A project to help early identification of domestic abuse victims in Essex has been given £3.3million by central government.

The Early Intervention – Transforming Essex scheme aims to set up shared databases between a number of agencies.

It hopes to pinpoint potential victims and allow earlier action to be taken to help them by placing additional community workers in GP surgeries and other public places to support them, and other vulnerable people.

The project is led by Essex County Council (ECC) and backed by a number of authorities including Tendring District Council and the Essex Police and Crime Commissioner.

It has been awarded £3,300,044 funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Transformation Challenge Award. It is one of 73 schemes nationally to be chosen for funding which hope to achieve £900m of savings longer-term.

David Finch, leader of ECC and Chairman of Essex Partnership said: “The award of this funding is testament to the work Essex partners have done in building public services aimed at people and what they need rather than institutions and what they do.

“This new money will help us share information better and try new initiatives that will help communities get stronger and enable residents to take control of their own health and wellbeing.”

Colchester Borough Council has also been given £205,000 for its Integrated Customer Journeys – Faster, deeper, broader project, to integrate customer services with ECC.

The project is being run with the help of Colchester Community Voluntary Services.

Martin Hunt, leader of CBC, said: “This funding award will help Colchester realise its vision with ECC and other partners to develop the Community Hub and our ‘in person’ services.”

Local government minister Kris Hopkins said: “The local authorities behind these projects have shown what can be done to improve the services people get, helping them to live independently and reducing demand for public services.

“By working with the police, health bodies, Jobcentre Plus, voluntary groups and others they are eliminating waste and creating services which help people first time – not services which send people from pillar to post to get problems sorted.”