New sustainable growth plan for Liverpool city region
by Nick. Published Tue 15 Sep 2009 16:32, Last updated: 2009-09-15
Local residents and businesses stand to benefit from a long-term plan for sustainable economic growth after the second and final phase of the Liverpool City Region Multi Area Agreement (MAA) was signed at Tate Liverpool.
The MAA will provide a further boost to local leadership by strengthening the City Region?s partnership working with Government, providing the City Region with greater responsibility and the opportunity to use resources more effectively to tackle the biggest challenges facing the area.
The Agreement between the six local authorities of Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, key partners, and Government represents the next stage in city region working. This means that Government will support Liverpool City Region efforts to respond swiftly to the current economic downturn as well as maximising the longer term ambitions of improving the economic and social prospects of the area.
By working together to a common set of goals the MAA will help the Liverpool City Region to continue to compete for jobs and investment and create a thriving international City Region. This will be delivered through four transformational actions - Culture and the Visitor Economy; Liverpool SuperPort; Low Carbon Economy, and the Knowledge Economy. By capitalising on these economic opportunities there is significant potential for Liverpool City Region to narrow the productivity gap with the rest of the UK.
Delivering the transformational actions will mean:
? Investment of ?110m to 2012 in tourism events and infrastructure supporting local businesses and creating jobs.
? The development of the Liverpool SuperPort to become a global destination and logistics hub.
? To increase the current 9,000 people directly employed in the environmental technologies sector by 6,000 to 15,000 by 2015.
? Position Liverpool City Region as an international region of knowledge and science renowned for its creativity and innovation.
These actions will be supported by activities that reduce worklessness and increase skill levels; build a modern and sustainable transport network that reduces carbon emissions and tackles climate change; and improve our existing housing stock, including affordable homes for people living or moving into the region.
Aims include:
? Reducing the number of workless people in the City Region by some 81,000.
? Turning around the decline in house building and ensure that 3,800 homes are completed per year by the end of 2012.
? Increasing the rate we tackle poor quality housing by 20% each year by 2012.
? Helping an extra 2000 workless people a year get back into work by providing public transport services that link jobs with disadvantaged residential areas.
? Using the Smarter Choices programme to support the Low Carbon Economy through a transport network that reduces carbon dioxide emissions and tackles climate change.
? Supporting SuperPort by improving access to the Port and Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
On January 12th 2009 the six local authorities, and partners, signed the first phase of the MAA in Downing Street, formally committing the region to work together to help safeguard local jobs, improve the skills of people and support business. This partnership working, led by Knowsley Council, has helped 32,655 people from benefits and into work during 2008?09, as well as the creation of 100 City Region apprentices in sectors identified as key for growth.
Cllr Ron Round, Leader of Knowsley Council and Chair of the Liverpool City Region Cabinet said: ?The document we are signing today further cements the support that we have from the Government to make a real difference in the Liverpool City Region.
?I welcome this commitment to closer working which I believe sweeps away unnecessary bureaucracy in our collective efforts to securing sustainable economic growth for the people of this region.?
The Mersey Partnership (TMP) chairman Rod Holmes, who represents the private sector on the City Region Cabinet, said: ?We have already shown that we can work together at the City Regional level. Central Government is now committed to recognise the decisions we take about City Region priorities.
?We are now in a stronger position to work in partnership to grow our economy: to ensure that the people living in Liverpool City Region develop the skills and create the business opportunities for a more prosperous future and better quality of life.
Mr Holmes added: ?As the Sub Regional Economic Partnership, The Mersey Partnership has a central role in all this, on behalf of the private, voluntary and higher education sectors.?
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Robert Hough, Chairman of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), said: ?The NWDA welcomes this agreement, which is a significant step forward in the drive to transform the Liverpool City Region economy. Strong partnership working is one of the key foundations for successful economic development and this agreement demonstrates a firm commitment between partners to deliver a thriving, international City Region. We look forward now to working with our partners in the Liverpool City Region to ensure that this agreement delivers its ambitious goals for the area.?
Source:
Click Liverpool
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