Has Mr Brash Lost the Plot?

[for fawkes sake]

I'm away working in Cheltenham at the moment so I haven't been able to properly follow recent events. The Hartlepool Mail's coverage of last Monday's meeting was a bit sparse and unusually, The Post doesn't seem to have covered it at all so it's difficult for me to understand what exactly happened. Why, for example, was there no vote of no confidence in the Mayor? I thought that was what the meeting was supposed to be about. 

[Foggy]

I was there on Monday night but it wasn't easy to understand what was actually agreed in the end.  My understanding is that everyone (reluctantly) agreed to work together within the Council Working Group to look at ways that all Councillors could contribute to the decision making process.  It is debatable about whether they can actually make that happen as the Lab/Cons will be more than reluctant to move their 10am committee meetings to an evening so more 'working' Councillors can actually attend.

If I'm wrong about any of that then I'm sure someone will correct me.

I personally think the flak that Councillor Brash is taking from some people over this is a little unfair.  It was a surprise to me that he changed tack but I understand his reasons for it. He has explained in the comments on the Mail site why he did what he did:

I understand the sentiments of some on this issue and I prefaced my speech last night by saying that some people would not like what I had to say.

Obviously not everything I said was covered in this report (I do go on a bit) so I'd like to make a few things clear:

1. My contempt for the Akers-Belcher is absolute and I said so very clearly last night, although not reported. I think they are bad for Hartlepool and I think we have shown that repeatedly over the course of the last couple of years.

2. However, the local elections were the moment for change and Hartlepool increased Labour's control. If all 33 councillors had been in the room last night the motion would have been lost 26-7. So let's not pretend that there was some great opportunity to get the lying disgrace last night. If the electorate had made a different decision, then yes last night could have been different, but they didn't and that must be accepted and respected.

3. With Labour and the Akers-Belcher having effective control of 26 out of 33 councillors (I, of course, include the Tories in that) I believe that we must find new ways of ensuring that everyone (public and politicians alike) get to be involved with the big decisions facing us. This is because the Labour group like to do business in closeted meetings at 10am on a week day morning, safe in the knowledge that their critics and opponents are at work. That's what I sought to change last night, and I think and hope with some success.

Take the local health plan - if the Labour Group leadership had had their way it would have been developed in virtual secret. Instead, because we forced their hand, with the help of many members of the public who turned up to the town hall, that is not going to happen. Instead the plan will be developed in public, in the evening, with maximum engagement from all. We have seen time and time again that the Labour Group wilt under that pressure and last night was about ensuring that this pressure and scrutiny happens across a range of issues, not just health. Why do you think Chris Akers-Belcher fought tooth and nail against it?

I could have stood up and called the Mayor every name under the sun, lost the vote and gone home. Instead I tried, in the face of huge opposition, to push through a proposal that will put the Labour Group under greater scrutiny.

There will now be, I hope, that mechanism going forward.

You may not agree, but believe one thing - my intentions are honest and clear. I will never rejoin the Labour Group, never do a deal with a Labour Group led by the Akers-Belcher and will act only with one intent - improving the lives of Hartlepool people.

One final thought - last night, as I highlighted the Akers-Belcher's disgraceful behaviour and argued for a new kind of politics in Hartlepool - there were more than a few heads nodding behind the dear leader. Something for him to think about.

Change is possible, but a new approach is needed.

[craig finton]

SABs lies and the way the Lab/Con coalition has supported him confirms that HBC is rotten to its very foundations. Brash's idea to build a new way of working on top of such rotten foundations is therefore fundamentally flawed. Such a thing would need to be built from the ground up on new foundations and the first one should be that dishonesty is not acceptable. So far, the Lab/Con coalition have refused to accept this so to me it's a non-starter.

[mk1]

Think back to the way Mandelson's 'award' was  fixed in advance and you see the way Brash likes to work.

[pensionater]

Selective criticism again,what about the other four Councillors who called for the meeting?.

[mk1]

Selective criticism again,what about the other four Councillors who called for the meeting?.

If you think it important then you post the information.
Or is it you prefer other people to do the dirty work for you?

Perhaps you should threaten to resign from the board if no one does your bidding.
You could always 'unresign' straight afterwards!

[admin]

https://youtu.be/Kb6Ca6FMn-0

[lynda]

After watching the video, I thought it was a huge and very honest gesture to offer the olive branch by Councillor Brash and others (considering who its offered to). For the good of the town I hope they ponder on his speech and deep down remember that they all have voices of their own instead of pampering a certain persons ego. If it comes to nothing at least the branch was offered honestly. Then could i suggest a cricket bat?

[WhatTheHeck]

Questions.

1. Did the 'Handsome Ste' put in a sick note ?

2. Where, in reality, was he ?

3. Has he put in a claim for expenses for not attending this meeting ?

4. Can we believe the reason for his non attendance ?

5. Will someone publish photo's proving he was somewhere else, when he shouldn't have been  there ?

6. How long have we to put up with this charade ?

Answers will only accepted on the back of a plain brown.

[beanzontoast]

Whattheheck. Point 6 of your check list,  you will have to put up with it for as long as you have a majority of Labour councillors, and as the good people of Hartlepool had a most exellent opportunity to change the council, what did they do , yes you guessed it, returned even more Labour councillors, and in the misplaced world of the mayor this is an endorsement by the public he has done nothing wrong, watch him go for a 3rd term. You couldn't make it up.

[mk1]

Straight question. Why did you (beanz) dodge the meeting the other night? Where were you and why did you make such a big deal of it in the days leading up to it and not tell us you (and your mate) were going to be  'busy' elsewhere?
Can you reply in two parts. One just giving the reason why you were elsewhere and  put all the rambling conspiracy theory stuff in a second post-please!

[pensionater]

This olive branch spiel is a load of bs,suppose it had nothing to do with the fact that 3 of the people who signed the motion lost their seats.Damage limitation ,don't want PHF looking like serial losers do we.Oops too late.

[The Great Dictator]

Ginger bollocks lost his bottle.

[mk1]

,don't want PHF looking like serial losers do we.Oops too late.

So unlike the UKIP 'success ' of losing half of its seats and Farage making a complete laughing stock of the party with his 'I resign' fiasco.

Still no sign of Beanz telling us why he had to duck sorry I mean 'was unable to attend' the meetun.
I suspect he is at this very moment trawling back 5 generations  to find some distant relative  who was buried that day...............

[WhatTheHeck]

Have watched the full meeting and understood what Brash was saying, basically all Councillors should work together, put aside the personal animosity, for the good of the town.

Fine in principal, but it will never happen, whilst we have Labour in the driving seat under the SCABS.

They appear to be adamant that they have done nothing wrong and that are being victimised, whilst their 'comrades' don't have the balls to stand up and speak out. 

Must admit though, it would have been more fun if the esteemed liar had chaired the meeting, instead of a white haired granny, who's grammar was appalling and had to be led by the hand and passed notes by Stubbs to advise her what to do next.

I just despair for this town when people can vote for  people like her and Cllr Mrs Belcher who also had difficulty in stringing two words together, not  exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer

Anyway, thanks, err, for cummun 'ere,  an I 'ope we can werk together .