Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Sets Out Roadmap for Recovery

Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has set out a four-point plan to revive the city’s region’s COVID-19 impacted economy.

Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram

Research by the Combined Authority has show that 95% of firms in Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, Halton and St Helens have been impacted by coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown.

Among the hardest-hit sectors has been the hospitality and retail sectors which make a huge contribution to the Liverpool city region’s £5bn visitor economy. A total shutdown of bars, restaurants and hotels has had a significant impact..

Before the crisis began, the Liverpool City Region had the fastest economic growth in England at 3.5% a year and well above average productivity growth.

Over the last 10 years, its business base has also grown faster than national rates, with real strengths in retail, culture and visitor economy, in health and infectious disease control, advanced manufacturing and high-performance computing. .

Mr Rotheram, said: “My top priority throughout this crisis has been protecting people’s health and safety, as well as their jobs and livelihoods.

“Before this crisis our region was making strong economic progress. As well as being the most productive region in the North, we led the country in GVA growth. As we rebuild, those strengths will be even more important.”

Mr Rotheram has laid out his four-point plan which he hopes will provide a roadmap for recovery:

• Seizing the opportunity to Build Back Better, to reshape our economy and society in a way that is greener, fairer and more inclusive.
• An enhanced business ecosystem where commercial and social businesses are supported to adapt, innovate, grow and thrive in the post COVID-19 world.
• A people-focused recovery that defends our progress over the last decade with skills and employment at its centre, improving health, wealth and wellbeing for everyone, driving inclusive economic growth.
• A focus on investing in places and economic infrastructure that protects our culture and visitor economy, reimagines our towns, and attracts public and private sector investment in to our city region’s infrastructure.

He added: “The road ahead will be a tough one, but I believe that our resilience and creativity gives us the ability to come back stronger than before. There can be no return to business as usual – and nor should there be.

“We have a unique opportunity to hit reset and Build Back Better. That means a fairer, more inclusive economy and society that is kinder to the environment and to each other. But the reality is that given the scale of the challenge we face, we will need funding and support from central government.

“We will be announcing further details through the recently established Economic Recovery Panel and submitting comprehensive plans to Government over the coming weeks.”

For more information on Liverpool City Region’s response to the covid-19 pandemic, click HERE.