Business leaders invited to help boost growth in city

A new forum for business leaders to help create jobs and investment in the city has been proposed by the Liverpool Lib Dems.

The Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Carl Cashman set out a major plank for his plan for a Business friendly city - he wants to form a group called "Liverpool FIRST" to build on the successful role of the previous "Liverpool Vision".

Former Council Leader Mike Storey established Liverpool Vision when the Lib Dems ran the city.  The plan to revive such a body was outlined by the Lib Dems last week in the first of a series of events targeted at Liverpool's business community.  

Councillor Storey described how local business leaders had previously helped the Lib Dem led Council to "turn the city around". He described key projects such as Liverpool ONE, Capital of Culture, and the building of the Arena and Convention Centre.

Councillor Cashman described how Labour made a big mistake in scrapping Liverpool Vision. "Liverpool City Council has failed to be ambitious under Labour," he said. "The city needs cleaning up, it's leadership is out of touch on many issues, and it has failed to plan properly for things like parking and transport to Everton's new stadium".

The Lib Dem duo listened in a private gathering to business leaders describing their fears for the city's future unless they were better engaged in planning for investment in the city. "The local Labour leadership often seems invisible," said one "and we hardly heard from it when Astra Zeneca pulled out". 

Councillor Cashman pledged that a future Lib Dem administration would listen to business leaders, community leaders, and above all to the people of the city.