Back to Liverpool

I'm in Liverpool for two weeks, doing a secondment at the City Council. After nearly 4 years of running the Centre for Cities, I thought it was time to find out what it's really like inside a local authority.

So why Liverpool? Loads of reasons, really. I went to University here (1986-89), so already know the city fairly well. And I wanted to see how Liverpool 08 is going, and the new Liverpool One retail development on Paradise Street. We're also helping to produce next year's Core Cities Summit, due to be held here in November 09.

During my fortnight here, I'm shadowing the Council's chief executive, Colin Hilton - and will be meeting with various bits of the Council. Not just the regeneration stuff, but everything from children's services to community safety. I'm also meeting up with the Leader, Warren Bradley - plus Phil Redmond and Mike Parkinson.

As I reported earlier this month, Capital of Culture is doing pretty well. The Spider was a big hit in September, and Liverpool One fully opened shortly afterwards - including a massive new John Lewis. Walking around this week, the city centre now feels and looks very different - new streets and new views blending into traditional vistas like the Pier Head and St George's Hall.

"Legacy" is now the big issue. How will Liverpool use 08 to promote jobs and economic growth from next year onwards? How will the new retail centre perform in a recession? What can the city's universities and FE colleges do to support new growth sectors? And how can the city tackle its stubbornly high rates of worklessness? Big questions, which will persist well beyond this year's festivities.