this report concerns the duties placed on West Sussex County Council under this Act.
The Act places a duty on Local Authorities in England to:
• provide all eligible homeless victims of domestic abuse with an automatic ‘priority need’ for homelessness assistance;
• ensure that when Local Authorities rehouse victims of domestic abuse, they do not lose a secure lifetime or assured tenancy;
• provide all eligible homeless victims of domestic abuse with an automatic ‘priority need’ for settled housing under the homelessness legislation.
Each Tier One Local Authority is required to undertake a needs assessment and prepare strategies to support victims of domestic abuse in safe accommodation. In Sussex a collaborative approach has been taken to the completion of the needs assessment and a strategy that covers East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove has been developed.
West Sussex County Council has been allocated £1,498,174 from Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to respond to the results of the required needs assessment and strategy.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Expenditure > £500,000;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Divisions affected: (All Divisions);
Notice of proposed decision first published: 15/09/2021
Decision due: January 2022 by Cabinet Member for Adults Services (Cllr Amanda Jupp)
Lead member: Councillor Amanda Jupp amanda.jupp@westsussex.gov.uk
Lead director: Emily King
Contact: Jim Bartlett, Head of community safety and wellbeing Email: jim.bartlett@westsussex.gov.uk Tel: Mobile: 07548 125813.
Consultation process
Representations concerning this proposed decision can be made via the officer contact.
Consultation with District and Borough Councils in West Sussex, Police & Crime Commissioner and East Sussex County Council.
Democratic Services Contact: Erica Keegan Tel: 033 022 26050