A LEADING Merseyside figure last night warned that the Government’s £1.4bn regional growth fund will not deliver sustainable, long-term jobs for Merseyside.
Rod Holmes, chairman of The Mersey Partnership (TMP), the inward investment and tourism agency, said the benefits of it had been “over-hyped greatly”.
He said the Government intended it to fill the gap between public sector job losses and the creation of new roles in the private sector.
“I don’t think it’s the biggest show in town, but it is serving a purpose to deal with an interim problem.
“The danger is people think that this is going to be some sort of public funding to make long-term sustainable growth.
“It is not intended to and cannot with the money that’s been allocated to it.
“The Government could not have been clearer, but it has taken people a long time to cotton on to that.
“The Government wants to re-balance the economy, it is in our national interest to do so and get rid of the dependence culture of waiting for government hand-outs.”
