ALMOST £100,000 in grant funding has been secured to support a sanctuary scheme for people affected by domestic abuse.

The cash will be used to fund Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Domestic Abuse Service to enhance their domestic abuse safe house provision and deliver a sanctuary scheme in the borough.

Funding will also be used by HARV to employ support workers which include a dedicated BME (Black Minority Ethnic) and complex needs worker and a part time family support worker to support families living in the safe houses and ensuring that victims from all sections of the community are able to access the provision.

HARV also manages and co-ordinates the borough’s sanctuary scheme provision for victims of domestic abuse in Hyndburn.

This support enables victims of domestic abuse to stay safe in their own homes through the provision of physical security measures including window and door locks, strengthening doors, and emergency alarms.

Bosses say the grant funding will ensure this scheme continues.

Housing strategy and policy manager, Fiona Goodfellow, said: "The council will enter into a grant agreement with HARV which will provide funding to HARV to enable it to deliver support to the residents in Hyndburn’s safe houses and to deliver a sanctuary scheme to keep victims of domestic abuse safe and secure in their own homes.

"There are no realistic alternative options. Both Hyndburn Council and HARV supported the successful bid to government. "HARV has provided the support to the residents in Hyndburn’s safe house for the last five years and has delivered the

sanctuary scheme in the borough since 2006.

"This new funding will enable HARV to continue to deliver support to vulnerable victims of domestic abuse in the borough.

"As the funding is for 18 months only it does not seem reasonable or proportionate to look at grant funding other agencies that would have set up costs."