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13
Dec 2024
How much did new mayor's media training cost taxpayers?
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority spent more than £1,000 of taxpayers’ money on media training for the new mayor and deputy mayor.
The figure was included in a transparency report of payments over £500, made during the first and second financial quarters of this year.
Between April 1 and September 30, the combined authority spent a total of £1,679,542 including VAT.
Of this, £1,170 including VAT was spent on media training for Labour mayor David Skaith and his deputy, Jo Coles, on July 8 – just over two months after the mayoral election.
The invoice was paid to Mark Brearley Communications Ltd, which specialises in media training for public sector bodies. The company's website says it helps clients 'learn how the media works and what it wants'.
The report also details several transactions to county media outlets, including £3,888 on ‘broadcasts and digital election’ material with York Mix radio station, £5,204 and £1,172 to Bauer Radio for a broadcasting campaign and for a North Yorkshire voting airtime campaign respectively.
A total of £7,200 was paid to Disruptor Media Ltd for ‘multimedia elections campaign and management’ on April 23, shortly before the mayoral election.
The Stray Ferret asked the combined authority why it chose to spend taxpayers’ money on media training.
A spokesperson said today:
Media training was included within a planned induction programme for the mayor and deputy mayor to support them in their roles as official spokespersons for the combined authority.
Additional spends
Various payments to hotels, businesses, councils and grants to organisations and charities are also included in the report.
A total of £1,800 was spent on venue hire at the Grand Hotel and Spa in York.
York-based publication, Aesthetica Magazine, was awarded £7,200 including VAT for a film festival trailer package, while the Yorkshire Dales National Park authority was granted £24,014.82.
YorSpace, a community land trust in York which develops housing, was awarded grants by the combined authority worth £182,248 and £333,751
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