A‘Team Liverpool’ roadmap to drive the city forward beyond the COVID-19 pandemic is being launched on Monday 5 October.
The City Plan is a commitment from key public, private and voluntary sector partners to tackle inequalities to give everyone a better quality of life – regardless of background, identity or postcode.
It aims to give people a voice to shape the way we deliver public services across communities by focusing on six priority areas and using shared resources to transform the agenda for health, education, neighbourhoods, economy, culture and climate.
Half of Liverpool’s neighbourhoods are amongst the 10 per cent most deprived in England, which creates a unique pressure upon, and demand for, local services at a time when public spending is becoming scarcer.
The city is proposing a fundamentally different approach which shifts power to people and communities, to collaborate rather than compete across organisations at all levels, and to work more effectively with central government and national agencies.
The City Plan is focused around six themes:
A healthier, happier, fairer Liverpool for all – working together to tackle health inequalities and respond to what matters most to people in terms of improving their health and wellbeing across all stages of life – Starting Well, Living Well and Ageing Well.
People are educated to succeed throughout life – children are ready for school and everyone has access to an inclusive, high quality education that enables them to live fulfilled, happy and productive lives. Employment prospects improve through lifelong learning and access to technical and professional skills.
Safe and thriving neighbourhoods – all residents live in safe, inclusive and welcoming neighbourhoods, where people choose and aspire to live, raise their families and grow old. Public services are aligned with local need to reduce inequalities within the city.
A strong and inclusive economy – A productive, innovative, sustainable and fair economy, where businesses thrive through nurturing talent from all communities and provide good jobs with fair pay, conditions and progression.
A low carbon, connected and accessible city – A city with smart, clean, accessible and integrated infrastructure, where organisations, businesses and residents are all playing their part in responding to the climate emergency and speeding the city’s transition to zero carbon.
The most exciting city in the UK – culture, sport and creativity is Liverpool’s USP and makes the city attractive for residents, workers, visitors and investors.
Key ambitions include:
· Halving the projected life expectancy gap with the England average from 2.8 to 1.4 years.
· Reducing infant deaths by a third
· Increasing school attendance and outcomes
· Improving the quality and choice of homes
· Increasing the employment rate and reducing the wage gap
· Accelerating the move to become a zero net carbon city
· Rebooting the visitor economy
The virtual launch event at 1pm on Monday 5 October will hear contributions from all walks of life and from all corners of the city – ranging from the Mayor and Chief Executive through to an apprentice, a GP, business leaders, educators, the Chief Constable and many more.
It can be watched at www.cityplanliverpool.com and www.facebook.com/lpoolcouncil.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “2020 has delivered the greatest challenge of our times and Liverpool’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has again shown the resilience and community spirit which makes this such a great city.
“We need to challenge systemic racial and indeed, all aspects of inequality, we must change and do better. The City Plan will focus upon creating greater equality and opportunity for everybody in everything from health to wealth, education and employment.
“Now more than ever, we need a partnership between local stakeholders and citizens as we drive our city forward in this new landscape. It will require radically rethinking the way we deliver public services. The focus will be on how we work collectively to build upon the strengths of all our employers, residents and communities.
“The City Plan will help unify public services in Liverpool and will focus on the strengths and needs of individuals and neighbourhoods. Early help and prevention will be central, and communities will be increasingly empowered to make decisions and influence things which matter and are of value to them.”
Clare White, Chief Executive of Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services, said: “There are already fantastic examples across the city of individuals and local networks coming up with the solutions to the challenges they face – changing lives and communities for the better.
“Team Liverpool wants to see this approach become more common place, a fundamental part of how all local public services are designed and delivered, with people given much more power, resources and autonomy. Liverpool’s community and voluntary sector will sit at the heart of our efforts to make this happen.”
Andy Cooke, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, said: “The real strength is in the people working together with the authorities to make a difference, because if you live there it means more to you. The best policing plan is reducing poverty and improving opportunity.
“We’re not just going to put our money into this, we’re going to put our heart and souls into making Liverpool better.”
Steve Coffey, Chief Executive of Torus Housing Group, said: “We’ll challenge all of our own organisations and consider how our combined effort, working with partners across the city, can deliver our shared outcomes and shared aspirations.”
