Liverpool city region to be ‘turbocharged’ as Rotheram unveils plans

Ambitious plans have been unveiled to ‘turbocharge’ the Liverpool City Region’s ability to become the best place to grow up, raise a family and grow a business over the next four years. As the new Labor government settles into Downing Street, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has set out the blueprint for a “brighter and more prosperous future”.

In just its seventh year, the combined authority has set out its vision to boost investment, jobs and prosperity between now and 2028 through its corporate plan. It is the third document of its kind, focusing on five key stands; economy, people, place, transport and digital infrastructure.

Mr Rotheram said the new Labor government had shown signs of being “the most pro-devolution Britain has ever seen”, which would provide “a chance to supercharge our work” – with local and national growth ambitions aligned and mayors acting as the delivery arm of the national government. As part of the wide-ranging plan, there are targets to train more than 120,000 adults with the skills to secure tens of thousands of new high-paying jobs, and work will continue to end the postcode lottery that denies local people opportunities to fulfill its full potential.

The plan also details how public transport and artificial intelligence will be developed and how the city region will be promoted as a science, innovation and creative powerhouse to attract foreign investment. Providing well-designed, energy-efficient and affordable new homes – including a return to public housing at scale – to tackle the housing crisis has been earmarked as a major priority, and the plan is underpinned by a push for devolution deepening and strengthening workers’ rights, sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion.

Mr Rotheram said: “Tackling inequality, boosting inclusive growth and ensuring we leave the next generation and the planet a better legacy than we received are at the heart of my politics and my administration. I want to make the Liverpool City Region the best place to grow up, raise a family and grow a business.

“Since I was elected, I’ve helped tens of thousands of people get hired; launched world-class public trains; helped build 30,000 homes for families to put down roots; as hundreds of thousands of residents gain new qualifications and begin the process of bringing our buses back into public control. The Liverpool City Region is a place full of history, a place full of pioneers and talent. While we are proud of our history, we are ready to look forward to an even brighter and more prosperous future. This is our plan to get there.

“Working alongside our new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and his cabinet, I will ensure that the next chapter in our illustrious history is not written for us in Westminster or Whitehall – but by us here in the Liverpool City Region.”

The four-year plan aims to highlight the potential of the LCR Freeport and Life Sciences Innovation Zone to attract new businesses, boost international trade and create more than 20,000 jobs as the city region targets a 25% increase in foreign investment direct by 2030. To help achieve this goal, the city region will seek to expand its relationships with the US, Germany and East Asia, and the Combined Authority will establish a business location taskforce by the end of 2024 to promote the city region to a domestic and international audience as a place to set up and expand a business. Other plans include supporting more than 100 businesses to expand by 2026.

The plan also commits to promoting better work standards through the Fair Employment Charter and to adopting a procurement approach where the Combined Authority does not award contracts to companies that use fire and rehire tactics.

There is also a commitment to giving young people the best start in life by increasing early years training and childcare workers, launching a childcare commission and expanding the successful Cradle to Career program into more areas , doubling the number of children supported to 36,000 each year. by 2030. The authority will continue to push for the devolution of 16-19 education and the apprenticeship levy.

A long-term skills plan will be published in the autumn and the authority will work towards developing a Liverpool City Region Screen Academy by 2028. An AI-powered pilot program in schools from September and the authority’s digital inclusion program will be expanded to support 10,000 residents. until 2028.

To mark the city region’s progress over the seven years to date, a flag and flag of its own are to be introduced by the end of this year and, through the LCR Visitor Economy Partnership, cultural, heritage and tourism attractions will be supported. and grown up. A new strategy will be developed to ensure the region’s continued success in securing major events, and Borough of Culture spending will be doubled to 2% to expand its reach and impact.

There will also be a focus on the environment, with six new urban parks, with 100,000 trees created by 2030 and £10m spent on installing electric vehicle charging points by 2028, while digital innovation will be used to improve air quality. A full business case for Mersey Tidal Power will be produced by 2028 as the city region builds on its position as the UK’s Renewable Energy Coast and strives to become net zero by 2035, the most ambitious target of any city region .

Housebuilding is one of the new government’s top priorities, and providing well-designed, energy-efficient homes is also high on the Combined Authority’s agenda, with schemes ready to be rolled out. A target has been set for more than 1,000 homes and public buildings to be decarbonised each year through retrofitting and heat networks, and the authority will allow 200 new homes to be built each year on previously developed land.

The Combined Authority will explore a return to the council building and a Good Landlord Charter and Homelessness Task Force will also be established.

Major changes are also earmarked for transport, with the franchising of the bus network to be completed by 2027 and a new operating model for Merseyrail aimed at giving greater public control over train services. Liverpool Baltic station is also expected to open the same year ahead of schedule, with a bus rapid transit system serving Bramley-Moore Dock and Liverpool Airport on the line in 2028.