Call to scrap 'executive cars' for Mayor of Sunderland and other senior councillors

The opposition Conservative Group launched a motion on the issue earlier this week, looking at the “environmental impact of council cars”.

Following the cancellation of the Sunderland Airshow for environmental reasons by city Labour leaders, Conservative councillors said “further steps” should be taken to help the council meet its net zero targets.

This included “ceasing the use of the council’s chauffeur-driven cars for the Mayor and the executive, irrespective of leasing arrangements, [and] encouraging use of public transport and active travel instead”.

The motion also called for the council to end the delivery of council agenda and meeting packs to councillors’ home addresses and to instead, have them “served in a digital format, as standard, unless members opt in to receive hard copies”.

Councillor Antony Mullen, Conservative Group leader, said the motion aimed to stop the “damage done to our environment by having councillors and meeting packs chauffeured around the city”.

The opposition councillor said ending use of the council’s three executive cars and reducing printing costs around meeting papers could save the local authority around £140,000 a year.

However Labour councillors hit back, saying the motion would cause logistical problems and security risks for the Mayor of Sunderland and the associated ceremonial chains.

Labour councillor Iain Scott said proposals in the motion would be “counter-productive for the purpose of the Mayoral office” due to the number of engagements and journeys the role requires.

Several councillors at the meeting also dismissed the suggestion that the Mayor of Sunderland could use buses, or even electric scooters, to attend engagements.

Labour councillor Phil Tye said the motion was “outrageous” and “a direct attempt to put the Mayor in danger”.

Cllr Tye continued: “I’ve got no idea how much those civic chains are worth having been donated by Nissan some time ago in recognition of the commitment to this city.

“I’m not too sure what they would think of the Mayor heading out on business with the chains dangling from her neck, riding up and down on her bike up Hylton Road.”

Cllr Tye pointed to issues around public transport in the North East and referenced Conservative PM Rishi Sunak using private jet flights to attend events.

It was also noted that the Conservative Group motion could stop the use of the council’s electric car fleet.

Labour councillor Michael Butler, while supporting a reduction in the use of paper agendas at meetings, said the proposals around Mayoral transport were a “step too far”.

Liberal Democrat councillor Stephen O’Brien added residents would not accept some people in the council “using executive vehicles to jet around the city” when other people “go to work, use public transportation, bikes and electric scooters”.

Cllr O’Brien added: “It’s completely and utterly disgusting to hear the Labour Party, of all parties, talk about a hierarchical system which means that one person or a couple of people get to use executive vehicles whilst there’s a cost of living crisis going on.

“People can’t afford to heat their own home or pay council tax or maybe have a responsibility of weighing up decisions whether they’re going to feed themselves.

“It’s a disgusting attitude to take, it’s horrible to hear some of the flimsy excuses that people cannot respect and cannot use other parts of transportation because you’re wearing jewellery for a position that shouldn’t even exist.”

After being put to the vote at City Hall on January 25, 2023, the motion was defeated with 29 votes in favour, one abstention and 39 votes against.

Back in 2019, the city council’s Conservative Group launched a motion which led to the declaration of a climate emergency, setting out carbon neutral targets and other council commitments.

Since then, Sunderland City Council’s Labour cabinet have developed a range of proposals and strategic documents around slashing carbon emissions, including a Low Carbon Framework and action plan.

Initiatives aim to help the council become carbon neutral by 2030, as well as wider ambitions for the city to become carbon neutral by 2040.

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, previously said the global climate emergency and city-wide targets had made it “harder to justify” events such as the Sunderland Airshow in future.