Councils say French Riviera property conference was 'worth every penny'
Councils criticised for sending staff to a major property conference on the French Riviera meant to attract investors say it was worth every penny - with some already landing deals.
Regeneration bosses representing Dudley, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire and Birmingham were among those hoping to catch the eye of potential suitors for sites across the region following the MIPIM conference in Cannes, France.
But critics including the TaxPayers' Alliance claim sending staff on the trip amounted to a "contemptuous" and "gross misuse of public money" at a time while millions of households were struggling to make ends meet, after some delegates were accused of attending glamorous cocktails parties.
Dudley Council which is hoping to pull in £500m in investment opportunities from the trip, reportedly spent £100,000 sending nine representatives including its £176,000-a-year chief executive Kevin O'Keefe. It is claimed they spent four nights at a four-star hotel boasting a rooftop pool, and hosted a cocktail reception for potential investors.
Mr O’Keefe told the Express & Star: “We have said for a long time that the people and businesses of Dudley borough deserve the very best and that means we have to do everything we can to achieve that.
"The MIPIM conference put us in the shop window to the world’s biggest investors and has already opened up a number of opportunities which we are confident will ultimately lead to further multi-million pound investment in our borough.
“It was also vital we had the key decision-makers at the authority there at the conference to make those all-important initial connections.
“We are already actively pursuing very good leads with a string of investors worth millions of pounds. We are working hard to build on those initial connections at the conference to expand the £1 billion worth of regeneration that is already underway in our borough.”
Staffordshire County Council said it sent five officers on flights with a ‘no-frills’ airline to promote the new Staffordshire Investment Prospectus that will showcase more than £1bn in business investment opportunities, at least 12,000 jobs and around 15,000 new homes.
It said its attendance has so far resulted in a pioneering environmental multi-million pound commercial, housing and leisure project and a hi-tech energy partnership.
The council's deputy leader and economy chief Councillor Philip White said: “We set aside a maximum of £12,500 for this event in case private sector sponsorship doesn’t cover all our costs, and this event is worth every penny.
“We are investing hundreds of millions of pounds in Staffordshire’s business, digital and education infrastructure so that new and existing employers can thrive and prosper here, with a skilled workforce on the doorstep.
“There’s absolutely no point in making that investment for the future unless we tell company decision-makers about it and that is where those investors gather."
In a statement Wolverhampton Council said: “We have generated millions of pounds worth of investment for the city thanks to MIPIM. We are determined to continue to create more jobs and opportunities for the residents of Wolverhampton which this global investment event allows us to do.”
Conservative West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said he travelled to the conference on a £200 flight returning home the same day following back-to-back meetings representing the region's hopes.
Sandwell Council said it spent £4,058.94 on the conference which included transport, accommodation and the event pass for one senior officer to attend.
The council stated: “We have ambitious plans to build a healthier, wealthier and more sustainable Sandwell, and our Regeneration Strategy and delivery pipeline sets out our plans to deliver up to £1.8bn of investment in the borough.
“MIPIM is an important forum attended by most local authorities, combined authorities, investors, developers and builders. It provides a unique opportunity to showcase Sandwell to developers and investors to assist us in delivering the regeneration of the borough.
“One senior officer attended to make connections that will support our plans and enable us to attract significant investment in the borough that is key to delivering these plans.
“We are determined to drive regeneration across all six towns in Sandwell that will deliver a higher quality of life for residents, more well-paid, fulfilling jobs and support businesses to thrive in a wealthier borough.”
