STAR (Rape Crisis Centre) Funding
North Ayrshire Council · 1 September 2026
Back to Cabinet — 1 September 2026 and its agenda
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 1 September 2026 Cabinet Title: STAR Rape Crisis Centre Funding Purpose: To seek approval from Cabinet for a fixed term funding award of £30,000 per annum for three years to support STAR Rape Crisis Centre. Recommendation(s): It is proposed that Cabinet approves a funding award of £30,000 per annum for three years to STAR Rape Crisis Centre, subject to a successful award from the National Lottery Fairer Life Chances fund and appropriate grant funding governance and monitoring arrangements. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The STAR Centre provides specialist trauma-informed support, counselling and advocacy to survivors of sexual violence, abuse and sexual exploitation across Ayrshire. The service supports women and girls aged 13 and over, including survivors who have experienced sexual violence historically or out with an intimate relationship, and provides a distinct service offer that complements existing service provision in relation to victims and survivors of domestic abuse in North Ayrshire. 1.2 The STAR Centre has recently applied to the National Lottery Fairer Life Chances Fund for £429,000 over three years to expand and sustain their services, including establishment of local outreach hubs across Ayrshire. To assist its wider funding application to the National Lottery, and leverage in £429,000 funding to Ayrshire, the STAR Centre has requested an annual Council contribution of £30,000 per annum over a three-year period, which is required to strengthen and support the National Lottery bid. This contribution has been matched, in principle, by East and South Ayrshire Councils. 1.3 The proposed contribution would support the development of dedicated outreach support and advocacy provision for North Ayrshire residents, improving local access to specialist trauma-informed services, reducing barriers caused by geography, poverty, transport and digital exclusion, and supporting earlier intervention, wellbeing, safety and recovery for survivors. 1.4 Cabinet is therefore requested to approve an award of funding on a fixed term basis of £30,000 per annum for three years. 2. Current Position 2.1 The STAR Centre is a Rape Crisis Centre and registered charity offering specialist trauma-informed support and advocacy services to survivors of sexual violence, abuse and sexual exploitation across East, North and South
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Ayrshire. While there is some overlap with the support offered by North Ayrshire Women’s Aid, the STAR Centre provides specialist sexual violence counselling and advocacy for survivors whose experiences may be historical or may have occurred out with an intimate relationship. 2.2 The STAR Centre also provides advocacy to support survivors and parents or carers to navigate the criminal justice system. Feedback from Police Scotland has confirmed that the STAR Centre is an invaluable resource for specialist investigation teams, providing a trusted setting for survivors to access support, engage with officers and, where appropriate, support evidence capture in a way that can reduce further trauma. 2.3 Between 1 April and 30 June 2026, the STAR Centre supported 64 survivors and victims based in North Ayrshire communities, representing 26% of the total 245 survivors supported during that period. Of the overall total, 94 were under 25 years of age and 29 were under 15 years of age. This demonstrates both the local demand for specialist provision and the relevance of the service to children, young people and families. The STAR Centre supports girls aged 13 and over. 2.4 The STAR Centre provides a volunteer-led helpline two days per week and offers outreach support in extenuating circumstances, with plans to further develop outreach into North & South Ayrshire for women unable to travel to their base in Kilmarnock. This addresses a gap in current local provision, particularly for younger survivors and those who may face barriers to travel. 2.5 The STAR Centre has applied to the National Lottery Fairer Life Chances Fund for £429,000 over three years to expand outreach services across North and South Ayrshire. The application has been assessed positively and is considered fundable and the additional award of £30,000 per annum for three years each from North, South and East Ayrshire Councils would support and strengthen this bid. 2.6 The application includes provision for establishment of local outreach hubs to provide face-to-face support and advocacy in accessible community settings, including through partnership with local public sector and third sector agencies. The intended outcomes are to increase access to specialist support for survivors in underserved areas; reduce inequalities arising from geography, poverty, disability, transport costs and digital exclusion; improve engagement and retention by delivering support closer to where survivors live; enable earlier intervention to reduce longer-term trauma impacts; and strengthen survivor wellbeing, safety, confidence and recovery. 2.7 The STAR Centre is already a member of the North Ayrshire Violence Against Women Partnership and shares intelligence on emerging issues, including increased referrals of young women under the age of 16 from schools. The bid also highlights that young survivors aged 13 to 18 would benefit from support delivered in schools, colleges or youth settings, helping to minimise disruption to education while providing emotional support, advocacy and support through the criminal justice process. 2.8 Police Scotland, Education and Housing colleagues have confirmed that this increasing demand is reflected within wider local and national pressures on violence against women and girls’ services.
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2.9 Approval of annual funding over the three-year period would help sustain access to specialist trauma-informed sexual violence support for North Ayrshire residents and improve the prospects of securing external funding through the National Lottery. The bid anticipates that each outreach worker would provide direct support to around 95 women per year, with a further estimated increase of 35 survivors from each area accessing criminal justice advocacy support. Across North and South Ayrshire this would equate to an estimated 260 survivors benefiting from direct support and advocacy each year, alongside additional access through the STAR Centre’s helpline. 2.10 The proposed delivery model would also provide a stronger basis for measuring local impact. The STAR Centre’s bid identifies intended measures including increased uptake from North and South Ayrshire, the proportion of appointments delivered face-to-face in outreach locations, reduced waiting times, reduced missed appointments compared with the centralised service, service user feedback on reduced barriers and increased feelings of safety and control, the number of advocacy cases supported, and evidence of improved accessibility for disabled survivors and those with poor mental health. 2.11 It should be noted that the Council was not contacted prior to the submission of the STAR Centre’s application to the National Lottery. In addition, the initial correspondence received did not include a specific request for a Council contribution, nor did it set out a timescale within which a decision was required. 2.12 While North Ayrshire Council was not engaged prior to the submission of the National Lottery application, discussions have subsequently taken place between officers within North, East and South Ayrshire Councils in relation to the STAR Centre’s funding request and the wider National Lottery bid. At this stage, South Ayrshire Council and East Ayrshire Council have each agreed in principle to provide funding of £30,000 per annum over three years, subject to their respective internal governance and approval processes. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed that Cabinet approves a funding award of £30,000 per annum for three years to STAR Rape Crisis Centre, subject to a successful award from the National Lottery Fairer Life Chances fund and appropriate grant funding governance and monitoring arrangements. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1. Following a review of earmarked funds, it is proposed that the £30,000 per annum for three years would be funded from current resources within Scottish Welfare Fund balances. Any support beyond 3 years would require to be considered as part of the Council's budget setting process. Human Resources
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4.2. There are no direct human resources implications for the Council arising from this proposal. Legal 4.3. The proposal is linked to the Council’s strategic objectives under Violence Against Women & Girls and there is no existing like-for-like service in North Ayrshire for the age group (13-16yrs old). The Council considers the support/contribution as grant funding and it would not require a procurement exercise. Any grant award will be subject to appropriate governance, monitoring and reporting arrangements and due diligence checks. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4. The proposal supports equality and socio-economic outcomes by improving access to specialist trauma-informed services for survivors of sexual violence, including girls aged 13 and over, young women, disabled women and those who may face barriers to accessing support. The National Lottery bid highlights that survivors in rural, remote and island communities can face significant barriers relating to transport, cost, privacy, caring responsibilities, disability, poor mental health and digital exclusion. Local outreach provision would help reduce these inequalities by enabling more survivors to access face-to-face support and advocacy in safe, accessible community settings. Environmental and Sustainability 4.5. There are no direct climate change or carbon implications arising from this proposal. Key Priorities 4.6 The proposal supports the Council’s priorities in relation to protecting vulnerable people, reducing inequality, strengthening partnership working and supporting safer communities through improved access to specialist sexual violence support. 4.7 The intended outcomes align with wider Violence Against Women and Girls priorities by supporting earlier intervention, trauma-informed recovery, improved safety and confidence for survivors, and strengthened local partnership responses across Ayrshire. Community Wealth Building 4.8. The proposal supports community wealth building by investing in a specialist third sector organisation that provides services to North Ayrshire residents and contributes to local partnership outcomes across Ayrshire. Islands Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) 4.9. The STAR Centre provides support across Ayrshire, Arran and Cumbrae. The proposal therefore has relevance to island communities by supporting access to specialist services for residents of Arran and Cumbrae, including through the planned development of outreach provision. This is particularly relevant where travel to Kilmarnock can require multiple forms of transport, create additional cost and safety concerns, and make regular face-to-face support unrealistic for some survivors.
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United Nations Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 4.10. The proposal supports the rights and wellbeing of children and young people by improving access to specialist sexual violence support for girls aged 13 and over and by recognising the needs of young survivors and their families. The bid identifies the potential for outreach workers to support young women aged 13 to 18 through schools, colleges and youth settings, helping to ensure support can be accessed locally and with minimal disruption to education. Consumer Duty 4.11. None. 5. Consultation 5.1 Consultation has included engagement with the STAR Centre, South Ayrshire Council, East Ayrshire Council, Police Scotland, the North Ayrshire Violence Against Women Partnership and relevant Council officers within Housing, Health & Social Care Partnership, Finance, Procurement and Legal). David W. Hammond Executive Director (Communities & Housing) For further information please contact Andrea Elliot, Senior Manager (Neighbourhood Housing & Homelessness), on andreaelliot@north- ayrshire.gov.uk or 01294314630. Background Papers N/A