Ward budget spending legal..... by about 9 days.

[DRiddle]

There's so much people don't know about the 'games' being played with tax payers money by the Labour group across the town aside from a people who read this site and follow these things..

They (the labour group) were desperate to push through these ward budgets and everyone warned at the time it was morally wrong.

This next information is 100% true.

The Representation of the people act, is an act of parliament which lays down very clear rules or what you are and are NOT allowed to do during an election.

Sections 113, 114 and 115 deal with the issues of bribery, corruption and treating.

Basically these sections of the act say you're not allowed to do anything which could be deemed to be attempting to persuade or coerce people into voting for you during an election. This includes giving them money, food, drink, entertainment or basically anything that could be deemed to have a cash value.

So for example, it's highly likely arranging for people to have old white goods taken away by the council for free, which normally costs £15, could be deemed to be 'treating'.... if it was done during an election.

Another example would be something like arranging a 'fun day', where there will presumably be food, drink and entertainment. If that was done during the election period, whoever did it would likely be deemed to be in breach of the act..... if it was done during an election.

Another example might be paying money for a school to have their fence fixed, thus courting favour with families and parents of the children, that too might potentially be in breach of the act..... if it was done during an election.

Fortunately for any councillor that might have done any of those things, the election hasn't been called yet.

It'll be called next week.

This is Labour and Hartlepool Borough Council at its worst. Everything we're reading regarding these 'ward budgets' and 'good deeds' by Labour councillors up for re-election on May 22nd is legal.... by about 9 days.

I dare ANY of them to go public with what they're spending their ward budgets on once the election has been formally called..... i'll be watching you 

[pensionater]

As far i can make out he is just helping the school out.You seem to be clutching at a straws now.Give it a rest.

[DRiddle]

You're either stupid, or very naïve pensionater.

Read the act.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/2/pdfs/ukpga_19830002_en.pdf

If any of this was going on a minute after Peter Devlin calls the election formally, they'd be in breach of the act. But it's not... it's going on a week or so before he does.

Which means it's legally. Morally corrupt in my opinion, but legal.

[pensionater]

If you knocked on someones door and said don't vote for said Councillor because he spent money illegally and when the voter asked what on ? and you said "replacing a school fence "they would laugh at you.It's you who's naive pal and i'm not stupid neither.Just get your head out yer ar**.   

[DRiddle]

I didn't say they'd spent the money on anything illegal. I clearly stated that the spending was legal.... until the election is formally called. Which is what? 5 days away from being called? 7? 9 tops?

The representation of the people act is blatantly there to prevent exactly this kind of thing. Most other council's don't even allow ward budgets at all, probably for this very reason.

Labour are pushing the boundaries of the act to the absolute limit.

Everyone knows that and can see what they're up to.... except you apparently.

[marky]

Didn't this web site run a story a while back on how Marj had hardly spent a penny from her ward budget suggesting that she was saving it up for a pre-election spending spree and here we are.....

All things being equal, if you looked at spending from these councillor budgets you would expect it to be evenly spread throughout the year but I bet if you looked you would find then unusually skewed towards the run up to election time.

[pensionater]

I agree,but my point is that to the every day Hartlepudlian this will not make them change their vote.It is probably happening in every council in the country.

[DRiddle]

Pensionater, we all know it's going to take a cataclysmic event to persuade the average Hartlepuldlian to change their vote.

For the record, there are a relatively small amount of councils who allocate individual ward budgets. Those that do allocate each member typically between £2,000 and £3,000 and all of the ones I'm aware of that do have ward budgets insist that all projects are done by the end of February.

You will struggle to find a council in the entire country who are allowing their councillors to promote ward budget type projects of £5,000+ a few days before the formal calling of an election.

Except in Hartlepool of course. Where it's 'fine'...

[Inspector Knacker]

Make all ward budget payments anonymous, issued under a council label. The councillor could finance projects ( not fun days) and still be a benefactor... surely not a problem at all and achieving the same result without thr trauma of publicity..... then see how popular they are then.

[fred c]

I thought Council Tax was for the purpose of providing services for "All Council Tax Payers" this particular portion of our hard earned cash is being used as a Voting Inducement by Members of "The Mob"

Another example is the decision by "Someone" to give £5 pounds of the saving made if ratepayers sign up for Direct Debit to pay their the council tax, to "Ste He Looks Ever So Handsome In His Ceremonial Robes" Mayors Charity.

Both examples are a calculated policy to show the electorate that "the Mob" are the party of the people.......when in fact they are the party of some of the people.

If the voters who actually "Pay Their Own Council Tax" got off their backsides come May, there is a possibility that situation may change.

[pensionater]

I just think people have more important things on their plates at the moment.It's finding something to motivate them that's the problem. Obviously the Hart ward is there for the taking because they've been let down by their Councilors but i'm afraid it'll most likely be "better the devil you know" attitude come the elections.

[Inspector Knacker]

 it'll most likely be "better the devil you know" attitude come the elections.

The Devil I don't know gets my vote every time.

[The Great Dictator]

The way it works is this.

The budget is set and the monies NOT spent eg. ward budgets  will go back in the pot as an underspend.

On the last day all these underspends are spent on needy projects like MRA, West view resource centre, HVDA etc etc

Cllr. Fisher is not being a hero by not spending it he is being a bit stupid.

[fred c]

The way it works is this.

The budget is set and the monies NOT spent eg. ward budgets  will go back in the pot as an underspend.

On the last day all these underspends are spent on needy projects like MRA, West view resource centre, HVDA etc etc

Cllr. Fisher is not being a hero by not spending it he is being a bit stupid.

And that as TGD points out is another reason why this ridicules "Councilors Handout" should be done away with.

I say again £165,000 pounds is a significant amount & would be better used by providing services "For Everybody" in Hartlepool....

It could for instance provide 20 young people with a wage of £160 per week whilst learning a trade of some sort......... There would of course be the need for someone from the "Regeneration Directorate" to approach local companies to help in this possible project & it would need to be monitored, but it would prove more beneficial than having young people working on "The Dear Leaders" Ferris Wheel.

Just a thought.

[Inspector Knacker]

'The election is coming,
      A very  special date.
       I'd best show my face to the electorate.'