New vision for Liverpool
Liverpool is setting out a 15 year vision to improve the lives of every man, woman and child in the city.
More than 1,500 residents and over 50 partner organisations have been involved in drawing up the 100 page document: Liverpool 2024: a thriving international city.
It includes ambitious but achievable plans to:
Create thousands of jobs to reduce unemployment
Increase the city's population by building more family homes
Make Liverpool one of the cleanest, greenest and safest cities in the country
Improve the health of every resident by reducing levels of obesity and the number of people smoking
It has been put in place by Liverpool First - the city's local strategic partnership made up of public, private and voluntary sector organisations - over a 17 month period of engagement and consultation.
Councillor Warren Bradley, Chair of Liverpool First and leader of Liverpool City Council said, "Liverpool has achieved a tremendous amount over the past decade.
"The city has been completely transformed, but we still have much to do in order to reverse more than 60 years of decline.
"Too many of our people are without the skills necessary to get a job and we have massive challenges to overcome in regard to poor health.
"This vision is a road map which will help us restore Liverpool to its rightful place as a thriving international city and will allow us to improve life for everyone who lives and works in the city."
The powerful document focuses on five key drivers of change:
Competitiveness - placing the city on the world stage with strong businesses
Connectivity - making sure the city has high quality transport and communications links
Distinctive Sense of Place - harnessing our diversity, cultural and physical strengths
Thriving Neighbourhoods - which are clean, safe and sustainable
Health & Wellbeing - reducing inequalities and ensuring people lead longer, independent lives
Each area has a range of ambitions and achievable targets which will be the main focus of Liverpool First partners over the coming years.
The city is pledging to:
Increase employment rate to the average of the UK's big cities (currently 63.5 per cent compared to national average of 74.5 per cent)
Keep Liverpool in the top ten most visited UK cities by overseas visitors (currently 6th)
Increase the number of owner occupiers - with a target of 60 per cent by 2012
Exceed the wealth of the city's population to greater than the national average (currently it is 92 per cent)
Increase the proportion of homes in council tax bands C to H to 30 per cent
25 percent of new homes to be affordable housing for sale and rent
Make Liverpool one of the cleanest cities in the country
Reduce landfill to less than one per cent of residual waste
Reduce carbon emissions by 35 per cent through increased use of public transport and walking and cycling routes
Have the city ranked as one of the safest in the UK (currently sixth best performing of 15 comparative areas)
Reduce the level of obesity in adults and children from 2010 onwards
Reduce the number of adults who smoke to less than 10 per cent of the population
The city's vision is being launched with a new brand for the city, which will be the emblem used to promote Liverpool around the world.
Businesses and residents will be encouraged to adopt it as a proud symbol of the city's dynamic future.
Liverpool Vision, the city's inward investment organisation, has been commissioned by Liverpool First to develop and promote the brand, which will be available online for businesses and residents to use from 3pm on Wednesday, by visiting: www.liverpoolcitybrand.com
Mike Taylor, director for Investment and Enterprise at Liverpool Vision said: "The new brand builds on the £300m of recognition created by 08 and it represents a focal point for a shared vision for the future growth of the city.
"It is a brand for the whole city and will be freely available to everyone who wants to speak for Liverpool and support its continued resurgence as a thriving international city."
The Sustainable Community Strategy is available online at www.liverpoolfirst.org.uk or as a printed document available on request from the website, through a local One Stop Shop or by calling 0151 296 7553.
A summary document is available for those wishing to get a quick understanding of the vision by contacting the number above.
