Editing Liverpool (section)

==Government==
{{See also|Merseyside|Liverpool City Region}}
[[File:Cunard and Port of Liverpool Building Buildings (2015-11-03 19.33.41 by Bob Edwards - 22794131345).jpg|thumb|right|The [[Cunard Building]] (left), housing the main offices of [[Liverpool City Council]]]]
For the purposes of [[Local government in England|local government]], Liverpool is classified as a [[metropolitan borough]] with city status. The metropolitan borough is located within both the county of [[Merseyside]] and the [[Liverpool City Region]]. Each of these geographical areas is treated as an administrative area with different levels of local governance applying to each.

[[Liverpool City Council]] is the governing body solely for the Metropolitan Borough of Liverpool and performs functions that are standard of an English [[Unitary Authority]]. 
The [[Liverpool City Region Combined Authority]] and the [[Mayor of the Liverpool City Region]] reserve major strategic powers over such things as transport, economic development and regeneration for the city along with the 5 surrounding boroughs of the Liverpool City Region. The Combined Authority has competency over areas which have been devolved by national government and are specific to the city region.<ref>{{cite web|title=Liverpool devolution deal|date=16 March 2016|publisher=Gov.uk|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liverpool-devolution-deal|access-date=18 June 2021|archive-date=16 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516131243/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liverpool-devolution-deal|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nevertheless, there are a few exceptions to local governance apart from these two structures. Liverpool was administered by [[Merseyside County Council]] between 1974 and 1986 and some residual aspects of organisation which date back to this time have survived. When the County Council was disbanded in 1986, most civic functions were transferred to Liverpool City Council. However, several authorities such as the [[Merseyside Police|police]] and [[Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service|fire and rescue service]], continue to be run at a county-wide level. The county of Merseyside, therefore, continues to exist as an administrative area for a few limited services only, while the capability and capacity of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is evolving over time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Liverpool City Region explained and how it's different to Merseyside|date=28 December 2020|publisher=Liverpool Echo|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-city-region-explained-how-19427821|access-date=18 June 2021|archive-date=29 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629015709/https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-city-region-explained-how-19427821|url-status=live}}</ref>

The city also elects five [[member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|members of Parliament]] (MPs) to the [[Westminster Parliament]], all Labour as of the 2024 general election.

=== City Council Leader and Cabinet ===
[[File:Liverpool Town Hall Council Chamber 2.jpg|thumb|right|City Councillors meet regularly at the Council Chamber in [[Liverpool Town Hall]] to conduct civic business.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Council Chamber|url=https://www.liverpooltownhall.co.uk/the-council-chamber-2|access-date=29 September 2023|website=liverpooltownhall.co.uk|archive-date=26 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240826163917/https://www.liverpooltownhall.co.uk/the-council-chamber-2/|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
Liverpool City Council operates under a constitution comprising 85 city councillors who are directly elected by the Liverpool electorate every four years and represent a variety of different [[List of political parties in the United Kingdom|political parties]]. The city councillors make decisions about local services for the city's people.

At each election, the political party that wins the majority of the 85 council seats leads the council for the following four years. The local leader of this party assumes the role of Leader of the City Council who then chairs a Cabinet of 9 councillors who are assigned specific responsibilities known as 'portfolios'.

The incumbent Leader of Liverpool City Council is [[Liam Robinson (politician)|Councillor Liam Robinson]], who represents the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], which secured a large majority at the [[2023 Liverpool City Council election|2023 local election]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Liverpool Council cabinet named as Labour leader picks new top team to run city|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/new-liverpool-council-cabinet-named-26864485|website=Liverpool Echo|date=7 May 2023|access-date=27 July 2023|archive-date=18 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518041357/https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/new-liverpool-council-cabinet-named-26864485|url-status=live}}</ref> the Leader is also a member of the Mayor of the Liverpool City Regions cabinet (''Separate from the City Council Cabinet''), at present Robinson holds the portfolio of Cabinet Member for Innovation. 

The City Council's decisions and scrutiny of activities are undertaken by a number of different committees and panels which include the Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Scrutiny Panels, Regulatory Committees and other committees. The day-to-day management of the council is carried out by the management team which includes the Chief Executive and several directors and senior officers. The management team works with the Cabinet and councillors to deliver strategic direction and priorities such as the budget and the City Plan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How the council works|url=https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/councillors-and-committees/how-the-council-works|website=liverpool.gov.uk|access-date=27 July 2023|archive-date=27 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727105514/https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/councillors-and-committees/how-the-council-works|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The City of Liverpool (Scheme of Elections and Elections of Elected Mayor) Order 2021|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/1089/made|website=legislation.gov.uk|access-date=27 July 2023|archive-date=27 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727105513/https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/1089/made|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Liverpool City Council elections ===
{{main|Liverpool City Council|Liverpool City Council elections}}
Every four years, the city elects 85 [[councillor]]s from 64 local council [[Ward (politics)|wards]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ward Maps|url=https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/key-statistics-and-data/ward-information/ward-maps/|website=liverpool.gov.uk|publisher=Liverpool City Council|access-date=25 June 2023|archive-date=25 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625153502/https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/key-statistics-and-data/ward-information/ward-maps/|url-status=live}}</ref> 

During the [[2023 Liverpool City Council election]], the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] consolidated its control of Liverpool City Council, following on from the previous elections. Out of the total 85 City Council seats up for election, The Labour Party won 61 seats (53.13% of the electorate's total votes), the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] won 15 seats (21.61% of the votes), the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]] won three seats (9.76% of the votes), the Liverpool Community Independents won three seats (4.64% of the votes) and the [[Liberal Party (UK, 1989)|Liberal Party]] won the remaining three seats (3.21% of the votes). The [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], the political party in power at [[2019 United Kingdom general election|national government]], had no representation on Liverpool City Council. Only 27.27% of the eligible Liverpool electorate turned out to vote.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Councillors and committees: Municipal Elections – Thursday, 4th May, 2023|url=https://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/mgElectionResults.aspx?ID=64&RPID=60182420&_gl=1*1aslcko*_ga*NzEzMDU2MDM4LjE2OTQxNjkwOTA.*_ga_H88ZGQXGY7*MTY5NTY2NTQ0My4yNi4wLjE2OTU2NjU0NDMuMC4wLjA.&_ga=2.236638729.903517196.1695665444-1032910318.1695665444|access-date=25 September 2023|website=liverpool.gov.uk|date=4 May 2023|archive-date=25 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925202920/https://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/mgElectionResults.aspx?ID=64&RPID=60182420&_gl=1*1aslcko*_ga*NzEzMDU2MDM4LjE2OTQxNjkwOTA.*_ga_H88ZGQXGY7*MTY5NTY2NTQ0My4yNi4wLjE2OTU2NjU0NDMuMC4wLjA.&_ga=2.236638729.903517196.1695665444-1032910318.1695665444|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{multiple image
| align             = right
| perrow            = 2
| total_width       = 300
| image1            = Steve Rotheram in 2023.JPG
| caption1          = [[Steve Rotheram]], [[Mayor of the Liverpool City Region]]
| image2            = Official portrait of Paula Barker MP crop 2.jpg
| caption2          = [[Paula Barker]], MP for [[Liverpool Wavertree (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Wavertree]]
| image3            = Official portrait of Ian Byrne MP crop 2.jpg
| caption3          = [[Ian Byrne]], MP for [[Liverpool West Derby (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool West Derby]]
| image4            = Official portrait of Dan Carden MP crop 2.jpg
| caption4          = [[Dan Carden]], MP for [[Liverpool Walton (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Walton]]
| image5            = Official portrait of Maria Eagle MP crop 2.jpg
| caption5          = [[Maria Eagle]], MP for [[Garston and Halewood (UK Parliament constituency)|Garston and Halewood]]
| image6            = Official portrait of Kim Johnson MP crop 2.jpg
| caption6          = [[Kim Johnson (politician)|Kim Johnson]], MP for [[Liverpool Riverside (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Riverside]]
}}

Throughout most of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Liverpool was a municipal stronghold of [[Conservative Party (UK)|Tory]]ism. However, support for the Conservative Party in recent times has been among the lowest in any part of Britain, particularly since the [[Monetarism|monetarist]] economic policies of former prime minister [[Margaret Thatcher]]. After the [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979 general election]], many have claimed that her victory contributed to longstanding high unemployment and decline in the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/07/21/the-real-legacy-of-margaret-thatcher-is-a-nation-divided-100252-21375195/|title=The real legacy of Margaret Thatcher is a nation divided|website=Liverpool Echo|date=21 July 2008|access-date=5 August 2011|archive-date=13 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013054916/http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/07/21/the-real-legacy-of-margaret-thatcher-is-a-nation-divided-100252-21375195/|url-status=live}}</ref> Liverpool is one of the Labour Party's key strongholds; however, the city has also seen hard times under Labour governments. Particularly in the [[Winter of Discontent]] (late 1978 and early 1979) when Liverpool suffered public sector strikes along with the rest of the United Kingdom, but also when it suffered the particularly humiliating misfortune of having [[Gravedigger|grave-diggers]] going on strike, leaving the dead unburied for long periods.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/3067563.stm|publisher=BBC News|first=Paul|last=Wilenius|title=Enemies within: Thatcher and the unions|date=5 March 2004|access-date=6 May 2011|archive-date=18 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218003411/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/3067563.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== City Council criticism and improvement ===

In recent years, [[Liverpool City Council]] began an extensive improvement program designed to ensure that the authority makes efficient use of [[taxpayer]]s' money and to encourage more business and investment in the city. [[Grosvenor Group]], the property company responsible for [[Liverpool One]], commended the changes as an "opportunity for bold thinking in liverpool".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Grosvenor hopeful of return to 'bold' thinking in Liverpool|url=https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/grosvenor-hopeful-of-return-to-bold-thinking-in-liverpool|access-date=8 October 2023|website=placenorthwest.co.uk|date=28 September 2023|archive-date=2 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102184254/https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/grosvenor-hopeful-of-return-to-bold-thinking-in-liverpool/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2021, a highly critical government inspection and subsequent report of Liverpool City Council (referred to as the Caller report) identified multiple shortcomings at Liverpool City Council. The [[Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government]], [[Robert Jenrick]] sent government [[commissioner]]s to oversee the City Council's highways, regeneration, property management, governance and financial decision-making. The authority was compelled to commit to a three-year improvement plan in which the entire structure of the council would be overhauled. As a result of the intervention, major structural changes at the City Council took place by the [[2023 United Kingdom local elections]], which were labelled "the most unpredictable [elections] in the city's history". The number of electoral wards in the city was doubled from 30 to 64, while the overall number of City Councillors up for election was reduced from 90 to 85. In future, the council would also change to 'all out' elections every four years whereby every single City Councillor would be eligible for re-election at the same time. The role of [[Mayor of Liverpool|elected city mayor]] was also abolished and the Council reverted to the previous [[Executive arrangements|Leader and Cabinet]] style of leadership. The outcome of the elections were seen not only as a test of how the general public would respond to the government intervention in the city, but also to Prime Minister [[Rishi Sunak]]'s government as a whole.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Why this month's local elections in Liverpool could the most unpredictable in the city's history|url=https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2023-04-28/another-major-contest-heading-to-liverpool-in-may|access-date=25 September 2023|website=itv.com|archive-date=25 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925202902/https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2023-04-28/another-major-contest-heading-to-liverpool-in-may|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Liverpool City Council: Volume 691: debated on Wednesday 24 March 2021|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-03-24/debates/D5462F6C-2F3A-425D-A5A2-96998A1050BA/LiverpoolCityCouncil#contribution-A781CB1C-F978-4AE3-BB94-8350F8ED5DD6|access-date=25 September 2023|website=hansard.parliament.uk|archive-date=25 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925202903/https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-03-24/debates/D5462F6C-2F3A-425D-A5A2-96998A1050BA/LiverpoolCityCouncil#contribution-A781CB1C-F978-4AE3-BB94-8350F8ED5DD6|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Government decision on Best Value interventions announced|url=https://liverpoolexpress.co.uk/government-decision-on-best-value-interventions-announced|access-date=25 September 2023|website=liverpoolexpress.co.uk|date=10 June 2021|archive-date=25 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925202941/https://liverpoolexpress.co.uk/government-decision-on-best-value-interventions-announced/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Government increases intervention in Liverpool after another critical report|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/steve-rotheram-greg-clark-liverpool-city-council-liverpool-government-b2148526.html|access-date=25 September 2023|website=independent.co.uk|date=19 August 2022|archive-date=25 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925202902/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/steve-rotheram-greg-clark-liverpool-city-council-liverpool-government-b2148526.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Councillor [[Liam Robinson (politician)|Liam Robinson]] became the new Leader of Liverpool City Council at the 2023 City Council election. The Liverpool Strategic Futures Advisory Panel, chaired by the [[Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region|Mayor of Liverpool City Region]] [[Steve Rotheram]], and including several high-profile figures with experience in [[Local government in England|local government]], was established. The panel was tasked with directing the council's long-term future outside of government intervention measures and to advise on plans and priorities that the city should pursue.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trio tasked with shaping Liverpool's long-term future meet for the first time|url=https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/trio-tasked-with-shaping-liverpools-long-term-future-meet-for-the-first-time|access-date=25 September 2023|website=liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk|archive-date=25 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925202923/https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/trio-tasked-with-shaping-liverpools-long-term-future-meet-for-the-first-time/|url-status=live}}</ref>[[File:Liverpool Town Hall front 2018.jpg|thumb|right|[[Liverpool Town Hall]] houses the official office for the [[Lord Mayor of Liverpool]].|206x206px]]In February 2008, Liverpool City Council was reported to be the worst-performing council in the country, receiving just a one-star rating (classified as inadequate). The main cause of the poor rating was attributed to the council's poor handling of tax-payer money, including the accumulation of a £20m shortfall while the city held the title of [[European Capital of Culture]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Coligan|first=Nick|title=Official: Liverpool city council is worst – yes, the WORST – in the country|website=[[Liverpool Echo]]|date=7 February 2008|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/02/07/official-liverpool-city-council-is-worst-yes-the-worst-in-the-country-100252-20446758/|access-date=23 September 2008|archive-date=22 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522095040/http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/02/07/official-liverpool-city-council-is-worst-yes-the-worst-in-the-country-100252-20446758/|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2024, the [[Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities|Office for Local Government]] released a ranking of local authorities, placing Liverpool City Council 317th out of a possible 318.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ellson|first=Andrew|date=30 April 2024|title=Worst-performing councils in England revealed — where does yours rank?|newspaper=[[The Times]]|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/worst-council-england-uk-nottingham-xkpb5jzmz|access-date=30 April 2024|issn=0140-0460|archive-date=30 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430153000/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/worst-council-england-uk-nottingham-xkpb5jzmz|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Lord Mayor of Liverpool ===
{{Not to be confused with|text=elected [[Mayor of the Liverpool City Region]] See below}}
The [[Lord Mayor of Liverpool]] is an ancient ceremonial role. Councillors within Liverpool City Council (not the general public) elect the Lord Mayor annually, who then serves a one-year term. The Lord Mayor is styled as the "first citizen" and is chosen to represent the city at civic functions and engagements, promote it to the wider world, support local charities and community groups, attend religious events, meet delegates from [[Sister city|Liverpool's twin cities]], chair council meetings and confer [[Freedom of the City|Honorary Freemen and associations]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Mayor of Liverpool|url=https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/councillors-and-committees/lord-mayor|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925202904/https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/councillors-and-committees/lord-mayor|archive-date=25 September 2023|access-date=25 September 2023|website=liverpool.gov.uk}}</ref> The Lord Mayor is also the presiding officer for Liverpool City Council full meetings.
=== Mayor of the Liverpool City Region ===
[[File:Mann Island 3 Close Up.jpg|thumb|244x244px|[[Mann Island Buildings|1 Mann Island]] contains the offices of the [[Mayor of the Liverpool City Region]] and combined authority.]]Liverpool is one of the six constituent boroughs of the [[Liverpool City Region]]. The [[Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region|Mayor of the Liverpool City Region]] is directly every four years by residents of those six boroughs and oversees the [[Liverpool City Region Combined Authority]]. The Combined Authority is the top-tier administrative body for the local governance of the city region and is tasked with taking major strategic decisions on issues such as transport and investment, economic development, employment and skills, tourism, culture, housing and physical infrastructure. The current Mayor is [[Steve Rotheram]].

=== Parliamentary constituencies and MPs ===
{{See also|List of Parliamentary constituencies on Merseyside}}
Liverpool is included within five [[United Kingdom constituencies|parliamentary constituencies]], through which MPs are elected to represent the city in [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Westminster]]: [[Liverpool Riverside (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Riverside]], [[Liverpool Walton (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Walton]], [[Liverpool Wavertree (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Wavertree]], [[Liverpool West Derby (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool West Derby]] and [[Garston and Halewood (UK Parliament constituency)|Garston and Halewood]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Liverpool Members of Parliament|publisher=Liverpool City Council|url=http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Council_government_and_democracy/MPs_and_MEPs/Liverpool_MPs/index.asp|access-date=3 July 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907071841/https://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Council_government_and_democracy/MPs_and_MEPs/Liverpool_MPs/index.asp|archive-date=7 September 2008}}</ref> At the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|last general election]], all were won by Labour with representation being from [[Kim Johnson (politician)|Kim Johnson]], [[Dan Carden]], [[Paula Barker]] and [[Ian Byrne (politician)|Ian Byrne]] respectively.<ref name="2019 general election results">{{cite news|title=Merseyside bucks national trend with Labour wins|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50769682|access-date=22 December 2019|date=13 December 2019|archive-date=9 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509210223/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50769682|url-status=live}}</ref> Due to [[Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom|boundary changes]] prior to the 2010 election, the [[Liverpool Garston (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Garston]] constituency was merged with most of [[Knowsley South (UK Parliament constituency)|Knowsley South]] to form the [[Garston and Halewood (UK Parliament constituency)|Garston and Halewood]] cross-boundary seat. At the most recent 2024 election, this seat was won by [[Maria Eagle]] of the Labour Party.<ref name="2019 general election results"/>