Taxpayer funding: South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard criticised for £4m PR spending plan

Oliver Coppard announced £2m to promote South Yorkshire to ‘visitors, investors and government’ and £1.98m for ‘Telling Our Story’, ‘showcasing our assets, opportunities, rich history and communities’.

They were in a list of items in a £16m Mayoral Delivery Fund which included £735,000 to tackle climate breakdown, £2m for transport shelter improvements, £2.55m to improve literacy in pre-school children, £1.27m for active travel, £1.44m to tackle health inequalities and £520,000 to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads.

Responding on Linkedin, John Yates said: “Great list. But nearly £4m on marketing? Spend it better on opportunities and equality.”

Andy Jewell added: “More importantly; what are the targets and the goals? What constitutes a successful investment of money and time?

“How do you measure success?”

Karl Sample added: “Who thought spending 25 per cent of the ‘delivery’ fund on PR was a good idea?”

Rosie Stillman said it was a disappointing use of the money.

“£4m on PR and only £750k on the climate emergency must be a typo right?!”

But Katie Ellis, director at Thomas Flinn & Co Ltd, approved of the focus on history.

“We’re 102 years old this year. Standing proud as the UK’s only traditional saw manufacturer. Sheffield is the reason we exist. This needs to be remembered.”

Lucy Nickson supported South Yorkshire telling its story.

“So many great assets that the region should shout loudly about!”

The Star asked Mr Coppard to respond to criticism of his funding decisions, to explain the goals and to state how many marketing, press and media staff he employed.

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He said the fund was about investing where there was little or no funding but real potential to make a difference.

It was also about backing cultural and creative industries, celebrating heritage and “telling South Yorkshire’s story with confidence.”

He added: “We’re in a race with every other region in the UK and beyond and we want to do more to attract investment and tourism. The fund is a down payment on a wealthier South Yorkshire.

The £750,000 to respond to the climate emergency was part of a “bigger picture” which includes spending 10s of millions of pounds on improving buses, trams and clean energy, he added.

“My Mayoral Fund will be an additional catalyst for our ambition to tackle climate breakdown including focusing on my promise to plant 1.4 million trees and deliver more plans for the work of our Citizens’ Assembly on Climate.”