Fire stations could be used as ‘safe havens’ for women fleeing domestic violence. The idea will be put to the Safer Stockport Partnership (SSP) - a multi-agency body jointly chaired by the council and GMP- at its next meeting in November.
It was suggested by Councillor Steve Gribbon, a retired firefighter of 30 years service, at a town hall scrutiny meeting on Monday night. Coun Gribbon welcomed the inclusion of the government’s Tackling Domestic Abuse plan as one of the ‘policy drivers’ within the communities and housing portfolio.
And he went on to tell the committee he was aware that he was aware that a lot of money had recently been spent on fire station community rooms. “Is it something we could take forward about having fire stations as a potential safe haven?” he added.
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The Marple North councillor said he wanted to explore the possibility of using them 'if someone is in need of a place where they can be safe, secure [and] without fear of somebody else encroaching in their position in that place’. “Anyone is always welcome in a fire station,” he contined, describing them as an ‘accessible point’.
"But if it’s advertised that is a specific place to go then the person knows that is a safe place for them to gain access to, where a friendly face and a friendly crew will meet them and make sure sure they are safe as possible before any further intervention from the police and so forth, takes place.”
Coun Helen Foster-Grime, cabinet member for housing and communities, said she would be ‘very happy’ to take the idea to the SSP at its next meeting on November 20. “I will put forward that idea to see whether that can be investigated and looked into if the fire service are willing to do that. On the face of it, it seems like a welcome idea to me,” she said.
The Domestic Abuse Act places a duty on local councils to provide support to victims of domestic abuse and their children in refuges and other safe accommodation. Formed in 1998, The SSP includes a range of local public service representatives who work alongside voluntary and community organisations to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour, reoffending and substance misuse.
Its priorities include protecting vulnerable people and transforming justice. Earlier this year the government launched a new Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan informed by victims and survivors.
The new plan aligns closely to the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and sets an ambition of prioritising the prevention of such crimes, supporting victims and pursuing perpetrators. Some 2.3 million people in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse in the last year and around 1 in 5 homicides are related to domestic abuse.
Stockport council’s housing and communities scrutiny committee met at the town hall on Monday night (September 5).
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