Anderson appoints development board

The first board has been named for the Liverpool Mayoral Development Corporation, formed as part of the City Deal between government and the Labour-led Liverpool City Council.

The Corporation will guide development in five development zones and two enterprise zones.

The mayor, Cllr Joe Anderson, said he will build new schools, houses and attracting investment and jobs.

The board members are (see below for career details):

• Robert Hough, chairman of Liverpool Local Enterprise Partnership and non-executive director of Peel Group
• Sir Michael Bibby, managing director of Bibby Line Group
• Julia Unwin, chief executive of social affairs charity Joseph Rowntree Foundation
• Sir Howard Newby, vice chancellor of University of Liverpool
• Claire Dove, chief executive of women's college Blackburne House
• Liv Garfield, chief executive of BT Open Reach

The board will meet on a regular basis, with the inaugural meeting scheduled for September.

In return for agreeing to become one of the first cities with a directly elected mayor, Liverpool received greater powers from the Coalition over public budgets and assets including land owned by the Homes & Communities Agency.

Liverpool Mayoral Development Corporation (LMDC) will also deliver two enterprise zones – for the northern city fringe and commercial district around Old Hall Street and another for Peel's Mersey Waters docklands scheme. Ermnteprise zones attracted reduced business rates, the promise of faster planning decisions and investment in broadband connectivity.

LMDC will also have five Mayoral Development Zones; North Liverpool, Knowledge Quarter (university area), Stonebridge Cross, Eastern Approaches and Speke Garston.

Anderson said the long-term aim for the Mayoral Development Corporation is to operate a multi-billion pound investment vehicle that will operate as a 'Bank of Liverpool'.

He said: "The intention is to pool public funding streams into a single investment pot that also includes public assets and income from the business rate uplift in the Enterprise Zones, including the co-ordination and disposal of Homes & Communities Agency economic assets through a dedicated stewardship collaboration agreement. It will then be used to attract private sector match and lever in private sector loans and equity."

He added: "This is a pivotal moment for Liverpool as it is the first time we have ever had the ability to shape our own destiny in this way.

"I am delighted that we have been able to secure the services of extremely talented individuals who have a wealth of experience at the highest level in the public, private and voluntary sectors and at a local, regional and national level."

The board members in greater detail

Sir Michael Bibby, managing director of Bibby Line Group. MD of Liverpool-based Bibby Line Group since 2000. Graduating from Oxford University in 1984, he joined Coopers & Lybrand in London where he later qualified as a chartered accountant. He then spent several years at Unilever as a project accountant where he was involved in a number of acquisitions, disposals and joint venture projects.

Claire Dove, chief executive of Blackburne House. Also chairman of Social Enterprise UK, a member of the board of governors at Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Community College. She chaired the recent Liverpool Fairness Commission report commissioned by the Mayor which recommends the implementation of a living wage for local people to tackle poverty.

Liv Garfield, chief executive of BT Open Reach. Responsible for delivery of fibre to two thirds of UK homes and businesses by the end of 2015. Previously worked as BT group director of strategy and regulatory affairs, where she oversaw the company's fibre broadband strategy and other key areas. Before joining BT in 2003, she worked for Accenture, the management consultancy company.

Robert Hough, chairman of Liverpool Local Enterprise Partnership. Previously chairman of the North West Development Agency. He has been a director of Peel Holdings since 1986 and was its deputy chairman from 1989 to 2009 and is now a non-executive director of Peel Holdings. Within the Peel Holdings Group, he was also responsible for the airports division and was chairman of Peel Airports and Liverpool John Lennon Airport from 1997 until 2009. He was chairman of the organising committee of the Manchester Commonwealth Games from 1995 to 1999 and then its vice-president and also Mayor of the Games Village during the games themselves. From 2002 to 2009, he was chairman of New East Manchester, the urban regeneration company.

Sir Howard Newby, vice chancellor of University of Liverpool. Previously vice-chancellor of University of the West of England in Bristol, having previously spent five years as chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. From 1999 to 2001, Newby was president of Universities UK, the UK body which represents the university sector. He was also President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science for 2001-2002.

Julia Unwin, chief executive of Joseph Rowntree Foundation. She was previously a member of the Housing Corporation Board for 10 years and a Charity Commissioner from 1998-2003. Unwin was also deputy chairman of the Food Standards Agency and worked as an independent consultant operating within government and the voluntary and corporate sectors. In that role, she focused on the development of services and in particular the governance and funding of voluntary organisations. Julia has researched and written extensively on the role, governance and funding of the voluntary sector. She studied history at the University of Liverpool and also worked for Liverpool Council for Voluntary Service from 1978-1980.

David Wade Smith. Has a broad wealth of business experience and played an instrumental role in the strategic development of independent retailer Wade Smith, culminating in its sale to Arcadia Group in 1998. He is a board member at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce was and chairman from 2005 to 2008 and served as chairman of Tourism for Merseyside at The Mersey Partnership from 2004 to 2009. He is also a co-founding member of the board of Liverpool Vision. He served on the successful board of the Liverpool bid team for European Capital of Culture, and has served as a board member of Tate Liverpool and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society. In 2010 he was appointed as Business Advisor to the city council's Cabinet, and more recently his business interests have included digital ticketing as well as an international role in conferences and events.