Halton business leaders are being invited to help shape policy in the borough as well as the wider Liverpool City Region (LCR).

A shake-up in how companies and local politics interacts has seen the LCR combined authority (CA) - which represents six local councils including Halton - take over the role formerly undertaken by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

LEPs are voluntary partnerships between local or combined authorities and businesses, first set up by government in 2011. But following a national review its functions have now been taken over by the CA.

Under the overhaul, a new Business and Enterprise Board will be set up and the CA is seeking recognised business leaders in their sector from across the area to volunteer their expertise and time as members of the board.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“Thriving local businesses are the backbone of our economy and, for our area to flourish, we need them to succeed. This is an opportunity for business and enterprise leaders to work with us, to make their voice heard, and to help us identify the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for our economy."

Representation on the board will be drawn from a range of sectors including higher and further education, port and maritime logistics, professional and business services, third sector and built environment.

Three new cluster boards will also be set up covering advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences and the digital and creative industries, Cluster boards would be able to set up task groups to address issues affecting the performance and competitiveness of the sector and wider LCR economy.

The business and enterprise board and three new cluster boards will typically be composed of 14 members broadly representing the LCR geography but with the flexibility to co-opt members to plug gaps in areas of expertise, local geography or to ensure greater diversity.

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