EVERTON HAS REIGNITED THE MERSEYSIDE GROUND SHARE debate after its £400m plans for a new stadium in Kirkby were rejected. Chief executive Robert Elstone said he would consider sharing a stadium with archrivals Liverpool due to financial realities. Mr Elstone said, “It’s certainly one of the options that we will need to cover. A shared stadium is perhaps an option if it’s affordable.”

VAUXHALL ELLESMERE PORT workers are breathing a sigh of relief after learning there will be no job cuts and that the car plant will revert to a three-shift working system by 2011.

Vauxhall’s employees were among the plant’s 2,000-strong workforce were told by owner General Motors yesterday that they would escape unscathed in plans to axe 9,000 jobs throughout the European business. Ellesmere Port union convenor John Fetherstone said, “The future of Ellesmere Port looks to be secure now”.

A MEETING TODAY WILL DECIDE FUTURE OF MERSEYTRAM after Transport Minister Sadiq Khan said the scheme had missed its chance. The meeting between the region’s super cabinet, made up of the leaders of Merseyside’s five councils, plus Halton, will consider a revised business case for the £400m-plus Line 1 from Liverpool to Kirkby, after business leaders launched a campaign supporting Merseytram. Although quite how no Everton stadium and no supershops at the end of the line affects this, remains to be seen.

LIVERPOOL TO HOST THE UK’S FIRST National Mediation Competition, a prestigious event for law students from around the world. The two-day event, organised by John Moores University, will see 13 teams testing their mediating skills before highly reputable judges. By winning last year’s International Mediation Competition, the university secured the venue for this year’s nationals.