The partners involved in Greater Merseyside’s Digital Challenge proposal aim to pass on the benefits to communities and businesses throughout the region despite their proposals not making it to the final stage of competition.

David Parr, Chief Executive of Halton Council and Chair of the Greater Merseyside Digital Development Agency who led the bid commented: “We are surprised that the Liverpool City Region Bid, which was a strong regional winner, has not been selected as a national winner.

“We were confident we had a strong and innovative bid and are disappointed this has not been recognised by the national judges. But this is not the end for Digital Challenge in our area.

“We will be developing the concept further and as a strong regional winner will role out our transformational programme incrementally to every community and every business over the next few years to ensure everyone has the opportunity to access the very latest digital technology to improve their day to day lives and provide local businesses with a competitive edge”

The plans making up the Greater Merseyside Bid, were backed by the six local authorities making up the area, Liverpool, Knowsley, Halton, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral and used the technological knowledge of the region’s universities.

The proposals that included plans to ensure the prosperity of Merseyside by concentrating on supporting its communities using digital technology will now be pursued with other partners and through applications to other funding bodies.

Today, Steve Pearce, the Chamber’s transport expert, attended the launch of Liverpool Airport’s masterplan and gave interviews to the media, including BBC Radio Merseyside, Century FM and Granada TV. He welcomed the news of further developments that will increase the amount of business coming to the city and the opportunity of new air freight routes opening up.

China is a key emerging market in the global economy, for businesses keen to find out how to work with Chinese companies or to source products, the Chamber’s ChinaLink Team provide an invaluable service.

Today, the ChinaLink team, are hosting a seminar on product sourcing through the Canton Fair in China at One Old Hall Street.

The Canton Fair, with 12000 exhibitors, this is China’s largest export commodities trade fair. The seminar will explain how the fair can benefit the importers, companies seeking to outsource, manufacturers requiring components made, traders and wholesalers.

It  followed by a briefing on the British Sourcing Mission to Canton Fair, 14 - 28 October 2006 and distribution of a free CD containing detailed instructions on how Canton Fair works and a searchable database of thousands of Chinese companies.