LIVERPOOL’S bid for dramatic extra spending power – at the heart of an official “city-region” – is due to be “signed off” by Ministers next month, it was announced yesterday.
It will mark a significant step forward in the creation of a regional “super cabinet” that local leaders hope would be handed a wide range of key responsibilities.
The news came as the Government minister for the North West, Beverly Hughes, urged everyone to “pull together” to shield the Merseyside region from the worst effects of the economic downturn. She said the Government was doing all it could to help families and businesses, as well as protect jobs and homes, support companies and stimulate the economy.
She said Merseyside’s Multi Area Agreement, which prioritises employment and skills issues, is due to be signed off in January.
It is hoped inward investment, housing and transport will be added to the MAA in the Spring.
The aim of MAAs is to improve the region’s economic output by better strategic planning and working together to increase productivity
In July, seven areas of England were given the go-ahead, allowing their councils to pool budgets to provide more muscle to deliver plans for regeneration and economic growth. But Merseyside’s bid was put on hold as “governance and accountability arrangements were not in place”.
In November, Chancellor Alistair Darling announced he would pick two or three best developed proposals for devolving yet more power under a MAA, with news due in March.
