Local Government minister Lord Bourne has been lobbied over the need for increased funding to tackle domestic abuse in Merseyside.
Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral have received Government funding for a pilot project to offer a specialist accommodation based support package to families fleeing domestic abuse, rather than having to go to a refuge.
The minister was in the area to look at the proposals and take part in a roundtable discussion on how to best tackle domestic abuse, during which the impact of funding cuts was discussed.
Domestic abuse services have been cut by £45k in Liverpool alone over the last few years due to central government funding reductions.
Cllr Emily Spurrell, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Safer Neighbourhoods at Liverpool Council, said: “It was good to meet with minster and took about the work being done locally but also raise the issue that support for domestic abuse needs to be a statutory service and be properly funded so no-one slips through the net.”
