Domestic abuse policy & procedure

3.1 Full Council sets the budget and therefore the financial parameters in which the HRA operates which includes the costs of tenancy services to ensure regulatory standards are met and residents are safe in their homes.

3.2 Cabinet in consultation with Housing Board will have governance responsibility for ensuring this policy is fully implemented.

3.3 For assurance that this policy is operating effectively in practice, the Housing Board will receive regular updates on its implementation. Implementation of this policy is under continuous review by the Housing Management, Tenancy Services Team.

3.4 The diagram below illustrates the organisational structure of tenancy services and the flow of policy from cabinet through to operational delivery.

3.5 The following personnel have core responsibilities in ensuring that the council manage the risk of Domestic Abuse within its property portfolio. 

Nominated Authorities:
Statutory Duty Holder - Chief Executive.
Nominated Responsible Person - Director - Assets.
Nominated Deputy Responsible Persons - Head of SAM&FM and Housing Management Services, and Tenancy Services Manager.
Operational Staff - Senior Neighbourhood Officer and Neighbourhood Officer.

3.6 The following are the principal duty holders for Housing in the council.

• Members of the Cabinet and the portfolio holder:
  Shall have a clear accountability for oversight and scrutiny of the council's performance in relation to regulatory requirements.
  Shall ensure that suitable resources and strategic direction are available to discharge the council's domestic abuse responsibilities.
  Shall monitor, via reports, the overall performance of the council's domestic abuse management system.
• Chief Executive
  Shall allocate and prioritise resources to be able to apply this policy.
• Director - Assets
  Shall be responsible for the discharging of duties on behalf of the Chief Executive.
  Shall be accountable for ensuring that their services comply with the regulatory standards.
  Shall ensure that all risks within their service are assessed and control measures are introduced to minimise the risks as far as reasonably practicable.
  Shall monitor domestic abuse response performance.
• Head of SAM & FM and Housing Management Services/Tenancy Services Manager
  Shall ensure that compliance to the domestic abuse policy is met and oversee day-to-day management of domestic abuse cases within HRA responsibility.
  Shall provide managers and employees with timely information on changes to legislation, best practice and guidance.
  Shall maintain the domestic abuse policy and ensure that the policy, and revisions made to it, are made available to all staff.
  Shall ensure that all staff are trained, or otherwise competent, to be able to apply the domestic abuse measures required by regulation.
• Senior Neighbourhood Officer and Neighbourhood Officer
  Shall support Head of SAM&FM and Housing Management Services/Tenancy Services Manager in their duties to ensure the council meets its regulatory requirements for domestic abuse.