DN57950 Domestic Abuse and Homeless Strategy

Tender description

Consultation on the Homeless strategy was agreed by Cabinet on 16th August 2021. We have a statutory duty to have a Homelessness Strategy that has been widely consulted upon. We have had Arena Partners engaged as a specialist consultancy with a specific skill-to deliver the development, writing and embedding of a new governance structure. Their current arrangement is due to end on 30 Sept 2021, and therefore a three month extension is required to finalise the strategy, embed the new governance to ensure we can meet our statutory duties. In addition, the homelessness work crosses over into domestic abuse. MHCLG have set a deadline of 24th Oct for Liverpool City Council to deliver a draft statement on Safe Accommodation as part of a forthcoming Domestic Abuse Strategy. Again, this is a statutory duty, and there is not the internal capacity to ensure we can meet this deadline. It is therefore proposed that Arena Partners support this work for no additional cost. Finance approval is attached and the reason for the spend is Statutory/legal duties. The three month period will allow us to go out to commission a wider piece of work on domestic abuse and a further phase of support for homelessness transformation and a DAR is being prepared to progress this with support from Procurement.