LGA responds to introduction of Domestic Abuse Bill to Parliament

16 Jul 2019 01:02 PM

Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, responded to the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Bill to Parliament today 

“Tackling domestic abuse is an issue that councils take very seriously which is why we support a greater focus on prevention and early intervention measures to tackle the root causes and support more victims of this horrendous crime.

"The ability of councils to fund services for victims is limited by significant 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 an £8 billion funding gap by 2025, any legislative changes in this Bill must be matched with adequate resources and funding which the new Prime Minister needs to address in the Spending Review.”

Notes

• Councils in England face an overall funding gap of £8 billion by 2025. The LGA’s #CouncilsCan campaign calls on the new Prime Minister to ensure the forthcoming Spending Review secures the future of vital local services and the long-term financial sustainability of councils. Visit our campaign page for more information.

“Landmark moment” as Domestic Abuse Bill introduced to Parliament