Sunderland Labour Council leader slammed for £1,000 taxpayer-funded ‘jolly’ to south of France at same time as hiking Council Tax

Opposition Lib Dem councillors in Sunderland have slammed Sunderland Council Leader for spending over £1,000 of taxpayers’ money on a trip to Cannes at the same time as hiking Council Tax for people living in the city.

Lib Dem councillors have hit out at the Labour Leader of Sunderland City Council for spending £1,052.95 of Council Taxpayers’ money on travel, accommodation and passes to the MIPIM ‘real estate networking conference’ in Cannes in the south of France in February 2025.

It comes after Council Leader Michael Mordey voted to increase Council Tax – and decided to give all 75 city councillors a pay rise, all at the same time as cutting council services.

He was also criticised for claiming free SAFC season tickets as well as free Stadium of Light gig tickets on top of his £47,879-a-year salary as Leader of the Council.

Commenting, opposition Lib Dem councillor Stephen O’Brien said:

“Staff from the Council and from the North East Combined Authority were already at the ‘networking event’ so there is no need for Labour politicians to shamefully take advantage of taxpayers’ cash to pay for travel and accommodation just so they have an excuse for a fancy trip to the south of France!

“As bills have been hitting doormats in the last few days people across the city have been shocked to see just how much more they are having to pay in Council Tax this year.

“It is an absolute insult to hard working people that the extra Council Tax they are paying is being spaffed up the wall not only on pay rises for councillors but also for jollies to Cannes for the Leader of the Council.”