Liverpool news and news from Merseyside and Cheshire

Liverpool FC midfielder Stewart Downing avoids assault charges after arrest last month in Teeside Feb 03 2012

LIVERPOOL FC and England star Stewart Downing is not being charged by police after his arrest last month on suspicion of assault.Read

Unilever in talks with ACAS over pensions row Feb 03 2012

Unilever have announced they will hold peace talks in a bid to resolve a row over pensions at the consumer goods giant.Read

Arriva threatens redundancies if not allowed to expand its Bootle bus depot Feb 03 2012

BUS firm Arriva has said it may put 100 staff out of work if plans to expand its Bootle depot are rejected by council planning chiefs.Read

Government may get Merseyside hospitals out of Private Finance Initiative debts with new £1.5bn fund Feb 03 2012

TWO Merseyside hospitals threatened with privatisation could be bailed out by Government to sort out a financial black hole.Read

Georgia Varley death: Merseyrail guard charged with manslaughter Feb 03 2012

A MERSEYRAIL guard has been charged with manslaughter in relation to Georgia Varley's death at Liverpool's James Street train station.Read

The Big Interview: Peter Johnson, Park Group chairman and philanthropist on helping the Everyman Theatre Feb 03 2012

Age:72Read

The World in Pictures February 3 2012: Train derails in India; Protests in Egypt; snow hits Europe; cute giraffes Feb 03 2012

WELCOME to The World In Pictures, a round-up of images taken around the globe in the last 24 hours including a train accident in India, protests in Egypt, England cricket and winter weather hitting Europe.Read

Liverpool cruise liner terminal wins turnaround approval after council agrees to pay back grant cash Feb 03 2012

LIVERPOOL'S cruise liner terminal at the Pier Head will finally be able to cater for turnaround journeys in three months’ time.Read

Merseyside Police Authority to discuss loosening of current recruitment freeze Feb 03 2012

NEW blood could be brought into Merseyside Police to give ill officers the chance to retire.Read

More than £25m of council tax went uncollected by Merseyside councils over the last year Feb 03 2012

OVER £25m of council tax and business rates went uncollected by Merseyside councils in the last year.Read

Liverpool Alder Hey hospital to welcome Kate Middleton for Valentines Day visit Feb 02 2012

LIVERPOOL'S Alder Hey hospital is set to welcome Kate Middleton for a Valentines Day welcome.Read

Liverpool River Mersey cruise terminal ‘door is still open’ says shipping minister Mike Penning Feb 02 2012

SHIPPING Minister Mike Penning who appeared to shatter Liverpool’s River Mersey cruise terminal dreams has insisted that he has left “the door very much open” to future success.Read

Reread our webchat with Liverpool Council leader Joe Anderson Feb 02 2012

LIVERPOOL Council leader Joe Anderson joined us for a live blog earlier today.Read

Liverpool high speed rail link plans quietly dropped to save money Feb 02 2012

PLANS for a high-speed rail link to the edge of Liverpool have been quietly dumped, apparently to save money – adding to the journey time to London.Read

World In Pictures, February 2 2012: Woman celebrates 127th birthday, Black Sea freezes and Mitt Romney wins Florida Feb 02 2012

WELCOME to the World In Pictures for February 2, 2012 - a collection of images taken across the globe in the last 24 hours.Read

Liverpool will be ‘collateral damage’ as Manchester becomes economic powerhouse in high-speed railway war Feb 02 2012

LIVERPOOL will be “collateral damage” in the government’s determination to make Manchester an economic powerhouse, one expert has warned.Read

Warren Bradley summonsed to court on perjury charge Feb 02 2012

WARREN Bradley will be summonsed to appear in Liverpool Magistrates Court in March charged with perjury after an electoral fraud investigation by Merseyside Police.Read

The Debate: Does Liverpool really need an elected mayor? Feb 02 2012

A HISTORIC meeting at Liverpool council on Tuesday is set to vote to have an elected mayor.Read

David Cameron orders government investigation into Wirral Council social care whistleblower scandal Feb 02 2012

DAVID Cameron has ordered a government investigation into the abuse of vulnerable people in council social care in Wirral – describing the affair as “very serious”.Read

Crisis engulfs The Mersey Partnership after failed merger with Liverpool Local Enterprise Partnership Feb 02 2012

MERSEYSIDE’S tourism and investment body The Mersey Partnership does not have a future after talks on merging it into a new agency collapsed, Liverpool council leader Joe Anderson has warned.Read