Liverpool City Region Music Office launched with £1.6m Combined Authority Funding

A £1.6 million investment from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is enabling the LCR Music Board to progress exciting plans for the local music sector. The Combined Authority originally approved a £2m investment in the Music Board back in March 2020. £400,000 of that funding has already been provided to support the work of the Board, including quickly establishing a £150,000 emergency support fund for music businesses affected by the Pandemic.

As the economy emerges from the Pandemic, the remaining £1.6m, together with match funding from local organisations and providers, will enable the Board to deliver the second phase of the:- 'LCR Music Sector Development Project,' aimed at ensuring business growth, skills and talent development alongside associated investment to strengthen the LCR music ecosystem through the creation of an LCR Music Office.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "The Liverpool City Region has as strong a claim as anywhere to be the home of British music. No area has had more number 1 hits and, in my opinion, nowhere has our heart or our talent. Today, our music scene is as vibrant as ever. We're home to thriving community of incredibly talented artists who are continuing our area's proud legacy. Our musical heritage is obviously very important, attracting millions of visitors to the Region every year, but I want to invest to ensure that our future can be just as bright. The new LCR Music Office will help to oversee the musical sector in the Region, providing 1 front door for businesses and acts alike who need support or guidance to take their careers to the next level."

Kevin McManus, Head of Liverpool UNESCO City of Music, said:- "The local music sector is an important economic driver for the City Region and this programme will help ensure that the sector can continue to grow, creating skilled jobs here, retaining talent in the Region and making it a place where other music businesses want to invest."

Councillor Mike Wharton, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Portfolio Holder for Culture, Tourism and the Visitor Economy, said:- "Music is central to our City Region and we have a long tradition of shaping the culture not just of our City Region or country, but also the world.  It's vital that we continue to support our local music industry and this investment will help do just that, by supporting the entire infrastructure required to create jobs within the sector and allow the artists of the future to continue to emerge."

The skills development strand of the project will deliver apprenticeships and traineeships across the music sector. The programme will also support industry career events, and outreach to young people, providing career advice and support in association with local music education hubs; aiming to support young people into full time sector employment.

The project will invest in talent development through established initiatives such as LIMF Academy and the Momentum programme delivered by PRS Foundation.

The Music Ecosystem element of the project will involve the creation of an LCR Music Office, led by Kevin McManus, dedicated to supporting the growth of the sector. It will be a single point of contact for music businesses across the City Region; providing information, advice and signposting to available support. Initially the Music Office's focus will be on supporting the work of the Music Board and in particular the delivery of the SIF funded programme.

The Music Board is excited to get back on track implementing the Liverpool City Region Music Industry Sector Development Project which was developed by the Board and its sub groups in consultation with the sector locally.

The project was initially devised pre-Covid, but the Pandemic led to an immediate change to the programme, so that it could respond to the needs of the industry. As a result, £150k of the initial Combined Authority allocation was paid to Culture Liverpool in May 2020 to enable the delivery of an emergency support fund for music businesses suffering due to the impact of the Covid19 Pandemic. Over 50 music businesses were supported through this fund with grants of up to £5k per business.

For more information about Liverpool City Region Music Board, visit:- LCRMusicBoard.Co.UK.
 

County Road in Kirkby re-opens after new railway bridge installed for Headbolt Lane Station scheme

WORK to install a new railway bridge over County Road in Kirkby as part of the new Headbolt Lane Station scheme have been completed on schedule, allowing the road to re-open to traffic. The new bridge forms part of the £80m Headbolt Lane Station scheme and will enable the track improvements between the new Station and the existing Kirkby Station, supporting the Merseyrail and Northern services that will operate from the Station. Construction on the scheme began in January this year and it is expected that the Station will open to passengers in Summer 2023.

Cllr Liam Robinson, Transport Portfolio Holder for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said:- "We're incredible grateful for the patience shown by residents while these works were carried out to install the new rail bridge on County Road. The new bridge will help us deliver the Station at Headbolt Lane and connect residents in the area to the local rail network for the 1st time, opening up opportunities to travel for education, work and leisure. This is another step on our journey towards Mayor Steve Rotheram's ambition of building a London style transport system for our Region, making getting around as quick, cheap, clean and reliable wherever you live."

The new Station is a key part of Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram's plans to deliver a London-style integrated transport system for the City Region, which aims to bring together bus, rail, ferry and active travel in 1 simple, affordable and easy to use transport network. It will also be the 1st new Station opened since Mayor Rotheram unveiled Merseyrail For All, his proposals to expand the local train network through a combination of brand-new Stations in underserved parts of the Region and by utilising the latest innovative battery technology on the Region's new publicly owned trains.

The new Station plans include:-

►  Step free access throughout the Station.

►  A bus interchange.

►  Cycle parking.

►  Links to active travel networks.

►  Passenger waiting facilities and toilets.

►  300 park and ride spaces.

►  Electric vehicle charging points.

Cllr Graham Morgan, Leader of Knowsley Council, said:- "The progress being made on Headbolt Lane is very encouraging and I know residents are excited at the prospect of a new Station opening next year. It is something Kirkby residents have wanted for a long time. It will improve transport options for residents in the Tower Hill and Northwood areas, providing improved access to employment, including:- Knowsley Business Park, and education opportunities."

Philippa Britton, principal programme sponsor at Network Rail, said:- "While work to build a new Station at Headbolt Lane is ongoing, we are delighted to have installed a new railway bridge that enables the line from Kirkby to extend to the new Headbolt Lane Station, helping transform the Merseyrail network. We recognise this important bridge work has caused some disruption in the local area. We are very grateful to residents and commuters for their patience and understand during this time."

The full scheme includes the extension of the Merseyrail network beyond the existing Kirkby Station and will see Merseyrail services run into the new Station. Northern services from Wigan and Manchester will also operate to and from the new three-platform Station. Headbolt Lane will be the 1st Station to benefit from battery technology on the new trains for the Merseyrail network, removing the need to extend the third rail beyond the existing Kirkby Station. The scheme is being delivered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in partnership with Knowsley Council, Network Rail, Merseyrail and Northern. Funding for the scheme has come from the Transforming Cities Fund. It is also aligned to Knowsley Council's plans to improve transport access in the area for residents whilst also supporting workers and visitors to 1 of Europe's largest employment sites; Knowsley Business Park.