Reform Mayor Accused of Breaking Flagship £1m Promise, as "Vanity Projects” taking Priority.

The Liberal Democrats across Hull and the East Riding are demanding transparency after it emerged that Mayor Luke Campbell’s much-vaunted £1 million Community Fund is missing from future budget plans.

​During a recent meeting of the Combined Authority’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Liberal Democrat councillors uncovered a startling gap between the Mayor’s social media rhetoric and the cold, hard reality of the authority’s financial accounts.

​A Promise Built on Sand?

​In August last year, Mayor Luke Campbell stood before the cameras and promised the people of Hull and East Yorkshire a £1 million Community Fund "every year for the next four years." It was meant to be the "flagship" of his administration.

​However, the Medium Term Financial Plan tells a different story. Councillor Jack Haines (Liberal Democrat), representing the Hull City Liberal Democrats on the committee, pointed out that the funding simply disappears after the 2025/26 budget.

​"Is it the intention that this fund will only be a one-off?" Cllr Haines asked.

The response from the Combined Authority’s finance team was telling: the fund is currently only forecast for the first year, and the Mayor has not specifically instructed officers to secure this funding for the future. 

Despite the Mayor’s public bluster, his lack of experience and understanding of local government is clear for all to see

​Lavish Offices and Cronyism

​While the Community Fund hangs in the balance, the Liberal Democrats have raised the alarm over where the region’s money is actually going.

​Reports have surfaced that portions of the £13 million investment fund money explicitly intended to boost local business skills and tackle unemployment are being diverted. Instead of helping local entrepreneurs, these funds are being used to bankroll the Mayor's personal "vanity projects."

​The Liberal Democrats have highlighted two major areas of concern:

​The "Golden" Office: Despite having access to existing council facilities, the Mayor has insisted on expensive private office space, incurring significant rent costs that offer zero benefit to the taxpayer.

​A Growing Inner Circle: There are serious questions regarding the Mayor's attempt to appoint political allies to highly paid advisor roles. Concerns have been raised about the Mayor bypassing traditional recruitment processes to hire staff who worked on his election campaign, further inflating the authority's salary bill.

​"A Profound Contempt for the People"

​Councillor Denis Healy, Liberal Democrat member of the Combined Authority Scrutiny Committee and East Riding Councillor, did not pull his punches regarding the Mayor’s mismanagement:

​"Forgetting the existence of a £1 million fund demonstrates the Mayor’s utter incompetence. Diverting money intended to support business growth to bankroll a personal office vanity project and extra staff to compensate for his lack of understanding of the role shows a profound contempt for the people he is meant to represent."

​Cllr Jack Haines added:

​"People voted for change, but instead, we’ve seen a Mayor who breaks his word on his own flagship fund while prioritising his own comfort. The Liberal Democrats will continue to hold this administration to account to ensure that taxpayers' money goes to our communities, not to decorate the Mayor's office."

​Our Commitment to You

​The Liberal Democrats in both Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council believe in a Combined Authority that works for you. We are calling for:

​Guaranteed multi-year funding for community projects.

​A freeze on office spending to protect business investment.

​An independent audit of the Mayor’s staffing and recruitment practices.