Governance and accountability

Cheshire West and Chester Council has a well-established Local Domestic Abuse Partnership Board, fulfilling the statutory requirement under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The Board brings together representatives from across the local authority, health services, police, voluntary and community sector organisations, and survivor voice panels. It operates as a sub-group of the Community Safety Partnership, ensuring strategic alignment with wider community safety priorities.

The Board is responsible for supporting the Council in meeting its duties under Section 57 of the Act, ensuring that all individuals harmed by domestic abuse - regardless of gender - have access to adequate and appropriate support within safe accommodation. It also plays a broader role in advising and working in partnership with the Council to improve outcomes for those harmed and those who harm in the context of domestic abuse.

The Board oversees the delivery of the Domestic Abuse Strategy through the implementation and monitoring of an Action Plan, supported by a range of subgroups and task-and-finish groups.

Board members are expected to:

• Provide expert advice, data, and insight to inform needs assessments and commissioning decisions
• Represent their sector or organisation and ensure two-way communication.
• Support engagement with survivors and ensure services reflect the complexity of their needs
• Contribute to the monitoring of Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) action plans.
• Ensure performance data is shared quarterly and that services reflect best practice
• Promote awareness and education through internal and external communication channels

The Board also has a statutory duty to report annually under Section 59 of the Act, with monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in place, including key performance indicators, survivor feedback, and alignment with guidance from the Domestic Abuse Commissioner.