High Court battle for sisters

11:00am Thursday 8th May 2008

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TWO domestic violence victims have launched a court battle against Ealing Council in a bid to secure money for a local support group.

The move comes after top councillors announced they would push ahead with a tendering policy for borough-wide domestic violence provision.

Users of the Southall Black Sisters (SBS) group have filed the judicial review of the policy with the High Court, as they fear the policy would lead to a £100,000 annual grant to the group being slashed. If they are successful it would see the council's decision declared illegal.

The High Court has already granted an injunction which stops Ealing Council making any grant awards to voluntary bodies which provide domestic violence services in the borough until after the hearing, which will happen in June at the earliest.

Councillor Jason Stacey, the leader of Ealing Council, said: "In contesting the case the council is likely to incur high costs, but we feel we have a strong case.

"Because of the injunction we cannot fund any domestic violence services in the borough, so it is crucial this is heard as quickly as possible.

"We expected them to call a judicial review, we were just surprised it came so late. This could be built into a bit of a test case in terms of local government."

Under the terms of the injunction an interim grant given to SBS to cannot be extended - which means that from the end of May there will be no centrally-funded service in Ealing until the case is concluded.

Hannana Siddiqui, a co-ordinator of SBS, said: "Our users are concerned if this decision goes through there will be no access to domestic violence services for black and minority women which they have at the moment.

"Our lawyers are in discussion with the council to try and secure more interim funding until after the review, as it makes no sense to have a funding gap for services.

"If we do not get the money we will not be able to provide the same level of services after June."