When Downtown Liverpool in Business (DLIB) was established, a leading figure from Liverpool City Council told me that it would be lucky to last six months. Well twenty – four months on, and DLIB is still here – and here to stay! The official in question was being neither mischievous or vindictive. It was his genuine belief that in Liverpool any organisation that wanted to survive had to enjoy a ‘cosy’ relationship with the dominant public sector force, and in particular with the city council. Given that DLIB’s stated objectives were to constructively challenge some of the thinking emanating from the plethora of agencies governing Liverpool, and hold to account the city’s decision makers, it was highly unlikely that we were going to be welcomed with open arms by the powers that be who, for too long in my opinion, had had things too much their own way. DLIB was set up to give the private sector in this city a genuine independent voice. And to eventually have a platform that would influence policy and effect change. Two years on, and I think we can say with absolute confidence that progress in these stated areas has been made. DLIB’s thinking in relation to our ‘Liverpool One’ campaign, calling for a streamlining of agencies that govern the city, has been adopted by the government sponsored Entrepreneurship Commission, and the City Growth strategy. The latter group also joined DLIB in calling for a ‘Business Champion’ for Liverpool, and went as far as any ‘official’ report is likely to go in suggesting that an elected Mayor would be a good idea. DLIB’s campaign to stop Liverpool’s planners from introducing a ‘tall buildings policy’ has also been successful, with both the new council leader and Chief Executive publicly stating the abandonment of this barmy notion. And, where once a call from DLIB to a number of agencies in this city was as welcome as Derek Hatton at a Labour Party conference, we now have direct and regular communication with the public sectors ‘movers and shakers’. Indeed, by the end of 2006, DLIB events will have been addressed by the Chief Executives of The Mersey Partnership, Liverpool Vision, the Northwest Development Agency, Liverpool Land Development Company, and by the Leader of Liverpool City Council. And this change of attitude is actually DLIB’s biggest achievement. Before we came on the scene, there was not only a reluctance, but also an actual fear of criticising even the most preposterous of public sector policy. To do so would see one ostracised forever. That is what it was like in Liverpool. And, incredibly, it was accepted. Not anymore. We have created an environment where people feel comfortable in expressing their opinions, and the governing agencies actually listen. We may not be liked in certain quarters, in fact we’d hate it if we were, but DLIB is making a difference.