Doncaster Council to call on Burnham’s government to prioritise tackling violence against women and girls

The City of Doncaster Council will call on Andy Burnham’s new government to properly fund and resource frontline services tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG).

It comes after councillors unanimously supported a motion from Councillor Nicola Brown, from the Independent Voices for Doncaster group, who said South Yorkshire’s historic failings in protecting women and children must never be repeated.

She told the chamber: “Violence against women and girls is not an abstract statistic. It is the lived reality of women across this city. Nationally, at least one woman a week is killed by a partner or ex-partner. One in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime.

“This motion asks us to reaffirm our zero-tolerance commitment, embed safety into our services, strengthen partnerships with organisations doing vital work on the ground, and call on Government to fund those services properly. Warm words without resources change nothing.

“I ask every member to support this motion, not as a party gesture, but as a statement of who we are and what we stand for. Every woman and girl in Doncaster deserves to live free from fear. This motion says we mean it.”

The motion was seconded by Labour cabinet member, Coun Gemma Cobby, who formed the Doncaster VAWG Community Group alongside two friends.

“Since I was elected in 2021, the Violence Against Women and Girls agenda has always been at the forefront of my agenda as a councillor,” she told the chamber.

“During that time, we saw the high profile deaths of Sarah Everard and sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, who were women targeted for just being women living their lives during covid, but were failed by services meant to keep them safe from harm and provide dignity.

“It is important for us to pass this motion today to raise awareness, but particularly to highlight to the new Prime Minister our ask to continue prioritising tackling VAWG as part of the government’s new agenda.”

The motion received support from across the chamber with many speaking in support of Coun Brown’s proposal.

Coun Steven Plater, who represents Adwick and Carcroft for Reform UK, said: “Our society isn’t worth a lot if we can’t safeguard our women and girls.

“It ought to be a priority for this council and it ought to be a priority for this government, so I will be supporting this motion.”

Labour’s Coun Jane Kidd said: “Men can challenge. Men can call out inappropriate comments from friends or colleagues… Too often, harmful behaviour is dismissed as banter.”

She told the chamber that if men challenge inappropriate behaviour when they see it, it can greatly reduce the chances of abuse taking place.

Reform UK Doncaster leader, Coun Howard Rimmer, said he “wholeheartedly” agreed with the motion, but questioned why it had been proposed.

He said: “I do, however, wonder why we have had this motion. The motion says ‘to reaffirm’, ‘continue’, ‘continue’ and ‘review’, so everything in the motion is already in action.”

The vote was passed unanimously, with 45 of the 46 councillors in attendance voting in favour, with one councillor abstaining.