Minister’s Gateway to Northern progress
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NORTHERN Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry met with Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram at the Mersey Gateway site in Runcorn on Thursday ( July 6) today to ‘ champion’ the North’s cities, towns and villages.
They also toured Halton’s worldleading Sci-Tech Daresbury Enterprise Zone, to find out how the area is leading the way in research, industry and innovation.
A Department For Communities And Local Government ( DCLG) spokeswoman said the hub is home to more than 120 science and research organisations and high tech businesses, and is levering in more than £150m of private investment.
The minister, who was born in Liverpool, and the mayor also inspected the progress of Mersey Gateway Bridge.
With £470m of Government funding committed, the project is one of the top 100 most innovative and important infrastructure projects in the world.
It is forecast to create around 5,000 jobs, reduce journey times by up to 10 minutes in peak periods, and add £61.9m a year to the Liverpool City Region’s economy by 2030.
The spokeswoman said that during the visit, the minister and metro mayor pledged to put aside their political differences to work together to build the ‘Northern Powerhouse’.
Under the recent devolution deal, Whitehall is to provide the Liverpool City Region with £900m over 30 years.
The spokeswoman said the minister stressed that he will work with Mr Rotherham to maximise the investment’s impact for the city.
Mr Berry said: “The next phase of the Northern Powerhouse is about working with the three combined authority mayors across the region so we can improve the lives of people who live and work in the North.
“I want to be absolutely clear that I fully support Steve Rotheram and I’ll be working very closely with him so we can build the Northern Powerhouse together.”
Mr Rotheram said: “I am pleased to welcome the minister to the Liverpool City Region so soon after my election as Metro Mayor.
“It is vital that the Government drives forward with its stated aim of rebalancing the UK economy, by supporting our ambitious plans to build a high skill, high wage, high aspiration economy that works for all communities across our city region, and I see Mr Berry’s visit today as a significant statement of intent.”