Southport Reporter ®

Merseyside was formed in 1974 from what was then South West Lancashire. The Merseyside Region consists of North and South Liverpool, Sefton to the North of Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens to the East and the Wirral to the West.  Merseyside now has an approximate population of 1,403 381 with 610 000 households. It is also the densest populated coastline within the UK.

The move to make Merseyside part of the Liverpool City Region started in 2010, when the UK Government formed a local enterprise partnership. Interestingly the 2010 United Kingdom's General Election resulted in a large swing to the Conservative Party, similar to that seen in 1979, the last time a Conservative opposition had ousted a Labour Government. Soon after, in 2012, Liverpool became one if the 1st UK Cities to have an Elected Mayor. The 1st directly elected Mayor of Liverpool was Labour. Joseph Anderson OBE served from 2012 as the Leader of Liverpool City Council, until his suspension in November 2020. Then since 1 April 2014, Merseyside, became part of the new Combined Authority, local area's devolution deal, known as the Liverpool City Region (LCR).  The Metro Mayor, who chairs the LCR, was also a member of the Labour Party, called Steve Rotheram.

The area, despite common miss conceptions, it has some of the richest wildlife areas within the UK, that is home to some of the worlds rarest flora and fauna, both on and off its coastline.

Liverpool also boosts the highest number of listed buildings outside of London. This gained it World Heritage Status, but that was lost, due its huge restoration project that seeks both to preserve the old and build on it to sustain future requirements, with changes due to global warming, culture and technology.  In fact the areas musical culture and heritage ahead to the city gaining a UNESCO City of Music title. In was also designated:- 'European Capital Of Culture,' by the European Union in 2008 Liverpool. This made it the only City within the UK to have hold this prestigious title.

You can find out more about the suppressing history and all the amazing firsts the area has given the world, changing it for ever by visiting our quick local history section. To find out more please click on here to discover our areas rich history today!