Key figures face city challenge

Sep 12 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

AFTER so much upheaval, political argument and public scepticism in the wake of the Mathew Street Festival fiasco, the people of Liverpool were in desperate need of some good news about the city’s preparations for 2008.

Last night we got it, in terms of a decision to slim the Capital of Culture board down into a lean, streamlined body of half a dozen key individuals, charged with ensuring that the Culture Company delivers on its programme of events.

Drummond Bond steps down as chairman of the board, but remains one of its members, along with Phil Redmond, who will take the lead on cultural matters, council leader Warren Bradley, and new chairman Bryan Gray.

Mr Gray, who also chairs the North West Development Agency, will be in charge of financial affairs.

Virtually all the other members of the board are voluntarily stepping down, though we are assured that they will all remain in the background offering their support and help.

One of their last acts as a full board yesterday was to sign off on the 2008 programme of events, which will be unveiled to the world within weeks.

We have maintained, throughout the recent controversy surrounding the Culture Company, that 2008 will at worst be a very good year, thanks to the sterling efforts of the region’s distinguished cultural organisations.

Our big concern, given the Mathew Street shambles, was that we could not afford any more embarrassments on that scale without it having a hugely negative effect on the city’s reputation.

It is reassuring then that business people with the credibility and experience of Messrs Redmond and Gray are to take such a key role in ensuring that the Culture Company delivers on the events it has planned.

We wish them well in the challenge that awaits them, and hope and trust that this marks a very positive step forward in terms of Liverpool’s aspiration of creating the best Capital of Culture year that Europe has ever seen.