Your business can play its part.

YOUR business and staff can be directly involved in pointing Liverpool in the right direction for a bright future by joining the CDP. If you don't become a member, how will you ensure your voice is heard?

There are already more than 35 members and associates of Liverpool's CDP, and that number is regularly growing. Members will find themselves part of a dynamic and influential group planning the revitalisation of the city through its economic hub - the commercial district itself. More than just a networking tool, members find themselves working with major development partners and having access to Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Vision.

Keeping you up to date with everything happening in the area and within the CDP is no problem, because there is an e-newsletter and a website, plus Working Groups and a Stakeholder Forum. What's more, your company's website will have its own hyperlink from the CDP website sending more web traffic your way.

Other, more tangible, benefits include discounts for staff such as books, gym membership and restaurant offers. The opportunity to meet and make contacts with other local businesses is an important benefit too.

Long-term commitment of members to the Partnership and to the commercial district will ensure that the area continues to grow and develop, with each partner contributing to and benefiting from the progress made.

Who are the CDP?

Chief executive of the CDP is Paul Rice. Liverpool born and bred, Paul has been leading the CDP since its beginnings in April, 2006.

He has a wealth of experience, gained primarily as the chief executive of the Manchester City Centre Management Company. He has also worked as the Liverpool City Centre Neighbourhood Manager, the town centre manager in Warrington, and has private sector experience as development manager for Clear Channel UK.

Paul's impressive CV also boasts a variety of positions within Liverpool City Council over a 14-year period, plus he was a director of the Association of Town Centre Management from 1995 to 2006 and is an advisory member of the LI Partnership Board in Liverpool.

Lesley Chalmers is the chairman of Liverpool's CDP. She is also the chief executive of English Cities Fund and has extensive experience working as a freelance consultant in the field of urban regeneration.

She has also been the chief executive of the Kings Cross Partnership in London and Hulme Regeneration Ltd in Manchester.

The vice-chairman is David Guest. David knows the property sector inside out and is a full board director at Bruntwood, a company specialising in commercial property developments. He also assists the Everyman Playhouse Trust in an advisory capacity for their investment and building programme.

What has the CDP accomplished so far?

The CDP has already had a huge impact on Liverpool, whether with improvements to the infrastructure, assisting with new developments, improving the marketing of the area, or just making it a nicer looking place to live and work.

Getting people into and around the commercial district is of obvious importance. Despite the problems to infrastructure caused by construction and preparing the city for the Capital of Culture year, the CDP has helped the council make the process go as well as possible. This has included working with Merseytravel to link the commercial district with the new city centre shuttle service; a review of traffic movement on Pall Mall, Tithebarn Street and Old Hall Street; and also ensuring the city council recognises the commercial district on future highway signage.

In terms of assisting both current and future developments in the area, the CDP has certainly succeeded in helping to change the very look of the city centre.

It has assisted Liverpool Vision in securing a Development Agreement for West Moorfields; supported Vision, Business Liverpool and The Mersey Partnership with regard to inward investment and relocation; and is launching a public art and animation programme with a pounds 25,000 investment from Arts & Business.

All these ideas and improvements need to be well communicated, and the CDP has managed to secure extensive coverage in both local and regional media. Along with sending speakers to conferences and exceeding targets for website hits, the Partnership also held a successful event to celebrate the city's 800th birthday

But if the central business environment doesn't look attractive and welcoming then all the other hard work will be for nothing. For this reason, the CDP has tried to ensure the appearance of the area complements the quality of its existing businesses and new developments.

Such plans have included the upgrading of street lighting; additional and intensive street sweeping and washing; improvements to both the roads and footpaths; repairing and painting of signs; replacing trees and installing waste bins. Security has also been tackled, with funding secured for additional CCTV cameras, a new Help Point on Bixteth Street, and agreements put in place with Business Crime Direct and the city council, including dedicated staff for operational management within the district.

The future ...

The CDP has already achieved many of its goals, and has even exceeded some. But there is much more in the pipeline. The CDP has been there from the beginnings of the wave of investment and growth that has started sweeping towards the city, and is setting in place a strong foundation to ensure that Liverpool continues to revitalise and grow both socially and economically, long after the celebrations of Capital of Culture year have died down. With the CDP's guidance, assistance and strong voice within the local business community, Liverpool can continue to reap the benefits of economic growth and success for many years to come.

CAPTION(S):

An aerial view of the Commercial District Partnership area Picture by Webb Aviation, and courtesy of Liverpool Vision; Paul Rice, chief executive of Liverpool CDP; Business quarter - Old Hall Street, Liverpool