Councillors in Merseyside are joining forces to form a “super council”, which aims to be responsible for transport and economic regeneration through such areas as housing and transport. If the council is successful, it would no doubt attract the attention of builders in the Wirral, who could find themselves with plenty of work on their hands.
The purpose of the super council is to increase the region’s competitiveness with Greater Manchester and other areas for business finance funded from the government.
Council bosses said that action must be taken immediately, or they will fail to be in a position to apply for £2bn of government finance.
Wirral council leader, Councillor Phil Davies, said:
“This new approach will help us to deliver the necessary investments in Wirral’s economy, waste, transport and housing infrastructure.”
Other authorities in the county, including Halton, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton and Liverpool, are due to think the plans over within the next few weeks.
Council bosses said that the ‘Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’ would see Merseyside stand toe-to-toe with competing areas.
The authority, as stated in a document given to Wirral Council, would enable the area to apply for the “single local growth fund”, which aims to address such areas as transport and housing finance sources and was proposed in a review by Lord Helseltine. The government has already stated this year that most of Lord Heseltine’s recommendations in the ‘No Stone Unturned’ Review are being accepted. The review evaluated a number of areas in government policy which had an effect upon the economy.
