Pledge to create 1,500 Merseyside jobs with £10m fund

AROUND £10m will be pumped into Merseyside businesses over the next two years in a bid to create 1,500 jobs.

The Merseyside Business Support Programme has been funded with £5m from the European Regional Development Fund and the rest from local authorities, and the private and voluntary sector.

A statement from Liverpool City Council said it would assist 3,190 businesses by the end of July 2014, with 1,721 of them in Liverpool.

The cash is aimed at what are described as “priority employment sectors” in the super port, low carbon, knowledge and visitor economies, and will be distributed through the existing business support network. Some £3.2m will be managed by Liverpool Vision.

Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool’s cabinet member for employment, enterprise and skills, said: “This is a substantial sum of money which will enable us to help and support firms as they strive to expand.
 
“We want to make sure that people living in the most deprived parts of the city region benefit from job opportunities.
 
“We will be providing expert assistance to those who can help us achieve our aim of increasing the skills and confidence of people in these communities to become ready to access employment.
 
The fund will also aim to safeguard a further 1,100 jobs.