Title and Reference – PCC/D/027
Subject: Domestic Abuse Services for Black Women in Bedfordshire
Report of: Police and Crime Commissioner
Date: 19/10/2024

Summary:

Bedfordshire Police informed to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office that a local organisation supporting domestic abuse victims, predominantly minority ethnic victims, had raised a concern over a perceived lack of funding for services to support Black women who are victims of domestic abuse in Bedfordshire.

Following these statements and trends being recognised, the Commissioning Team completed a needs assessment as detailed below, to uncover any gaps in service provision across Bedfordshire, in terms of ethnicity, religion, and cultural identity.

The Commissioning Team make a recommendation to procure a service to provide practical and emotional support for Black women in Bedford on the basis of this research. We propose to procure the service via Single Tender Action (STA) following advice sought from 7 Force Commercial Services, awarding funding to The Ebonista Project as they are deemed most appropriately placed to provide this support. The recommendation is to fund The Ebonista Project for an initial period of 18-months to embed a pilot into Bedford as there is less engagement from this community. The commissioning team have a view to extending the grant agreement after the 18-month period, with a potential extension for a further two sets of 12-months. Extension would be accepted only on the basis that the service continues to be fit for purpose as per demand and need analysis and continues to align to the PCC Plan.

The Commissioning Team will ask The Ebonista Project for a proposal to ensure funding equates to a meaningful amount, up to £10,000 for the first 6 months (Oct 2024 to March 2025).

The Commissioning Team will ask The Ebonista Project for a proposal to ensure funding equates to a meaningful amount, up to £20,000 to £30,000 each financial year from April 2025 to March 2028.

It is recommended that the Chief Executive on behalf of the PCC supports the decision to fund the Ebonista Project via a Single Tender Action (STA) for an initial period of 18-months to embed a pilot into Bedford, with a view to extending the grant agreement after the 18-month period, with a potential extension for a further two sets of 12-months. Extension would be accepted only on the basis that the service continues to be fit for purpose as per demand and need analysis and continues to align to the PCC Plan.

Recommendation:
To note decision
Bedfordshire Acting Chief Executive Wayne Humberstone
I hereby approve the recommendations above.