- Staffordshire Labour Update – Spring 2018
STAFFORDSHIRE LABOUR NEWS
Were funds allocated to a trip to Cannes public money well spent?
One hundred and twenty five thousand pounds were spent to send representatives from Staffordshire
County Council and Stoke on Trent City Council to the four day MIPIM event in Cannes, South of France
last month. MIPIM is billed as ‘the world’s leading property market’ in Cannes, South of France but it has
been criticised as a male dominated and alcohol fuelled event with complaints from some women who have
attended.Staffordshire’s delegation to this International Property Professionals Conference consisted of Cabinet
Member, Councillor Mark Winnington, Mr Anthony Hodge, Commissioner for Business and Enterprise and
Mr Chris Kirkland, Senior Investment Manager.Leader of the Opposition and of Staffordshire Labour Group, Councillor Sue Woodward raised questions at
the Full Council regarding the costs and benefits of the trip and has recently been given the full expenditure
figures.A total of £125,000 was spent on the delegation with £12,500 from Staffordshire County Council, £50,000
from the Local Enterprise Partnership and £86,500 from the private sector. Staffordshire was part of a wider
Midlands Engine presence.
Councillor Sue Woodward commented: ‘ While front line services are being cut, is it a good use of very
scarce resources to send people to such an event? Including the LEP monies, Staffordshire spent £62,500
of public money on this trip.‘ I will be looking closely at what positive outcomes were generated for Staffordshire from this trip. During
such a period of austerity with many front line services vital to vulnerable people being cut or withdrawn
completely, we must question how appropriate it is to spend thousands of pounds on such an event.
Before repeating such a trip, I will want to see evidence that this activity reaps benefits for the Staffordshire
economy and for our residents,’ concluded Cllr Woodward.
