Liverpool Maintenance Partnership, comprising Building & Property Group and Unicorn Consultancy Services, has been selected as preferred bidder for a £200 million contract to maintain housing owned by Liverpool City Council.

The seven-year contract covers the maintenance and repairs work for approximately 30,000 homes in eleven housing areas in and around the city of Liverpool. The project is a combination of two separate contracts for the inner and outer city housing areas. This is the first contract of its kind to be offered by Liverpool City Council and is part of a drive by the council to maximise efficiency and improve services.

Liverpool City Council leader, Mike Storey, said: "This is a good example of the way that we will be doing business in the future. Our aim is to ensure that the people of Liverpool get top quality services and we are determined to examine and develop new ways of making that happen."

Liverpool Maintenance Partnership will provide day-to-day repairs, scheduled works, security, vacant property clearance and renovation, emergency repairs and project management services.

The contract is due to be awarded in next month, with work scheduled to commence in April of this year.

Anna Lagerkvist