Thread by @rebelyarns

Thread 🧵

On 17th June, local residents and councillors asked a series of questions about the future of domestic abuse services in Brighton & Hove, following the defunding of @riseuk earlier this year.

We heard some welcome commitments, but we are still very concerned.

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We have been asking since February for the tender documents for domestic abuse services, but @BrightonHoveCC has missed deadline after deadline and still not released them.

We have seen the Equality Impact Assessments used. You can read them here: brightonriseup.wordpress.com/update-june-20…

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Debbie asked the @brightonhovecc TECC Committee why their Equality Impact Assessment says there will be a shift away from women only refuge provision in year 3 of the contract. Committee Chair @steffingtonheg said there will be new resources by year 3. We look forward to it
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I asked why the EIA (in the section on 'sex') says providers should recruit 'under-represented groups' to work at the refuge. @steffingtonheg said @BrightonHoveCC won't be encouraging @StonewaterUK to employ male workers at the Brighton refuge. Good to hear, but...

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... @stonewateruk think it's a good idea for women at their South Asian womens refuge to talk to male counsellors, so we are not entirely reassured. stonewater.org/careers/discov…

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We asked councillors & officers to read this powerful blog by @K_IngalaSmith, to understand why this is not appropriate for women recovering from abuse: kareningalasmith.com/2020/07/08/tra…

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We also asked about how @brightonhovecc plan to use the £606k they have been awarded by @mhclg for their new duties under the Domestic Abuse Act.

Anna asked why they can't use the expertise of @riseuk staff, rather than employing and training a council officer

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Ali (@hanoverhussy) asked why there isn't a needs assessment already in place, if the @SussexPCC office has had £50k to develop one since November 2020

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and questioned whether we really need to produce a needs assessment before starting to spend this money on desperately needed local services.

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Cllr @Woodingdean_Dee later found out that we *don't* need to wait for the needs assessment. Which makes us wonder why @Brightonhovecc has been holding onto the funding since April and not using it.

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Some questions raise more questions. Cllr @AmandaJG64 asked why ££ is being spent on preparing social landlords to provide services.

Will this be the specialist, trauma-informed support women need? #notjustaroof

Great that @amandajg64 will meet @CommissionerDA

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Cllr @Woodingdean_Dee wondered why developing a needs assessment and strategy costs £50k in the @sussexpcc office and another £25k in @BrightonHoveCC

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and @naomibos suggested we might be better off just making our own decisions here in Brighton & Hove

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Last - unanswered - question from @benge_nicola: how can 9 people do the work that used to be done by 17?

We're pleased that councillors are asking hard questions. We hope the cross-party working group which starts work on 5th July will get some answers for women in B&H

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Just reminded that I made a mistake in my question (tweet 4 of this thread). The @StonewaterUK Asian women's refuge is not in Hampshire, it's in Bedford. Apologies.