Decision
Analysis
outcome: Recommendations Approved
summary: Addressing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Thanet
topline: The Council has decided to address Violence Against Women and Girls in Thanet by approving a series of recommendations to promote safety and awareness.
reason_contentious: This issue is contentious due to the sensitive nature of VAWG and the potential impact on various stakeholders in the community.
affected_stakeholders: ["Women and girls in Thanet", "Thanet Community Safety Partnership", "Licensed premises, vehicles, and drivers", "Young people, especially boys"]
contentiousness_score: 7
political_party_relevance: No explicit mention of political parties, but the decision reflects a commitment to government goals on VAWG.
URL: https://democracy.thanet.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=5380
Decision Maker:
Outcome: Recommendations Approved
Is Key Decision?: No
Is Callable In?: Yes
Purpose: Council considered a Notice of Motion to address Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Thanet at its meeting on 27 February 2025 and following debate decided the motion should be forwarded to Cabinet. The motion requested 7 actions: 1. Revisiting the aims and visions of TDC’s 2023 VAWG Strategy; 2. Promoting a Women’s Safety Charter; 3. Leveraging Licensing Tools; 4. Making Women’s Safety Central to Planning and Development; 5. Improving education and raising awareness about VAWG and healthy relationships; 6. Tackling reporting and enforcement issues; 7. Working efficiently and transparently for all.
Content: Council considered a Notice of Motion to address Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Thanet at its meeting on 27 February 2025 and following debate decided the motion should be forwarded to Cabinet. The motion requested 7 actions: 1. Revisiting the aims and visions of TDC’s 2023 VAWG Strategy; 2. Promoting a Women’s Safety Charter; 3. Leveraging Licensing Tools; 4. Making Women’s Safety Central to Planning and Development; 5. Improving education and raising awareness about VAWG and healthy relationships; 6. Tackling reporting and enforcement issues; 7. Working efficiently and transparently for all. Cabinet agreed the following: 1. Officers work with the Thanet Community Safety Partnership to look to include the suggestions made within the VAWG Motion in the revised TCSP VAWG Strategy; 2. Officers work towards establishing a Women's Safety Charter and seek external funds to support its implementation; 3. Officers will continue to work with licensed premises, vehicles, and drivers to promote safety and the VAWG agenda; 4. Officers explore ways to include women's safety in discussions around planning and development as well as including within our own developments and continue with community workshops when implementing projects; 5. The Thanet Community Safety Partnership continues to review and improve its specific VAWG and exploitation inputs including progression of virtual reality being designed by an international IT company, for young people, especially boys, to understand empathy and the impact of their behaviour and comments with regards to VAWG; 6. Officers carefully consider the results of the consultation for the PSPO in relation to this motion; 7. Officers present a report to Cabinet and on to Full Council within 12 months setting out the progress of any agreed actions in respect of the motion. The Government commitment to half VAWG in the next decade is a bold ambition and cannot be realised by the national government alone, by working in partnership with our statutory partners we can make a significant contribution to achieving this ambition. The alternative was to not consider or accept any of the recommendations in the notice to motion, this was rejected as Cabinet considers taking action against violence against women and girls an important aspect of their work and that by implementing the recommendations change will be made.
Date of Decision: June 4, 2025