Town hall chiefs to share growth ideas

A CONFERENCE next month, which aims to create a ‘road map for growth’, will feature council bosses from the region’s two major cities, as well as private sector business leaders.

Organised by lobbying group Downtown Liverpool in Business, the ‘It’s Liverpool Business Conference’ on November 14, will see Manchester city council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein share the stage with his Liverpool counterpart Ged Fitzgerald, and council leader Cllr Joe Anderson.

Other speakers include Liverpool-born propery magnate Steve Morgan, founder of housebuilder Redrow and owner of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and chairman of Redrow, and home furnishings entrepreneur Tony Caldeira.

Toby Young the journalist and political commentator, Paul Levy chief executive, City of Philadelphia Business Improvement District and Maggie O’Carroll, chief executive of the Women’s Organisation are also confirmed for the conference at the Crowne Plaza hotel.

Downtown chairman Frank McKenna said he hoped the event would stimulate ideas for enterprise: “The only way out of the recession is through private sector growth. That is irrefutable.

“The conference will explore how local and national governments can assist in creating an enterprise culture in Liverpool and the wider North West region.”