Half a million pounds to be made available to help victims of domestic abuse in Nottinghamshire

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The funding, which will be made available from April, will help cash-strapped councils provide refuge services for victims and their families.

Nottinghamshire County Council will get £500,000, while Nottingham City Council will receive £100,000.

The funding is temporary, with no long-term funding plan yet in place, and councils had to bid to the Government for the money.

Nottingham City Council welcomed the news, but called for the Government to ‘properly’ fund the service.

Refuges have today said they were at risk of closure if the funding had not been secured.

The Government’s long-awaited Domestic Abuse Bill, which was postponed due to the Brexit paralysis and then again by the General Election, is due to be re-introduced to the House of Commons imminently.

It is expected to establish a new Domestic Abuse Commissioner and prohibit the cross-examination of victims by their abusers in court.

The Government says the new funding announced on Monday, February 17 will enable victims and their children to stay safe, recover from the trauma, and access safe permanent rehousing where needed.

Conservative Robert Jenrick is the Government’s Communities Secretary, as well as being the MP for Newark.

He said: “Domestic abuse destroys lives and leaves victims living in fear in their own homes – the place where they should feel most safe and secure.

“No victim of domestic abuse should have to struggle to get the right support, or wait months for help that they need.

“This new funding of £2.8 million will help councils in the East Midlands better protect victims and their children and provide essential life-saving services, delivering the urgent support that they need to rebuild their lives.”

Cathy Saunders is the chief executive of Midlands Women’s Aid, and said: “This funding has allowed us to maintain our services for a further year. Without it our refuge and related services would have closed later this year resulting in the loss of 53 bed spaces.”