06.09.13
Combined authority plans for Liverpool
Liverpool councillors are to consider creating a combined authority to bring decision-making into a single body, enabling the area to bid for higher funding from Government.
The move follows a governance review by Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral Councils, Merseytravel and the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership.
If agreed by the Cabinet and at a full City Council meeting, a formal submission will be made to Government on September 30. The other authorities are already behind the plan.
Mayor of Liverpool and chair of Liverpool City Region Cabinet, Joe Anderson said: “The Government are clear that this is a model of governance that will put regions ahead of the game in the race for funding.
“For me it is an absolute no-brainer, and merely lays down the existing positive but informal arrangements that already exist.
“We desperately need to secure more funding if we are to continue to increase the number of jobs and lever in more investment. This will put us in a much stronger position to be able to draw-down powers and resources from Central Government for local use.”
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