LIVERPOOL council leader Cllr Joe Anderson gave an assurance that the Exhibition Hall project would be an opportunity to create local jobs without costing the taxpayer a penny.

He said more than 1,300 jobs could be created, adding: “The council is determined that in any negotiations we have with developers, we have discussions about using local suppliers and local labour, and that will be embedded in the decisions we take.

“When Arena chief executive Bob Prattey and chairman David McDonnell brought this to us, it really was a no-brainer.

“Quite simply, we have an opportunity to show to Europe and the UK that we are determined to take a lead and move ahead with the renaissance of the city, and fundamental to that is it needs to generate jobs, in terms of the building process but also in hotels, restaurants and bars.”

Cllr Anderson stressed that the funding of the project will be at no cost to the taxpayer.

He added: “People may well ask how the council is going to fund this through the difficult times we face because of the government’s financial settlement. The development will be funded through borrowing and supported by revenue it generates – in simple terms it won’t cost the taxpayer a penny.”

Liverpool council chief executive Ged Fitzgerald added: “The Arena has been a major success story, carving out a niche that was not there previously, and this is clearly the next stage.”