THE region’s new “super council” will carry the Liverpool name after St Helens Council leader Barrie Grunewald said he did not want to lose the “instant recognition” it offered.

The combined authority, which met for the first time in Liverpool on Tuesday, had originally been named given the “tongue twister” title of ‘Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral Combined Authority’.

But a motion put forward by Cllr Grunewald called on the authority to opt to use the name ‘Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’ instead.

He said the Government had imposed the “unworkable title” despite all councils agreeing on the simpler name on previous occasions.

“I don’t want to lose the instant recognition that this brand gives us across the world,” added Cllr Grunewald.

Leaders from the region’s six councils voted unanimously to use the shorter title and will now write to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, to inform him of their decision.

Tuesday’s meeting – described as a “landmark event” - also saw Wirral Council leader Phil Davies appointed as chair of the super council.

He said it was “an honour and a privilege to be appointed”.

The Labour councillor will now head the region’s combined authority, with Knowsley leader Cllr Ron Round taking up the vice chair seat.

Cllr Davies said: “I believe that we have huge potential to take the city region forward around the growth plan.

“I sincerely believe that we can be a formidable force in the job we have got ahead of competing with other city regions not just in the UK but elsewhere.”

Merseytravel and other regional bodies will now be answerable to the authority, which will co-ordinate efforts to boost trade and co-operation between the different councils in the region.

Driving economic growth and creating thousands of new jobs for the region will be among its chief aims.

The next meeting of the combined authority will take place on June 13 at Mann Island, Liverpool.