Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015

Local strategies E+W

5 Duty to prepare local strategies E+W

(1) A local authority and a Local Health Board any part of whose area lies within the area of the local authority must jointly prepare a strategy (“a local strategy”) for the local authority's area.

(2) A local strategy must—

(a) specify objectives which the local authority and the Local Health Board consider will, if achieved, contribute to the pursuit of the purpose of this Act;

(b) specify the periods of time within which the local authority and the Local Health Board propose to achieve the specified objectives;

(c) identify the actions the local authority and the Local Health Board propose to take to achieve the specified objectives.

(3) A local authority and a Local Health Board may specify objectives relating to the whole of the authority's area or any part of it.

(4) A local strategy may also include provision relating to specific action which the local authority and the Local Health Board expect to be taken in relation to the local authority's area by—

(a) any public authority with functions which are capable of contributing to the pursuit of the purpose of this Act, or

(b) any voluntary organisation or other person whose activities are capable of contributing to the pursuit of that purpose.

(5) But the inclusion in a local strategy of any provision relating to action mentioned in subsection (4) requires the approval of the body or person concerned.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 5 in force at 4.1.2016 by S.I. 2015/2019, art. 2(a)

6 Publication and review of local strategies E+W

(1) A local authority and a Local Health Board's first local strategy must be published no later than one year after the date on which the first ordinary election is held following the date on which section 5(1) is commenced.

(2) No later than one year after the date of each subsequent ordinary election, a local authority and Local Health Board must review their local strategy.

(3) A local authority and a Local Health Board—

(a) may review their local strategy at any other time, and

(b) must review their local strategy if directed to do so in writing by the Welsh Ministers.

(4) A direction under subsection (3)(b) must state the reasons for giving the direction.

(5) If a local authority and a Local Health Board decide to revise their local strategy following a review, they must publish the revised strategy as soon as is reasonably practicable.

(6) A local authority and Local Health Board must consult such persons as they consider appropriate before—

(a) publishing their first local strategy;

(b) revising their local strategy.

(7) In this section, “ordinary election” means an election held under section 26 of the Local Government Act 1972 (c.70) (elections of councillors to local authorities).

Commencement Information

I2 S. 6 in force at 4.1.2016 by S.I. 2015/2019, art. 2(b)

7 Matters to which regard must be had in preparing or reviewing a local strategy E+W

(1) In preparing and reviewing a local strategy, a local authority and Local Health Board must have regard to—

(a) the most recently published national strategy;

(b) the most recent assessment for the local authority's area under section 14 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (anaw 4) (assessment of needs for care and support, support for carers and preventative services);

(c) the most recent strategic assessment prepared in accordance with regulations under section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c.37) relating to reducing crime and disorder in the local authority area;

(d) the most recent strategic assessment prepared in accordance with regulations under that section relating to combating substance misuse in the local authority area;

(e) the most recent strategic assessment prepared in accordance with regulations under that section relating to the reduction of re-offending in the local authority area.

(2) The Welsh Ministers may by regulations make provision for and in connection with requiring—

(a) a local authority and Local Health Board to have regard to anything specified in the regulations when preparing or reviewing a local strategy;

(b) a local authority or a Local Health Board to conduct further assessments for the purpose of this Act in relation to any matter specified in the regulations.

(3) The power to make regulations in subsection (2) is to be exercised by statutory instrument.

(4) A statutory instrument containing regulations made under subsection (2) is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.

Commencement Information

I3 S. 7 in force at 4.1.2016 by S.I. 2015/2019, art. 2(c)

8 Duty to implement local strategies E+W

(1) A local authority must, in exercising its functions, take all reasonable steps to achieve the objectives specified in the most recently published local strategy for its area.

(2) The Local Health Board with which the authority prepared that strategy must, in exercising its functions, take all reasonable steps to achieve the objectives specified in the strategy.

Commencement Information

I4 S. 8 in force at 4.1.2016 by S.I. 2015/2019, art. 2(d)