Halton Chief Executive Stephen Young is among a high level delegation heading to Germany hoping to build stronger ties between Hamburg and the Liverpool City Region.

Mr Young is part of a group led by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram in a visit backed by the British Embassy and Department for Business and Trade to forge closer political, trade and cultural links between the Liverpool City Region (LCR) and the Hamburg city state.

Over two days of tours, presentations and talks, senior officials, politicians and policy experts will build relationships and share experiences around a raft of strategic priorities including transport, skills, culture, regeneration and net zero.

Organisers said the visit builds on existing ties between the city region - which is comprised of six councils including Halton - and the City of Hamburg, a municipality and city-state within the Federal Republic of Germany with an urban population of around 2.5m people.

Mayor Rotheram has been accompanied on the trip by LCR Chief Executive Katherine Fairclough, Deputy Mayor Seve Gomez-Aspron and Stephen Young, Chief Executive at Halton Borough Council. They will be joined by Claire McColgan, Director of Culture Liverpool City Council and LCR Executive Director Kirsty McLean.

Mr Rotheram said: "Together, we want to shape more prosperous, outward-looking futures for our two areas and to fulfil their vast potential in advanced computing, life sciences, sustainable development and digitalisation. I can’t wait to see what kind of opportunities this partnership will unlock for us both in the years to come."

A networking reception organized by the British Embassy will focus on the promotion of closer trade and investment ties, including clean tech, digital/gaming, life and health sciences - linking German businesses and trade associations with the Liverpool City Region.

A discussion around employment and skills will highlight the German system of dual vocational training (TVET), a blend of classroom learning and on-the-job training credited with producing a highly skilled and flexible workforce.

Senior policy officers will discuss public transport and urban mobility including a tour of innovative projects. A visit to the Port of Hamburg, the third largest port in Europe, will be followed by talks around decarbonisation, green hydrogen and the refuelling of buses and lorries.

This will be followed by a guided walk through the biggest regeneration project in the EU, the HafenCity district, which will focus on Hamburg’s approach to urban development, climate change, biodiversity and Net Zero.