Liverpool’s mayoral model stays for now

Preston, South Ribble and Chorley's councils are closer to adopting a combined Local Plan, as officers progress towards a preferred options consultation this summer.

The future of the city council's leadership structure is to be discussed at an extraordinary council meeting on Wednesday, as Liberal Democrat councillors called for a full consultation on the city’s governance following the arrest of mayor Joe Anderson in December.

Senior figures have reacted with dismay to the reduction of support for Northern transport projects, claiming measures including the axing of backing for smart ticketing betray the “levelling-up” agenda.

Proposals to improve the performance and punctuality of the city-region’s creaking rail network have been unveiled for consultation, with the best of three options set to be rolled out from May 2022.

The Treasury aims to establish its much-trailed Northern campus, dubbed ‘Treasury North’, before the next election, and fresh details about the Government’s strategy to move thousands of civil servants out of London as part of the ‘levelling up’ agenda are expected in the coming weeks.

Max Caller, appointed by Government to inspect procurement practices at Liverpool City Council, is due to report his findings by 31 March.

The council is to acquire properties from Sandway Homes, the housing development company it set up in January 2019, as part of a drive to re-enter the social housing market for the first time in almost 15 years.

The council intends to exercise compulsory purchase powers to acquire the final two properties within the Griffin regeneration zone to advance its redevelopment into 140 homes. 

The local authority has asked for road exemptions and support for its bus providers, in response to a consultation on Greater Manchester's proposed Clean Air Zone.