Safe Accommodation Strategy

5.1 Several groups were consulted in the development of the Domestic Abuse Commissioning and Procurement Plan including:

a) Gateshead Homelessness Forum - which includes representation from statutory services including health, police and probation as well as providers of homelessness accommodation and support, registered providers, advocacy agencies and representatives from the voluntary sector. It also includes representation from our community safety, social care, housing solutions and public health colleagues.

b) Service user consultation - a survey was sent out to service users living in our specialist and supported accommodation, to seek views and feedback as part of our statutory homelessness review.

c) The Domestic Abuse Working Group, Homelessness Steering Group and Homelessness and Allocations Core Project Group - all with cross department internal representation, including specialist domestic abuse services who were able to feed in the views of their service users.

d) The Domestic Abuse Partnership Board - The Chair of the Domestic Abuse Partnership Board, together with individual board members, were consulted and supported the proposed model for recommissioning and remodelling and the priorities outlined. The statutory partner board members were also given the opportunity to feed back any comments on the recommendations and proposals.

e) Housing Portfolio - consultation was undertaken with the Lead Member for Housing and Chair of the Strategic Housing Board on the proposals.

5.2 In 2024, a new Housing Improvement Programme was established. The provision of safe accommodation with appropriate support for victims and survivors and their children falls within the remit of the Specialist and Supported Accommodation Board, which is led by the Service Director - Strategic Housing and Commissioning. Any issues and key decisions are escalated to the Strategic Housing Board and then to Cabinet.