Liverpool business leaders have been reassured that the city is "and still will be" a UK leader in tourism despite the damning Government report released on Wednesday into the council's failings.
Bill Addy, who is chair of the visitor economy board for Liverpool and the chief executive of the Liverpool Business Improvement District (BID), said it was important to remember it was a report into "just a part of the work of the city".
The bombshell report into Liverpool City Council, released by Communities Minister Robert Jenrick on Wednesday, detailed a "deeply worrying" picture of multiple serious failings and a "dysfunctional and intimidating culture", which has led to commissioners being sent to the city.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Mr Jenrick delivered a brutal assessment of the council's failings that have been highlighted in a damning inspection report.
Mr Jenrick said the findings of the report, carried out by Max Caller, "undermined the city's economic development".
But Mr Addy, speaking at the monthly Visitor Economy Panel hosted by the BID, said it should not be used as a "way to beat the city for past failings".
He told business leaders: "We've all had time to read the Max Caller report and as we know, it is a report into just a part of the work of the city.
"I would point you to the executive summary that says Liverpool is one of the leading UK attractions for tourism, and it will be and still will be one of the leading UK and international attractions for tourism.
"But Liverpool is a great city with history and traditions. Also the important thing is to say the city council has many hard-working long serving committed and dedicated officers delivering key services in difficult circumstances, and likewise, there are councillors of all parties who encapsulate the best traditions of local democracy."
He said "this is a great city that we're all part of", adding: "We shouldn't let this report be used in a way to beat the city for past failings."
Mentioning chief executive Tony Reeves, who was singled out for praise by Mr Jenrick on Wednesday as the person trying to turn around the council's problems in recent years, Mr Addy added: "We acknowledge that there are clear failings that have been shown in this report. And that's for the city council, led by Tony and by the officers and members to deal with that we fully support the city in the work that it is doing.
"This is a time for us as a city to come together and to work together to reopen our visitor economy and to reopen our city. So we will certainly be doing that."
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