Agenda and minutes

View the meeting transcript

1.1.      The Chair welcomed Members and members of the public to the meeting.

1.2.      Apologies for absence were received from Rhiannon Passmore AM

Eleri Butler, Welsh Women’s Aid 

Frances Beecher, Violence Against Women Action Group

Jackie Stamp, New Pathways

Mutale Merrill, BAWSO

2.1The Committee received evidence from:

·         Eleri Butler, Welsh Women’s Aid

·         Frances Beecher, Violence Against Women Action Group

·         Jackie Stamp, New Pathways

·         Mutale Merrill, BAWSO

2.2 Frances Beecher agreed to provide the Committee with details of how the Strategic Wellbeing Assessment Group in Gwent was looking at all legislation and aligning services accordingly

2.3 Mutale Merrill agreed to provide the Committee with a note on Bawso’s position regarding the devolution of more powers to Wales in relation to the funding for support services

Fflur Elin, National Union of Students

Claire O’Shea, National Union of Students

Vivienne Laing, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Fflur Elin, National Union of Students

·         Claire O’Shea, National Union of Students

·         Vivienne Laing, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)

3.2 Vivienne Laing agreed to provide the Committee with details about the NSPCC/Bawso ‘Voices over Silence’ project materials.

Sian Morris, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

Joy Williams, Welsh Local Government Association

4.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Sian Morris, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

·         Joy Williams, Welsh Local Government Association

4.2 Joy Williams and Sian Morris agreed to provide the Committee with the following information:

·         details of whether all local authorities in Wales are currently developing draft local strategies for their own area

·         details of the Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council VAWDA Leadership Group Board, including its Terms of Reference and details of what, and how, the Board has learned

·         views on how local authorities will report on how they are addressing the requirements of the Act and, subsequently, who will collate data on local authority performance

·         details and evidence of whether good practice guidance around Healthy Relationships is reaching individual schools across Wales

·         details of how the WLGA have worked with local authorities in developing local strategies

·         details of how local authorities are seeking the views of survivors of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence

Lin Slater, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Chris Overs, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Wendy Sunderland-Evans, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board

Aideen Naughton, Public Health Wales

5.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Lin Slater, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

·         Chris Overs, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

·         Wendy Sunderland-Evans, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board

·         Aideen Naughton, Public Health Wales

6.1 The Committee noted the letter from the Chair to Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children regarding Post legislative inquiry into the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Act 2015

6.2 The committee noted the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children regarding Post legislative inquiry into the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Act 2015

6.3 The Committee noted the letter from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent on future work relating to tackling violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.

For consideration of evidence received during evidence sessions 1,2,3 and 4.

The Committee agreed the motion.

The Committee discussed the evidence during the morning’s meeting.