LIVERPOOL’S two main economic and tourism agencies could be merged, the Daily Post can reveal.

Liverpool council’s new leader, Joe Anderson, has ordered a review of Liverpool Vision and The Mersey Partnership (TMP).

Respected expert Prof Michael Parkinson, director of the European Institute for Urban Affairs at John Moores University, will write the report.

The Daily Post understands the review, which is expected to be completed in September, will examine whether Liverpool Vision and TMP should be merged.

Last night Cllr Anderson said: “Both organisations work well for the city and the region.

“But I want to make sure we are efficient and delivering the best possible services and that overlaps and duplication are taken out of the system.

“I am not going to pre-empt the outcome, but it is about getting best value for the city – getting a better bang for our buck.”

Since Liverpool Vision was created, from three regeneration agencies in 2008 many observers questioned whether TMP should have been included in the merger.

But the idea met with resistance because of the different areas of focus.

Vision concentrates solely on Liverpool as the city’s economic development company, while TMP focuses on tourism and inward investment for the entire Merseyside region.

But large cuts in public spending and new economic realities may now force the two together.

Liverpool Vision’s staff of 71 costs about £5m to run each year, of which £4m comes from the council and around £500,000 from the NWDA.

The bulk of its development programme of around £18m comes from the NWDA.

TMP, which has a staff of 79, had an income of £7.1m in the year ended March 2009.

The NWDA contributed £3.2m, £1.1m came from European funding, and £454,000 was paid by the city region’s six local authorities.

Unlike Vision, which is exclusively paid for by the public sector, TMP also had income of £1.1m from its private membership of 500.

Last year Liverpool council caused a stir when it appointed its own tourism director – Alison McRae – despite it being one of the main functions of TMP.

The review is being supported by the North West Development Agency (NWDA) as a major funder of both organisations.

Steve Broomhead, chief executive of NWDA, said: “It’s got enormous implications. We all agree that it needs to be done with a degree of urgency with any changes implemented from April next year.

“It needs a consensual approach, but the key issue moving forward is to come up with the most effective model for the city region and Liverpool itself.”