RESIDENTS will have to pay a tax towards the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in 2019/20, it has been revealed.

Steve Rotheram, the metro mayor of the region unveiled his budget proposals for 2019/20, which included how much people are asked to contribute.

Through a precept to enable the Metro Mayor and Combined Authority to deliver their priorities, residents are asked to pay.

Under the proposals, the Authority says that 95 per cent of households that pay council tax will pay "no more than 32p a week", in order to raise £7.6million per year.

It adds that 96 per cent of the money raised will enable the Combined Authority to develop and deliver its initiatives, while the other four per cent will cover the running costs of the Metro Mayor’s office.

The proposals, to be published in a Combined Authority report next week, outline a programme of mayoral priorities including jobs, skills, transport, super-fast digital connectivity, housing and economic development for the region.

The amounts residents will have to pay annually by council tax band are:

-Band A: £12.67

-Band B: £14.78

-Band C: £16.89

-Band D: £19

-Band E: £23.22

-Band F: £27.44

-Band G: £31.67

-Band H: £38

Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “The most successful regions all have a strong vision and a long-term plan.

"Devolution gives us the opportunity to work together as a Combined Authority to develop those plans so we can compete with anywhere in the world. By pulling together the assets of the six districts of the Liverpool City Region we can stimulate inclusive economic growth that benefits all of our communities.

“We receive no ongoing government funding for the running costs of our Combined Authority and so we have no option but to ask residents to contribute through a small precept.

However small, we know that this is an added burden and so have kept that contribution as low as possible. For 95 per cent of residents it will be no more than 32p per week.

“I have repeatedly lobbied for proper central government funding but so far without success. In the face of continuing austerity we cannot expect our six local authorities to carry on funding the combined authority.

“The devolution deal is the only way we can secure the funds we need to transform our city region, and we have already brought in hundreds of millions of pounds that we would otherwise not have had, including £183m in the 18 months since I became Metro Mayor.

“We are now delivering real benefits to the people of the Liverpool City Region. The Combined Authority has already approved £400m in funding for projects which will create 9,000 jobs and 5,500 apprenticeships.

“We recognise this is an additional cost but it will pay dividends. Based on our performance so far, the precept will enable us to bring in up to an additional £600 of funding per household per year.

“We expect to secure up to £1 billion over the next five years, which we will continue to use for the benefit of the people of the city region.”

St Helens Council says the Combined Authority has provided more than £56m in funding for completed or upcoming projects in the borough.

This includes £14.4m towards the Newton-le-Willows Interchange project; £4.9m to the A570 Linkway; £3.8m to Windle Island and £23.79m to the upcoming Parkside Land and Parkside Link Road projects. 

The Metro Mayoral priorities and budget proposals will be considered by the Combined Authority at its meeting on Friday, February 1.