Liverpool City Council’s Leader has written an open letter to new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, offering to support the delivery of the Government’s key pledges over the next five years.
Cllr Liam Robinson has highlighted the opportunities that the city has to offer such as: innovation in health and life sciences, opportunities to develop the north of the city, the innovation zone and the Freeport, and the radical reform of public services.
He believes there are opportunities for collaboration locally with national leaders on their mission for change and growth, including:
- Contributing towards the national 1.5 million target for house building, including bringing empty homes back into use
- Retrofitting of houses to make them more energy efficient
- Breakfast clubs in primary schools to help ensure pupils are well-fed and ready to learn at the start of the day
- An integrated public transport system with joined-up bus and rail services and improved opportunities for active travel through walking and cycling
- The use of data to inform public health innovations and working with communities to make a difference
- Maximising the impact of cultural events on the economy and in communities
Cllr Robinson said: “Liverpool has always been an innovator, whether it is in commerce with the creation of the first-ever dry dock, through to fighting infectious diseases at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, being the first place to introduce social housing and putting on cultural events that are on the next level.
“We have a strong relationship with our city and city region partners as well as the Combined Authority, making us well-placed to assist the new Government in making its manifesto proposals reality.
“No-one knows our communities as well as we do, and that insight is key to tackling key challenges such as deprivation, public health and the quality of housing, as well as the opportunities presented by improving skills, creating an integrated public transport system and staging major cultural events.
“We stand ready to offer support as ministers begin the task of change and growth to deliver national renewal.”
OPEN LETTER TO THE NEW PRIME MINISTER
Dear Prime Minister,
Congratulations on your election victory.
I know you have a large in-tray of pressing matters that you and your new team need to attend to.
In the spirit of openness and collaboration, I am writing to let you know that Liverpool stands ready to help you and your Ministers deliver on your commitments.
We are a city of culture – hosting the most successful Eurovision Song Contest ever, on behalf of Ukraine.
We have rolled out state-of-the-art, publicly owned trains.
We led the world in helping reopen society after the Covid pandemic by pioneering mass testing and large-scale events.
We have world-class universities and burgeoning life sciences, pharmaceutical and gaming sectors.
We firmly believe our future is brighter now than it has ever been.
With renewed confidence and an unshakeable spirit.
The dawn of a new Government brings hope that we can do so much more.
We know our communities best and know we have the solutions to the challenges we face, in our neighbourhoods, our schools, with housing, transport and climate change. All we need is your support to unlock the opportunity.
We are ready to reimagine what it means to be a city – for our people, our productivity and our planet.
Our sleeves are rolled up and we are ready for action.
Cllr Liam Robinson, Leader, Liverpool City Council