Women-only refuge service to continue, says Highland Council
Getty ImagesA dedicated refuge service for female survivors of domestic abuse in the Highlands will continue, the local authority has said.
A Highland Council review of the provision sparked concerns about future funding of the service.
Independent Culloden and Ardersier Morven Reid asked for an update at Wednesday's meeting of the council's health, social care and wellbeing committee.
Officials said the women-only service would continue.
In November, Highland Council began a review of contracts for four women's aid organisations - Inverness, Lochaber, Ross-shire and Skye and Caithness and Sutherland.
The council was at the time considering changing to funding just one provider for the whole region and to also make the service available to men.
Inverness Women's Aid had said the groups did not have the resources to meet the demands of the new possible arrangement and warned services could shut down.
On Wednesday, officials said three out of four contracts had been secured with just south Highland remaining. A deadline for a decision there has been extended to the end of June.
Liberal Democrat Caol and Mallaig councillor John Grafton was assured by the update, but raised concerns over funding levels.
He said he was made aware that in Lochaber "they had to drop a member of staff" because of funding problems.
"Are we looking to increase funding for women's services?" he asked.
In response, officials said the new contacts were more "flexible" and providers could now look for "match funding" on top of their contacts.
Committee chairman David Fraser said a further update would be provided to councillors in August.
