ALMOST £2m of “recession-busting” cash was being handed to the area's local councils today to spend on anything from helping companies with payment difficulties to cheaper car parking.
Ministers urged town halls to use the funding to help their communities through the continuing economic downturn – easing the impact for both struggling families and businesses.
They highlighted how Liverpool City Council, which has received almost £5.5m from the fund since 2006, has allocated cash to projects supporting inward investment including attending the Shanghai Expo this year.
Money was also spent on environmental improvements to the city centre, a new centre of excellence for women's enterprise and on developing the Liverpool Science Park.
Other local authorities have set up a bus service to reach the local business park, created an apprenticeship scheme with a local college and slashed parking charges to encourage shoppers.
Now a further £1.93m has been allocated to councils in the Merseyside area from the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives (LABGI) scheme.
The allocations are: Liverpool (£366,700), Knowsley (£127,152), Sefton (£231,960), St Helens (£149,665), Wirral (£260,965), Halton (£142,586), Warrington (£233,518), Cheshire West and Chester (£391,100) and West Lancashire (£26,380).
