What is the Liverpool City Region?
When most people hear “Liverpool City Region”, they immediately either think of Merseyside or Liverpool City itself. In fact, the Liverpool City Region was an effort spearheaded by Labour’s local government minister in 2007. He devised a plan to create a team of council members from Liverpool city and the five surrounding boroughs: Sefton, St. Helens, Halton, Knowsley and Wirral creating the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
This cabinet gives the local councils the ability to work together on matters of local business, education, housing, transport and employment.
What does the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority actually do?
The combined authority allows the boroughs to pool their resources together to get the most out of our local businesses in Liverpool, local businesses in Halton, local businesses in Wirral, local businesses in St. Helens, local businesses in Knowsley, and local businesses in Sefton.
It also allows for the boroughs to easily manage education, housing, transport and employment, creating links between each of them.
The combined authority has also generated plans for local businesses in the region.
Growing the Economy
Liverpool City Region’s Local Industry Strategy
The Combined Authority plans to create sustainable infrastructure and become the national leader in carbon emissions, becoming a net zero carbon city region by 2040. There are also plans to improve the health and wellbeing of workers, create a strong culture and identity for the region and develop new technologies to help solve the biggest issues we face as a society.
The Strategic Investment Fund
The combined authority are seeking to help out local businesses with a £5 million “Town Centre Fund” to create booming local market economies. They also want ultra-fast broadband throughout every borough via a new ‘superspine’ of fibre infrastructure that will connect the Liverpool City Region together. They are also investing in transport; a smart ticketing system to make public transport easier, as well as a new generation of Mersey Ferries.
The Urban Development Fund
The Urban Development fund will invest in projects that:
- Support research and innovation throughout the Liverpool City Region.
- Enhance SME growth and competitiveness.
- Help companies and organisations reach a low to neutral carbon economy.
At Multiko, we’re very much trying to push the idea of the Liverpool City Region and spread awareness of it. The more people are aware of it, the more our local businesses in Liverpool, Halton, Sefton, Knowsley, St. Helens and Wirral can take advantage of it’s plans and grow.
You can read more in depth about the Liverpool City Region and their plans at https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/
