DLIB Launches ‘Liverpool One’ Campaign

Downtown Liverpool in Business (DLIB), the voice for the city’s business leaders and entrepreneurs, has stepped up its efforts to reduce what it describes as “excessive government in Liverpool” with the launch of the ‘Liverpool One’ Campaign.

DLIB Chairman Frank McKenna explained:

“The business community in Liverpool is overburdened and frankly fed up with the vast number of quangos and agencies we have to deal with in the City. The message we are sending to central and local government is simplify the structure in order for us to work with you more effectively.

“It is no exaggeration to say that a business in Liverpool may have to deal with up to a dozen agencies or departments over one issue. This is not only a waste of public resource, but also a barrier to business investment, and in turn job creation and regeneration in the City.

“We have supposedly just seen the launch of a ‘one stop shop’ for business support in Liverpool. But a visit to the business section of the Council website indicates no less than FIFTEEN different points of contact. It is nonsense.”

DLIB is now inviting businesses to sign up to its ‘Liverpool One’ call, which demands a change that will see one body responsible for the delivery of strategic developments and one principle organisation to take the lead for all business and regeneration issues.

Mr. McKenna added:
“I am pleased to see both the Leader and Chief Executive of Liverpool City Council identifying this as a real problem, and I hope they are able to join us in seeking an urgent review of government structures in the City by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

“I know Liverpool isn’t the only area that suffers from ‘quango-itis’, but we do have a tendency in this city to set up a committee or organisation to deal with every new initiative that is launched.

“We need one responsible body – accountable to businesses and the wider community - that delivers on its promises, or suffers the consequences if it doesn’t. Buck passing among agencies is too easy an option here at present and it is a situation that must change if we are to maximise the potential offered to us by our Capital of Culture status.

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