Sutton Council is committing more than £1 million to transform the local response to the growing issue of domestic abuse in the borough.

Reported cases of domestic violence and abuse rose in Sutton by eight per cent last year.

The money will fund services newly contracted to the Transform partnership, which will “coordinate partner activity to enable people in Sutton to identify abuse and respond to it if they are a victim of suspect someone else is.”

Leader of Sutton Council, Cllr Ruth Dombey, said: “We are making this significant investment to help protect the extremely vulnerable in our community.

“Our shared vision for the borough, The Sutton Plan, sets out how we want everyone to have a better quality of life and greater opportunities.

“Tackling the root causes of issues and helping people as quickly as possible will improve social problems and injustice.

“We are committed to working to ensure that everyone in Sutton can live safely in their homes and neighbourhoods.

“We are ambitious for Sutton to remain a great place to live, work and raise a family and we recognise we have more to do to make this a reality for our most vulnerable residents.

“That is why we are focusing on both reducing domestic abuse and also improving our ability to look after and guarantee the safety of victims, survivors and their children.”

This funding forms part of the council’s contribution to the Domestic Abuse Transformation Programme, set up in 2017 with partners across the borough, to tackle domestic abuse as an urgent priority.

The partnership includes Epsom and St Helier hospitals, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London Fire Brigade, Metropolitan Police Service, Primary and Secondary School Heads, Community Action Sutton, Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group and Sutton Housing Partnership and Public Health.

Led by Cranstoun, a charity with more than 50 years’ experience “empowering people to live healthy, safe and happy lives”, Transform incorporates local women’s organisation, aiming to co-ordinate their specialist services.

The range of services includes abuse awareness and prevention training, one to one and group support for children affect by domestic abuse as well as treatment for perpetrators through one-to-one support sessions.

Service provision will be strengthened by the network of partner relationships including GPs, hospitals, probation, police, courts, homeless services, social care, substance abuse, mental health, sexual health and education, training and employment providers.