“And the walls come tumbling down" - By Bill Norman

[admin]

If you've ever watched an earthquake disaster movie, then you'll know that the main event starts with a low rumbling, which elicits worried looks amongst the cast. This is followed by shaking and rattling, followed thereafter by large chunks of masonry falling off the building, before the whole edifice collapses into a pile of rubble leaving some trapped, some wandering around looking dazed and bemused and a very few taking charge and restoring order.

Well, the Hartlepool Labour Cabal have been experiencing their own Earthquake over recent months. The rumbling started with the self award of a 31% increase, which generated worried looks from some, but was gladly accepted by others.

The shaking and rattling started with reduced majorities in elections and by-elections, quickly followed by a letter from the Seaton BLP calling upon the Leadership of Hartlepool Labour Group to address concerns voiced by the traditional Labour voters. These concerns included the huge loss from the Inspiration Cafe, the replacement of brand new carpets in the Care Home, Jacksons Landing, Seaton Parking – the rumbling went on and on.

Incredibly the exec then decided to kick away some of the foundations by replacing the popular, hard working, Head of Neighbourhood Services Cllr Hunter, with insider Stephen Ackers-Belcher, this ramped up the shaking within the Labour party, and the electorate.

In an effort to shore up the shaking building the Leadership started a video charm offensive to highlight the "good works" they are doing. Anyone who has seen the latest piece from Cllr Cranney (more later) will know how effective that has been.

And now in the latest stage of the Earthquake, the first (rather large) piece of masonry has fallen from the top of the building. In a rather bad tempered CLP meeting last night. Cllr James resigned as Treasurer - The whole edifice is moving perilously close to collapse.

Perhaps the start of the final collapse also occurred last night with an emergency motion that was introduced to oppose the construction of any form of residential building on the Hospital Ground. Even if it's under the guise of a "Health Village"

Evidently the hospice have been advertising for new positions there, even though no planning permission has been applied for.

There is a real acrimonious revolution taking place within the Labour CLP and this latest vote leaves CAB standing on the edge of a crumbling collapsing building. Will anyone pull him back from the brink, or will there be a chorus of "Look out below"

Cranneys Crash


Anyone who was unfortunate enough to watch the latest video offering from Cllr Cranney will now realise just what a poorly made promotional video can look like. The lighting was bad, the angle was wrong, the audio poor and the message vague. Add all that to the fact that Cllr Cranney appeared over (to put it kindly) enthusiastic made the whole piece a bit of a car crash.

HBC would be well advised to look at videos recently produced by Publicity Seekers for local business month, the recent viral lipsync video produced by the Catcote Academy or the JLM promo video produced by Hartlepool TV team Steve and Pam Gooderham. It would appear that HTV have offered several times to interview HBC councillors - their piece on successful and failed interviews explains what happened there. Were they really accused of promoting extreme right wing views? I have watched their JLM piece, the Bellus Amor Lingerie piece and several other examples of their work, and still can't see any secret coded messages to the extreme right hidden away in them, perhaps I am missing something ?"

[kevplumb]

That is absolutely brilliant.
Tells the tale and throws a bit of humour in as well
spot on piece 

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

This excellent post highlights how hypocritical and subjective HCLP are.
Just like Longscar Hall, they disposed of the hospital site but want to control the owners. Couldn't be more cake and eat it, if they tried.

Passing a motion to try and influence public opinion should have no influence over a planning application, surely it comes down to rules, laws and professional guidance.

Time the professional organ grinders returned from their tea break and told the monkeys how to dance.

[fred c]

Difficult to add anything to the 1st post, it sums up the SCABAL & the LabTor Mob perfectly, the proverbial S**t is about to Hit The Fan.

Unfortunately the prospect of the Corbyn Pixes taking control doesn't fill me with much confidence, especially when I reprise the screenshots of their behaviour over the last 12 months.

[Hartlepudlion]

I was told she lost the vote to remain as treasurer. If true, that's more of a sacking than a resignation? No job, nothing to resign from?

[Johnny Bongo]

I was told she lost the vote to remain as treasurer. If true, that's more of a sacking than a resignation? No job, nothing to resign from?

Forgive my ignorance... but who voted her out (if, indeed she didn't resign)?  Was it the members of HCLP or the Committee?  Either way, imo, she's still the top 5 most despised councillors in HBC!
Any idea who will replace her?  Odds on it's a family member of the SCABs! 
Perhaps one of the reasons that she was pushed (if she was) might be due to her involvement in the Seaton parking charges and the Allotments rent increase., both of which brought maximum negative publicity to HBC!  She doesn't exactly endear herself to anyone, does she!  Let's just hope many more of the SCABal resign, SOON!   It doesn't mean that we, the electorate will forgive you for ruining Hartlepool.....it just means that we might be a tad more lenient when it comes to Judgement Day ! 

[Lord Elpus]

The date all Labour Party Councillors should be and are be worried about is May 2020.  That's when Hartlepool have all out elections after a boundary review.  Labour would do badly in a all out election and they know it, unless they can be seen to have rebranded and drained the swamp.  Personally I think they have left it far too late.

If the SCAB's can hold on till then they know they'd be toast after a poor 2020 election result.  Personally I wish they'd just fook off into the sunset, trouble is they have no where to go and no other options available.

[jeffh]

There are rumours on Facebook that Barclay will be deselected for Manor House and Beck has told his constituents that he won't be standing in Hart next year - is this a ploy to get Beck into Manor House as Hart, along with The Fens and Headland & Harbour are now looking decidedly dodgy for Labour to hold?

[Inspector Knacker]

For far too long we've endured the burden of being under the so called 'leadership' of a cabal of political illiterates in posts way beyond their abilities and feeble comprehension.
These people could strut sitting down. The town feels like a feifdom run by the politically bewildered whose sterile logic is illustrated by ripping up Church St to replace what was there with exactly the same thing, even their so called 'improvements' aren't original.
All I see is a clique of attention seeking egotists leading us down the road to nowhere. While the Tees Valley 'invests' in the future, let's just see what percentage of the kitty we receive, because I can't see them fighting our corner.

[Gustaf I of England + BWH]

And now in the latest stage of the Earthquake, the first (rather large) piece of masonry has fallen from the top of the building. In a rather bad tempered CLP meeting last night. Cllr James resigned as Treasurer - The whole edifice is moving perilously close to collapse.

I'm not holding out much hope of this panning out the way it appears to be. MD has previous on this score.
Trouble is, she is convinced that she is telling everyone that she is going to re-sign and we all think we've got rid a last.
Hope I'm wrong but don't get your hopes up too much - she ain't gone yet!

[DRiddle]

Maybe they'll do something stupid to annoy the public even more. Like award the tender for running a potentially very successful cafe to one of their own. You know, something stupid like that which the independents can use on their next election leaflets in Burn Valley . . . Or wherever.

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

Maybe they'll do something stupid to annoy the public even more. Like award the tender for running a potentially very successful cafe to one of their own. You know, something stupid like that which the independents can use on their next election leaflets in Burn Valley . . . Or wherever.

Isn't healthwatch along the same lines ?