The Liverpool 2040 Plan, which has been published online, sets out a step-by-step framework to foster greater collaborations across dozens of key organisations to make Liverpool the UK’s leading city of opportunity – for all.

This strategic vision, documented in a 37-page publication, has been launched with a commitment from city leaders “to work closer together than ever before” on a series of common issues and to influence and guide public sector reform on key areas such as education, employment, housing and health.

Set out as “a framework for a better future”, the wide-ranging plan has been developed by the Liverpool Strategic Partnership, whose membership has been increased to include more than 20 organisations. Collectively the LSP has a combined workforce of more than 60,000 people and an annual spend of £10bn a year.

The overall aim of the Liverpool 2040 Plan is to offer greater opportunities to the city’s residents, of all ages and backgrounds, in a united effort to make it a better city to live, learn, work and play in.
The Liverpool 2040 plan also sets out how city partners will collaborate to improve life-long educational standards whilst addressing deep rooted socio-economic and health inequalities, as well as global challenges such as climate change.

Work is already on some fronts, with Liverpool last week being awarded Marmot City status for its work in tackling health inequalities and has been appointed the world’s first UN Accelerator City for its work on reduce the carbon footprint in the entertainment industry.

However, Liverpool, whose population is set to grow by 10% over the coming decade, is a city where a third of residents are classed as economically inactive and where one in five have a disability. And at a neighbourhood level, life expectancy can vary by up to 14 years for residents living just four miles apart.

Such challenges, set against unprecedented pressures on public finances, has led city leaders to come together in a renewed effort to identify and align common priorities. This approach is underpinned by a commitment to analyse and share intelligence to inform and strengthen joint-working to identify and maximise opportunities presented by new government policies.

The 2040 timeline also aligns with other key data-rich programmes as identified in the State of Health in the City: Liverpool 2040 report and the city region goal to achieve New Zero status also by 2040.

This shared ambition is set around eight key priorities, each to be measured against five specific outcomes, with a clear intent to provide a long-term vision for the type of city the next generation should be inheriting.

The eight pillars of the 2040 plan are:

1. The Next Generation – key aim: For Liverpool to be UNICEF Child Friendly City.
2. Healthy Lives – key aim: To improve life expectancy and reduce health inequalities in poorest communities.
3. A Fair Transition to Net Zero – key aim: For Liverpool to be a zero-waste city.
4. Safe, Cohesive and Clean Communities – key aim: To improve safety at neighbourhood level.
5. Quality Homes – key aim: To work at eliminating homelessness and rough sleeping.
6. Inclusive Economic Growth – key aim: To develop city-wide innovation and skills strategy.
7. An Exciting and Distinctive City – key aim: For Liverpool to build on top 5 UK visitor city destination status.
8. Vibrant Public Services – key aim: To be a leading innovator based on data-led evidence.

The LSP, overseen by a board of chief executives, chaired by the chief executive of Liverpool City Council, has also been refreshed in response to the Strategic Futures Panel’s recommendations around strengthening the city’s approach to public service reform.

The LSP has also been devised to enable Liverpool to speak with one voice to national government and its departments. It also provides a shared platform for the city to take advantage of any new government opportunities.

The Liverpool 2040 Plan has also identified a priority focus on public service reform, with an emphasis on what makes sense for local areas to meet the needs of local people. This will build on key initiatives including Liverpool City Council’s new neighbourhood model, the Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC), the Complex Lives project, the North Liverpool Public Service Reform Prototype, and the development of an Office of Public Service Innovation.

The Liverpool 2040 plan, which has been endorsed by Liverpool City Council’s cabinet, replaces the former City Plan that was published in 2020.

This previous city plan was in need of a refresh to reflect on the lessons and consequences of Covid-19 pandemic, the commissioner-led intervention to improve Council performance, as well as recent socio-political issues like a new UK government, last summer’s civil unrest. It also needed to respond to wider issues like the global energy crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as the rise of AI and understanding and identifying the challenges and opportunities it presents.

Member of the Liverpool Strategic Partnership are:

• Liverpool City Council
• University of Liverpool
• Liverpool John Moores University
• Liverpool Hope University
• Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
• City of Liverpool College
• Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
• Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services
• Torus

• The Riverside Group
• Onward Homes
• Merseyside Police
• Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service
• HMPS – Liverpool Prison
• Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
• NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership
• Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Trust
• Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
• Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
• Department for Work and Pensions, North West

Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said:

“The Liverpool 2040 Plan sets out the beginning of a 15-year journey to shape Liverpool as the UK’s leading city of opportunity – for all.

“The Liverpool 2040 Plan sets out a clear vision of how to be a better city and sets the foundations to guide the changes needed well into the rest of the 21st century.

“it’s clear our major organisations need to work much harder and smarter together. For Liverpool to be a better city, we need to do better on a lot of levels – and I’m heartened by the desire and commitment in so many of our partner organisations to do that.

“This is the city that delivered both the best-ever European Capital of Culture and Eurovision. Through a potent mix of imagination, inspiration and collaboration we saw mass participation on an unprecedented scale, delivering remarkable results with huge economic benefits. Under the biggest spotlight and phenomenal pressure, Liverpool performs. And excels. Like few cities can.

“But on another level, too many of our residents are not living their best life. Opportunity is not knocking in the way it should in the world of education and employment.

“The health and wealth for a lot of our residents is below the national average. Much of our housing is poor quality, so many of our children are not benefitting from the best possible start in life. That is unacceptable. That needs to change.

“This Liverpool 2040 plan provides the best possible platform for us to start that journey, informed by data every step of the way to ensure we all make the right decisions to ensure we create an environment that nurtures and fosters talent and opportunity.

“We need to fully address the fundamental issues we face – in education, employment, health, housing, transport and employment – and its eight guiding priorities will shape how we respond to the challenges and maximise the opportunities over these next 15 years.

“I’m deeply encouraged by how many partners right across the public, private and voluntary sector have signed up to a vision of offering greater opportunities than ever before to our residents. We all have a role to play in making Liverpool the best place to grow up, grow a family, and grow a business – where no-one is left behind.

“Rest assured myself, my cabinet and this Council will work tirelessly with the Metro Mayor and the city region combined authority to make our case to the UK Government where and when it is needed. The Council cannot make these improvements alone. And not all the solutions are financial – reform and policy changes are just as vital to delivering the changes we need.

“Lasting change takes time, which is why we have set a 15-year timeline for our vision. Despite this, we are determined that our residents will see immediate and incremental improvements in the here and now, and I am deeply optimistic about the progress we can make together on an ongoing basis.”

Andrew Lewis, Chair of the Liverpool Strategic Partnership and Chief Executive of Liverpool City Council said:

“Public services across the country, and particularly here in Liverpool, are facing unprecedented challenges, including rising demand for services, limited public funding and increasing complexity of needs.

“These challenges cannot be met by any one organisation acting alone. So it’s vital to have a strong strategic partnership across Liverpool. Together we represent the full range of public services for our city, committing to work together on a shared strategy for Liverpool 2040, prioritising our investments, sharing data and evidence, and transforming services together.”