Decision details

Part 3, Schedule 3 – Responsibility for Executive Functions delegated to Officers paragraph 4.3 (1) – the Corporate Director has delegated authority to discharge executive functions within their respective service areas (Part 3.38). All delegations are subject to consultation where considered appropriate in the circumstances (paragraph 4.3 (4(ii) – Part 3.39). The Corporate Director (Operational Services) has delegated operational matters relating to the running of the Housing service to the Head of Housing

To provide a grant of £25,550 to the Colchester and Tendring Womens Refuge (CTWR) in support of their outreach work and ongoing work around preventing homelessness and supporting victims of domestic violence. It is proposed that the grant will be paid for the 2017/18 financial year and also the 2018/19 financial year subject to the availability of funding and the budget setting process. A grant, of a similar amount, has been paid to the CTWR for many years in support of the activities carried out. The funding is paid from the Council’s Homelessness Prevention Grant that is received annually from the government. Given some recent changes in staffing at the CTWR along with changes in how they are commissioned to provide domestic abuse services in this area it has been considered appropriate to review the level of grant funding along with what it is paid towards. This work has been undertaken and a new service level agreement drawn up.

The main consideration is financial and based on past performance of the CTWR the funding provided is considered to be good value for money. The performance of the CTWR in using the funding will be monitored. No alternative options have been considered at this stage. The CTWR provides a unique service in area supporting victims of domestic violence.