Managers of Devon's domestic violence support groups have said the county council is still putting the service at risk despite reining back from a total cut in funding.

This week, the authority said £1.1m would be available in the coming year on top of the £470,000 earmarked for the three refuges.

Chief executive Phil Norrey said it had invested 'significantly' in preventative services but that times were tough.

'With reductions in national funding, this council has no option but to look critically at all areas of expenditure and prioritise its statutory responsibilities in order to deliver a balanced budget,' he said.

'This revised package would allow the continuation of significant elements of the current service through the coming financial year, albeit with some reductions needing to be made.'

The funding comprises £838,000 from the county council, £43,400 from NHS Devon, £40,000 from Devon and Cornwall Police and £40,000 from district councils.

The county council, police and the NHS have also agreed to commit £25,000 each in order to qualify for matched funding from the Home Office to enable a specific advice service to continue.

Managers of the domestic violence teams said the settlement represented a cut of more than £800,000 or 42 per cent and that the county council was 'dramatically' reducing its contribution contrary to an agreed model and at risk of ignoring its human rights obligations.

Christine McKenna, of the South and West Devon Domestic Violence Abuse Service, based in Newton Abbot, said: 'I would like to question the county council on its dramatic reduction into the Against Domestic Violence and Abuse partnership and how this will impact on equality issues. 

'My understanding is it says it has written an equalities impact assessment and consulted with members of the local community.

'To date, I have been unable to find a copy of this and have no knowledge of how it was undertaken.'

Chris Pearson, from SAFE, said: 'Our concern is that the public will have been given the impression that these cuts are minimal when in fact, at nearly half the original agreed amounts, they represent huge and damaging cuts within domestic violence services across Devon.'