LIVERPOOL’S new council leader Joe Anderson set out to woo the city’s business community last night – by offering them a seat in his first cabinet.

The business community will be offered the chance to send a representative to the cabinet as the Labour party aims to build consensus behind its decision-making.

Reaching out to the business community, Cllr Anderson said he will host quarterly investment summits at the Town Hall where investors will be invited to meet senior council staff to discuss their ideas.

The planning process is also set to be speeded up for developers, with Cllr Anderson saying he wanted businesses to be able to have pre-planning application meetings within a week rather than the six or seven weeks that some companies have been made to wait.

He said the Labour party would break down bureaucracy and transform the council into an entrepreneurial organisation.

"I am hugely proud that we have been given the opportunity to lead this city. I would not change it for any other city in the country.

"It is a massive opportunity to move forward to the next level and build on what has been achieved in the past 12 to 14 years due to the regeneration and investment.

"But we have got to recognise there are huge financial challenges and some difficult decisions to be made. I will not shirk from making those decisions."

He said neither the trade unions nor business had anything to fear from a Labour administration, as he would protect front- line services.

For the past 12 months, he has been quietly meeting business leaders and council officials to discuss the transition.

"It was not arrogance, it was an acceptance of what was going to happen.

"We have to connect the opportunities that will come to this city for everyone – making sure there are apprenticeships created.

"That is going to be something that the city council can lead on and encourage businesses to take on young people.”