Steve Rotheram announces potential ₤2.3m funding to bring forward proposed Marine Lake Events Centre in Southport

THE Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, has announced a potential ₤2.3 million to enable Sefton Council to carry out the next phase of project planning for a new multi purpose Marine Lake Events Centre, in Southport. This proposal for pre-development funding was considered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority at its meeting on Friday, 26 November 2021. Should this project get the go ahead, the new events complex will replace the existing Southport Theatre and Convention Centre, which closed in 2020, due to the Covid19 Pandemic. The planned centre, together with a sound and light show pier attraction leading into the adjacent lake, is at the heart of Sefton Council's plans for Southport's regeneration. For many, this is very good news after Southport lost out on investment back in 2003, resulting in the scrapping of the previous:- 'Southport Seafrount Masterplan.' But this plan is already starting to generate questions of its own, this time over the continued access and use of the lake by the historic sailing clubs and other users of the lake, should the development of the lake take place.

Speaking about the project, Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "Our Town Centres have always been at the heart of our communities. They are the places where we meet, shop, relax and socialise, but too many of our high streets have seen better days. Locally we've invested tens of millions of pounds to energise and improve our Town Centres. Despite the challenges the Pandemic has posed, I want to safeguard Southport's future and ensure that it can thrive for generations to come."

The Town has been awarded ₤37.5m from the Government's Towns Fund, with ₤30m of the total grant earmarked for a new events centre. The Combined Authority's funding, if approved, will finance the next phase of project planning, to achieve business plan submission in Spring 2022 and RIBA stage 3 design for the planning application.

Councillor Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council, said:- "As the largest investment project included within the Southport Town Deal, the Marine Lake Events Centre will provide Southport with an incredible events space with state of the art facilities to attract a wide range of different types of entertainment events and audiences to Southport. We believe that attractions such as this will create a genuinely unique visitor experience and will only serve to strengthen our visitor economy."

Councillor Janette Williamson, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Economy and 3rd Sector, said:- "Sefton Council has really exciting plans for Southport, to help restore this classic English seaside resort to its former glory. At the heart of those plans is a replacement for the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre.  Our funding would help unlock that development, creating hundreds of jobs and attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Town every year."

Please let us know what you think of this announcement and new vision for the redevelopment of this recreational infrastructure. Please email your comments to our Newsroom, at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com...
 

New Executive Director appointments at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

LIVERPOOL City Region Combined Authority has appointed to 2 key leadership roles. Richard McGuckin has been appointed to the role of Executive Director Place, while Dr Aileen Jones has been appointed as:- Executive Director Investment and Delivery. Richard joins the Combined Authority from Stockton On Tees Borough Council, where he is currently Director of Town Centres Investment, while Aileen is currently interim Executive Director of Strategic Commissioning and Delivery at the Combined Authority. The posts complete the Combined Authority's executive team, coming 5 months since the appointment of the Authority's new:- Chief Executive, Katherine Fairclough.

These key leadership roles will be crucial in driving forward the Combined Authority's ambitions. Working closely with partners, they will provide strategic expertise, advice and guidance on place-shaping and regeneration, integrated transport, infrastructure, investment and project delivery to unlock the potential of the City Region and drive inclusive economic growth and social value.

Welcoming the appointments, Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:- "We have massive ambitions for the Liverpool City Region in the years to come; be it a fully integrated London style transport system, a local green industrial revolution, or the creation of high-quality, high paid jobs through strategic investment. We need a top level team with the skills and experience to get us there and Richard and Aileen fit that bill. I'm really looking forward to working with the team in the months and years ahead."

Katherine Fairclough, Chief Executive of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said:- "I am delighted to welcome Richard and Aileen to our team at the Combined Authority. These appointments are a result of a rigorous recruitment process and in Richard and Aileen we are fortunate to have secured 2 candidates of huge experience and of the highest calibre. I and my executive team are looking forward to working closely with them to deliver our ambitions. Liverpool City Region is an amazing place with so many strengths and so much potential and I know that Richard and Aileen will play a key role in helping build on that to unlock our economic potential for the benefit of the people we serve."

Richard will join the Combined Authority in early February, while Aileen will begin her new role with immediate effect. Richard is a Chartered Civil Engineer and joins the Combined Authority from Stockton On Tees Borough Council. An experienced local Government Director, he has led a diverse portfolio of services that includes:- Highways, Transport, Planning, Housing, Economic Growth and Business Investment. Most recently, he has been leading on ambitions to transform the Borough's 6 Town Centres. He has also played an instrumental role in the setting up and then early management of the Tees Valley Combined Authority, chairing its Transport Advisory Group.

Aileen is currently interim Executive Director of Strategic Commissioning and Delivery at the Combined Authority. She joined the Authority in 2018 as Head of Evidence, Research and Intelligence and became Assistant Director of Policy and Strategic Commissioning in October 2019. With a PhD in public policy, she has split her career between public and private sectors, with previous roles including the Head of UK Public Policy for HSBC, Deputy Director of the Heseltine Institute at the University of Liverpool and spells in Westminster as a Committee specialist leading select committee enquiries, at the Financial Services Authority, Royal College of Psychiatrists and the General Medical Council.

Richard McGuckin said:- "I'm delighted to be taking up the post of Executive Director Place for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. I know that the Authority is already achieving great things to make it an even better place for its residents and I'm looking forward to making my contribution to that. I'll be working with closely with our Local Authorities, transport operators, businesses and communities with a clear focus on place-shaping and the power of integrated transport and infrastructure as a key enabler for inclusive economic growth."

Dr Aileen Jones said:- "Since I joined the Combined Authority in 2018 I've seen how our investments and the key projects we deliver are having a real impact on improving people's lives. I'm very pleased to be appointed to the permanent position of Executive Director Investment and Delivery and to continuing to drive forward this vital work. Working with our partners, my key priorities include taking forward our investment strategy alongside developing our plan for prosperity, making sure we have a high quality pipeline of projects so we are ready to secure funding and encouraging more inward investment to the City Region, alongside delivering key projects in skills, employment, housing and tackling homelessness."