LIVERPOOL city region’s attempt to win more powers from government will depend on the speed local leaders are able to draw up plans, the Government said last night.

Local Government Minister John Healey joined a meeting of the city region cabinet in Liverpool yesterday.

He told the six council leaders that how far and how fast powers were handed over would depend on the plans they drew up.

Earlier in the day, Mr Healey visited Knowsley Works Centre, in Stockbridge Village, where he met workers who had helped 162 people find jobs over the past year.

Mr Healey’s visit comes three months after Gordon Brown signed the city-region’s “multi-area agreement” (MAA), to allow the councils to pool budgets and boost their muscle.

The local government minister was given a progress report on the work done since, and asked the council leaders what obstructions they had run into.

“There are some practical problems about data sharing, and we want to clear the ground for them on that,” said Mr Healey.

The region has already won devolution powers over employment, but will not gain transport and housing powers yet.