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FOR LIVERPOOL to recover from the legacy of council in-fighting, it needs to face up to the challenges ahead, according to the city’s business leaders.
The city still has “some way to go” if it is to overcome the “poor tone of politics” created by recent battles within the corridors of power, according to influential national think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research.
Only then will it be considered as a genuine economic powerhouse worthy of its own elected mayor.
But to do overcome those problems, it first needs to recognise where the problems lie, said private sector group Downtown Liverpool In Business (DLIB).
“At the moment, even our own executive member for economic development concedes that Manchester deserves its own mayor ahead of Liverpool because its local authorities work better together,” said DLIB chair Frank McKenna.
“But instead of citing that as a reason not to have an elected mayor, our councillors should recognise that that is an area where Manchester leads us here in Liverpool and works to overcome that particular problem.”
Mr McKenna said he was glad that the IPPR report – entitled City Leadership – highlighted some of the problems facing Liverpool, among other cities.
In particular, he welcomed the recognition that there were too many agencies governing the city, something DLIB’s Liverpool One campaign has targeted for more than 18 months.
Rather than punish the city by placing it in the “slow lane” for change, however, DLIB believes that those problems meant it was all the more important to deliver change in Liverpool.
“Just as in business it’s important to recognise your competitors’ strengths, our city’s leaders need to be honest enough to admit that there are some things that other cities excel at, and that we don’t.
“But that should not mean being defeatist about it. What it should mean is that we identify the challenges ahead and raise our game to meet them.
“In our view, the best way for Liverpool to do that would be to adopt a strategic authority approach lead by an elected mayor.”
Meanwhile, DLIB has secured leader of Manchester City Council, Richard Leese, to address businesses at its next Property Forum next month.
“For a long time now, the leadership team in Manchester has been a lesson to all at what can be achieved when a close team works together towards the same ends.
“Our businesses don’t want to be defensive about that. They accept excellence where they see it and want to learn from it.
“Hopefully, having Richard speaking at our next Property Forum in March will help them to do that.”
Note to editor
For more information, or to arrange an interview with Frank McKenna, please call Chris Marritt at Mason Media on 0151 707 4514 or 07908 214950.
