LIVERPOOL Chamber of Commerce is to cut 13 jobs as it adjusts to anticipated falling revenues.

The restructuring is a result of a forecast fall in its income by as much as 40% – as several contracts end.

However, the business association has not been hit by – and does not expect to see – a fall in its 1,700-strong membership.

Liverpool Chamber’s chief executive, Jack Stopforth, stressed there was no short-term threat to the Chamber, but the proposed cuts were “essential to maintain the viability” of the Chamber for the long term.

He said: “Liverpool Chamber of Commerce has expanded at a phenomenal rate since 2005.

“Turnover has more than doubled from around £4.2m to more than £10m today, and we have moved from losses to good surpluses.

“During that time, staffing levels also grew considerably to service an extensive range of contracts, some of which are coming to an end, presenting us with a loss of income and no choice but to reduce our costs, the largest element of which is staffing.”

The Chamber’s 76 staff have been told of the cuts, which had been expected.

In its most recent accounts, for the year to March, 2008, the wage bill was £2.2m, up from £1.5m a year earlier. The organisation had turned round a £90,000 pre-tax loss, but its £35,000 profit was slender compared with its multi-million-pound turnover.

At the time, the Chamber had said it was “optimistic” about earnings, but acknowledged it would have to “work hard to retain and develop membership in such economic conditions”.

The Chamber, based in Old Hall Street in Liverpool’s commercial district for more than 70 years, was established in 1850 to protect the interests of the merchants and businesses in the city.

Liverpool Chamber chairman, Ed Oliver, added: “I want to pay real tribute to the staff . Sadly, the changing business environment and especially the ending of several important publicly funded contracts, has left us with no choice but to reduce costs.”