A WORCESTER city councillor has hit out at the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) after funding for the Domestic Abuse Support Worcestershire (DAWN) Project across the south of the county was withdrawn.
Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Worcester City councillor Sarah Murray penned an open letter to PCC John Campion, expressing her concern for the victims of domestic violence.
Fellow councillor Edward Kimberley raised the issue at a full council meeting on Tuesday (March 18) asking the Leader of the Council for a response.
In that meeting, Coun Lynn Denham said: “I think many of us have seen the value of the DAWN Project.
“It’s been life-changing – it started in Worcester City and has, in recent years, been provided across South Worcestershire.
“We are all hugely disappointed the PCC has chosen not to fund it, in spite of lobbying on our behalf.
“Public Health are now looking at a similar publicly funded service.
“There is also a crowdfunding campaign, closing this week with match funding. I hope colleagues will do their best to support it, but I am very disappointed the PCC does not see fit to provide funding.”
Coun Murray said:
“Survivors should never have been put in this position in the first place.
“Relying on crowdfunding to keep essential domestic abuse services running is completely unacceptable. It is the duty of those in power—particularly the PCC—to ensure specialist services remain available, not to shift the burden onto the public.
“The decision to defund DAWN is made even more indefensible when we consider the rising office costs of the PCC, the addition of two deputies, and the fact the PCC has the unrestricted ability to raise council tax.
“Meanwhile, frontline policing faces cuts, and community safety is not being prioritised. This is not a funding issue—it is a question of priorities.”
In response, PCC John Campion said:
“The provision for survivors is not standing still, as I remain unrelenting in my focus to meet the needs of victims and witnesses.
“I am also working with Victim Support to deliver a landmark Victims’ Hub, which will deliver a greater level of service for victims of crime, including domestic abuse.
“Within policing, which includes my budget for commissioned services, we are facing financial challenges.
“I have therefore had to make some difficult decisions around how money is used and allocated, which includes carrying out a full review of our victim services to ensure there is no duplication. ”
