INTRODUCTION  
Welcome to the final business bulletin of 2006. This month we celebrate the biggest and best ‘Livercool’ awards dinner that took place earlier this month. Brabners Chaffe Street offer advice on the thorny subject of Intellectual Property, and DLIB Chairman Frank McKenna reflects on the past twelve months, in conversation with Jim Hancock.  
     


   
TOTALLY FRANK  

Former BBC North West political editor Jim Hancock interviews DLIB Chairman Frank McKenna. CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

 
     


   
MIXED NEWS FOR REGENERATION SCHEMES  
Another mixed bag of decisions for a number of projects planned for Liverpool this month. Despite a glowing report for its initiative from the planning inspector, Maro Developments failed to win the approval of Secretary of State Ruth Kelly, who declared that the Brunswick Quay scheme, a 50 plus storey Ian Simpson tower, would obscure the views of the city for our neighbours in Birkenhead! Has Ms. Kelly seen what we have to look at from this side of the river? Watch this space for the next instalment of this soap opera of a planning application. Meanwhile, the waterfront developments planned for Mann Island and the new museum on the so-called ‘fourth grace’ site have won approval.  
     

   
BIZARRE REQUEST FOR 08  
Tourism officials are urging home owners to rent out their spare rooms to visitors during Capital of Culture year, due to a massive shortage in hotel beds! Here’s an alternative idea. Can we not work a little harder to attract investment from hoteliers to meet the demand – and fast track applications such as that for the Irish Centre, where private sector investors have proposals for a 48 room boutique hotel ready for development and completion by 2008?  
     

   
MANCHESTER ‘NOT DONE YET!’  
As Liverpool’s leaders celebrate the record number of cranes on the city skyline, and Mike Storey tours the skies in a helicopter to prove the point, some perspective is delivered from the other end of the East Lancashire road. DLIB members in attendance at a recent meeting in Manchester, hosted by KPMG, report that the Chief Executive of that city, Sir Howard Bernstein commented ‘People keep telling me Manchester is done. Manchester isn’t done. We have another ten years work to do yet.’ Those who need to – please take note!  
     

   
DLIB CALLS FOR GENUINE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP  
Downtown Liverpool In Business Chairman, Frank McKenna, has called on Liverpool City Council to use its response to a Government consultation on a ‘Business Case For The City Region’ to include a governance structure that includes private sector representatives. READ MORE  
     

   
LEGAL  
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - BRABNERS TOP TEN TIPS
Regardless of size and sector, every business is an owner of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR’s). IPR’s can be important, and an increasingly valuable asset of a business. READ MORE		  
     


   
THE BIG DEBATE RESULTS  
AGENCIES MERGER WELCOMED
An overwhelming number of you believe that the proposal to merge Liverpool Vision, Liverpool Land Development Company and Business Liverpool is the right move. 95% of respondents to last months poll agreed that the three agencies should be streamlined to one.		  
     

   
THE BIG DEBATE  
Liverpool’s physical regeneration has been well documented, but initiatives such as the ‘big dig’ have claimed much needed trade from many city centre retailers. Should the City Council offer retailers compensation for the disruption they have suffered for the past two years? CLICK HERE TO VOTE  
     


   
BLANKSTONE SINGTON  
2006 sees Blankstone Sington Limited celebrating 30 years in business on Merseyside.

A member of the London Stock Exchange and authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, Blankstone Sington is wholly owned by its directors and their families, and is one of the few remaining entirely independent stockbrokers in the U.K. All Blankstone Sington services are specifically tailored to meet individual client needs and the level of investment risk they are comfortable with. READ MORE 		 
     


   
‘LIVERCOOL 06’  

Held in association with the Northwest Development Agency and No Name Kitchens, this years ‘Livercool’ awards proved to be the most successful DLIB event yet. With 420 of Liverpool’s movers and shakers joined by the First Secretary to the Treasury, Ed Balls M.P. the ‘Brit Awards’ themed evening was expertly hosted by Radio City’s Kev Seed. CLICK HERE to see the award winners, and CLICK HERE for the gallery from the night.

  
     

   
BOOMTOWN  

The final Liverpool Property Forum of 2006 featured three entertaining and informative presentations from Liverpool Land Development Company Chief Executive, David Waugh, Liverpool JLA Chief Neil Pakey and Grant Thornton’s Neil Sturmey. CLICK HERE for the gallery from the event.

  
     


   
JOIN DLIB  
Your membership contributions allow us to function, develop and reinvest into Liverpool’s future. Becoming a member ensures DLIB can remain totally independent from any public sector funding or influence. READ MORE