Councillor Hart MOVED and Councillor McInnes SECONDED that the Cabinet’s advice be accepted and
‘that Council is committed to ensuring that victims presenting for domestic abuse support by local services commissioned by DCC receive the support they need and are not disadvantaged because of their status and therefore the Council will:
(a) work with local providers to explore how we can further improve access to support and services to be completely assured that no one is turned away on the basis of their immigration status;
(b) work with colleagues to understand how the issue presents itself in Devon within local migrant and settling communities (including those seeking asylum, those housed under the homes for Ukraine scheme and those housed in Home Office hotels, bridging hotels and in resettlement schemes);
(c) engage with organisations that already support and others that may be in a position to support this group to identify solutions that may minimise the impact of the reservation of Article 59 and ensure access to bespoke support; and
(d) create an opportunity to look at this issue in the context of the wider
system and engage stakeholders, particularly DWP, housing, health, generic support services, police and adult and children social care, in this conversation focused on increasing awareness and developing shared solutions’
The amendment in the name of Councillor Hart was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED and subsequently thereafter also CARRIED as the substantive motion.