Metro Mayor pledges support for Halton region
● AN ambitious 100 day plan has been unveiled with pledges and actions that will be delivered over the next three months in Halton and the rest of the Liverpool City Region.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and the combined authority have outlined a broad range of policy areas including transport, economic growth, skills, housing, the environment and infrastructure.
The pledges involve appointing an internationally respected industry expert to head-up a special purpose vehicle to plan and deliver a Mersey Tidal Barrage.
A fairness and social justice advisory board will also be created to ensure securing inclusive growth becomes a connecting thread across all aspects of policy, including a commitment to support the adoption of the Real Living Wage by public and sector employers across the region.
Other actions include breaking down barriers for young people and apprentices to access work by progressing work on a free travel scheme for apprentices across the Liverpool City Region, and embracing a ‘housing first’ approach as the basis for a strategy to tackle homelessness and street sleeping.
The pledges also include taking ‘decisive steps’ towards a green and zero carbon area ● through a major initiative to improve air quality, including the potential adoption of Clean Air Zones.
Work has also commenced on the Halton Curve which runs through Runcorn and Widnes, but the pledges also include presenting a case for a new Liverpool to Manchester connection as the first phase of Crossrail for the North and Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Mr Rotheram said: “Devolution is a massive opportunity for ● our City Region and it is absolutely vital that we begin to grasp that opportunity and engender real momentum and energy into our programme.
“It’s clear from my early discussions with Government that devolution is the only show in town, and they see the new mayoral combined authorities as the vehicles for delivering transformational change and rebalancing the UK economy.
“It is also very obvious that those who are able to move quickly, show delivery capacity and formulate well thought through asks will get priority consideration.
“Our 100 day plan is not simply a wish list. It is a coherent set of actions that align with our vision for the city region.”
He added: “The devolution deal and the creation of a mayoral combined authority is our chance to deliver a step change in performance and ambition.
“I have defined our role in very simple terms.”