Liverpool has a new Lord Mayor as Cllr Richard Kemp takes up the mantle. Kemp, who has been a councillor for 40 years, will dedicate his time in the role to supporting care leavers in the city. The Lord Mayor has established a Care Leavers’ fund, which has received £100k per annum for three years of investment and will distribute small grants to care leavers in addition to other provisions already being provided by the council. The move has been supported by partners such as the Liverpool Philharmonic, Merseyside’s museums, Galleries and Fire Service.
Kemp explained that it was a strong sense of family connection that had driven him to focus his work on raising awareness of care leavers in the city and to provide a voice to highlight their challenges and tell their success stories. Liz Parsons. cabinet member for Children’s and Young People’s Services expressed her pleasure that the Mayor has decided to support the care leavers across the city, stating that Liverpool City Council is committed to protecting such children, and any additional support that they receive is gratefully received.
Kemp, who was awarded a CBE for public service to local government, regeneration and housing in 2011, has variously been a councillor in many different wards, chair of committees, Cabinet Member, and leader of the Liberal Democrats Group, and is now the councillor for the Penny Lane Ward. His wife, Erica Kemp CBE, has also been Lord Mayor for Liverpool (2014-2015), having previously served as a councillor for twenty-three years
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