Following additional restrictions to combat coronavirus being placed on ‘The Liverpool City’ region, many people disputed whether the measures do apply to Southport.
OTS News received numerous messages via email, Facebook and Twitter that Southport was not included in the region, and today’s measures do not apply.
To clarify, Southport IS inside the Liverpool City Region, and the restrictions announced today DO apply to the town.
But what actually is the Liverpool City Region?
In 2004, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott instructed the Northwest Development Agency, One NorthEast and Yorkshire Forward to compile a strategy and steering group to deal with infrastructure and financial challenges bigger than one single council could deal with alone.
The three organisations were tasked with addressing the £30 billion output gap between the North and the average for England as a whole.
The steering group published a strategy guide that included the creation of eight “city regions”
The Liverpool City Region was officially formed in January 2009 after an agreement was reached between the local authorities of Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and The Wirral.
Southport, which has been part of Sefton since 1974, became part of the devolved region.
The creation of the region devolved some key responsibilities away from central government in areas such as employment, skills, transport, regeneration, housing and planning.
In 2014, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority was created – comprising of the six constituent boroughs of the region.
The authority is chaired by Steve Rotherham, the Metro Mayor and has powers over transport, economic development and regeneration.
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