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Mayor Steve Rotheram has vowed to keep opening doors to opportunity as he looks back on a landmark year of delivery, innovation, and partnership that’s transforming the region’s economy, infrastructure, and public services.
Introducing the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Annual Review 2024-25, Mayor Rotheram said: “We’re putting ourselves on the map as a place that’s serious about creating jobs, attracting investment, and building an economy that works for our people.”
The Annual Review, published today and available here, details progress made on the Combined Authority’s 2024–2028 Corporate Plan and marks the first year of Mayor Rotheram’s third term in office.
From major investments in housing and transport to cutting-edge innovations in health and technology, the city region is positioning itself as a national leader in inclusive, sustainable growth.
The report highlights how the city region is bolstering its status as a national powerhouse in health and tech innovation. Key investments include £10m to build AI-powered robotic labs at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, £9.4m for Alder Hey’s Paediatric Open Innovation Zone, and £1.1m for the KQ Futures Programme to inspire the next generation in life sciences.
Complementing the innovation boom, the Liverpool City Region Freeport attracted £72m in new investments in 2024/25 alone, with major developments like Viking Park and Parkside forecast to generate more than 1,500 jobs.
Trade missions to the US, China, and Ireland highlighted the city region’s global ambition, with the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider Kyndryl opening a new hub in Liverpool, set to create up to 1,000 AI jobs.
The Combined Authority continues to lead the way in delivering a publicly controlled integrated transport system. Major milestones include planning approval for Liverpool Baltic Station, a new free travel pass for care leavers, £110m for new depots and zero emission buses, £32 million for a new St Helens Transport Interchange and construction of the first new Mersey Ferry in 60 years.
With a bold target to be net zero by 2035, the city region’s climate and housing agenda has seen more than £80m secured for energy efficiency upgrades to 10,000 homes, the ongoing development of the Mersey Tidal Power Project, backed by 84% of the public, and the launch of the Future Homes LCR initiative – showcasing zero-energy-bill homes.
The Brownfield Land Fund has surpassed targets, enabling nearly 8,000 new homes across the region. And the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and a landmark partnership to clean up the River Mersey highlight the authority’s commitment to biodiversity and environmental restoration.
With a commitment to lifelong opportunity, the Combined Authority invested £68m in skills and training, supporting over 37,000 adult learners. The Households into Work programme helped more than 1,200 long-term unemployed residents this year alone, while the Young People’s Guarantee is helping young people into jobs and training.
And efforts to close the digital divide have now helped 5,200 residents get online, with more than 1.2 million GB of mobile data donated through private partnerships.
Introducing the Annual Review, Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“When I was first elected, I said I wanted to build a region that offered the same chances to kids growing up here today as I had to go searching for elsewhere. That’s still what drives me – and this past year, we’ve taken some massive steps forward.
“We’ve continued work on a new station in the Baltic Triangle, launched our biggest ever retrofit programme to make thousands of homes warmer and more affordable, and expanded our award-winning Cradle to Career programme to support even more kids across the region.
“We’ve rolled out free travel for care leavers – because no young person should miss out on opportunities just because they can’t afford the bus.
“We’ve piloted AI in local classrooms, helping teachers tailor learning and giving pupils more personalised support – part of our ambition to lead in tech that improves lives, not just bottom lines.
“And we’ve shown the world what we’re about, too – from leading trade missions to the US and China, to bringing global firms like Kyndryl into the region. We’re putting ourselves on the map as a place that’s serious about creating jobs, attracting investment, and building an economy that works for our people.
“None of this happens by accident. It’s the result of hard work, strong partnerships with our six local councils, businesses and institutions, and a much-improved relationship with government – one that recognises the value of decisions being made closer to the people they affect.
“This review is a look back at what we’ve achieved – but for me, it’s also a reminder of how far we can go. The Liverpool City Region’s got the people, the ideas and the ambition. My job is to keep opening the doors to help us realise it.”
A joint statement on behalf of the Combined Authority cabinet members who are also leaders of the city region’s six local authorities, Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral, says:
“As Cabinet Members of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Leaders of our city region’s six Local Authorities, we are all extremely proud of the places that we lead.
“A crucial part of that leadership is how we work together in partnership at a city region level. This partnership, through the Combined Authority, is enabling our region to create a prosperous future for our residents in each-and-every borough.
“Prioritising growing our economy, jobs, skills, improving transport, housing, equality, delivering social value and dealing with the climate emergency are important to all of us. And doing this at a regional level with devolved powers, decision-making, funding and a collaborative relationship with government, makes us stronger – and means we can do more to improve our residents’ lives.
“That is why we are pleased to celebrate the progress being made to deliver on our region’s priorities during 2024-2025. This Annual Review once again demonstrates what we can achieve by working together at a regional level.
“We want to continue to work with our communities and partners and empower them to continue to play an important role in how we deliver for our region, to make this the best place to grow up, grow a family, and grow a business – where no-one is left behind.”
Katherine Fairclough, Chief Executive of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said:
“Every day I come to work, inspired by the brilliant, creative and hard-working team here at the Combined Authority, who are so committed to delivering the Mayor’s vision and manifesto commitments.
“I am equally proud that their work is defined and delivered through incredible partnerships, collaboration and productive relationships across our six constituent local authorities, our businesses, institutions and communities.
“Together, we are dedicated to improving the lives of the 1.6 million residents of this great city region, underpinned always by principles of sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion, which are so fundamental to all of our work.
“Working through the Combined Authority, we are using our devolved powers and funding to deliver so many amazing things that will grow our economy, create jobs, equip our residents with the skills they need to succeed, deliver improved transport, better housing, and so much more.
“This annual review celebrates the highlights of what we have achieved together during 2024-2025, the first year of delivery under the Combined Authority’s 2024-28 corporate plan and our Mayor’s third term of office.”
