The Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Services provided a summary of the RS2010 Regional Strategy for England’s North West: Principles and Issues Paper, presented for consultation by the North West Development Agency (NWDA) and the Regional Leaders Forum 4NW. He set out the key consultation areas and presented a full proposed consultation response from Wirral Council addressing each of the questions posed. Although broadly in agreement with the Principles and Issues as presented in the consultation paper some additional comments were suggested.

The response emphasized the importance of acknowledging the wider City Regions as opposed to the Paper’s focus on Liverpool and Manchester as key areas for growth and as part of that emphasis, the case was put forward for Wirral to be considered as the ‘next big opportunity’ within the Regional Strategy priority areas for investment. He also put forward the infrastructure challenge as an additional priority issue for the Regional Strategy to address and highlighted the significant challenges in facilitating major investment both at a regional and Wirral level due to major infrastructure constraints such as limited power and digital capability in specific locations.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources expressed his support for the proposed response to the consultation document and was pleased that the issues contained within it included reference to advanced manufacturing and green technologies.

Resolved –

(1) That the content of the RS2010 Regional Strategy for England’s North West Principles and Issues Paper be noted and the proposed consultation response attached at Appendix 1 to the report now submitted be endorsed for submission to NWDA on behalf of Wirral Council.

(2) That officers be authorised to continue to work on associated North West Regional Strategy development issues and return further reports as appropriate.