Liverpool Metro Mayor to announce £5m fund to boost town centres

The fund will be allocated to solutions that improve housing, retail or culture in town centres across Merseyside such as Birkenhead, Southport, St Helens, Runcorn, Widnes, Birkby, Prescott and Bootle.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram will also announce a new City Region Town Centre Commission, which will work with local authorities to produce long-term investment plans for how each area’s towns can thrive over the next 20 years.

The announcement will be made at a major conference today which has been called to take stock of Mr Rotheram’s first year in the role, highlight the combined authorities £460m investment programme and include announcements on planned next steps.

Mr Rotheram is expected to say: ‘Liverpool city centre is the economic engine of our city region and we will continue to support its development with strategic investments, like those we are making to support the knowledge quarter and the new cruise liner terminal. But just as we must help our city to succeed, we must also ensure that every part of our region thrives as well.’

‘This is a clear signal that I will ensure that the benefits of devolution really are passed on to every part of our city region.’

The new commission will work closely with teams at the constituent local authorities of the Combined Authority (CA) to agree which towns to focus the fund on and to produce plans for how each area’s towns can grow.

Mr Rotheram will also say that the process will also provide local people with the opportunity to comment on and shape investment plans for their local areas.

Hosted by Liverpool University’s Heseltine Institute, speakers at the conference will also include Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson OBE, as well as senior speakers from government, business and universities.