der Fuhrer's Letter

[steveL]

a  bit pathetic really. The letter was the source of such mirth that it was widely distributed and, not surprisingly perhaps, this site received several copies from a range of different people. The truth is that both Akers-Belchers are a laughing stock, especially within the Civic and staff were genuinely gutted to see Christopher scrape home.


Seriously, you wouldn't believe the number of e-mails we get from council staff telling us to 'keep up the good work' etc.


A case of, 'help me Obi-Wan, you're our only hope.'

[steveL]

The self-enriching antics of the likes of the two SCABS, Cranney and Martin-Wells would not really matter if the Senior Executives were doing their job properly and making clear the lines of what was acceptable and what was not. This leads to the question of who is really responsible for the current, sorry state of affairs.


There will always be people like those mentioned above but it's the lack of any real checks and balances that have allowed them to bubble to the surface. The Chief Executive, for example, has allowed herself to be turned into a liar over the publication of the accounts for the Cemetery Cafe and a properly functioning council would have been far more open about the circumstances surrounding Damien Wilson's sudden departure, the council's refusal to allow him to withdraw his notice and his no-holds-barred outburst at Denise Ogden.


Why would they refuse to allow Wilson to withdraw his notice unless they were already seriously uncomfortable with his performance? Yet, had he not put in his notice in the first place, he would still be in the same position carrying on unquestioned with his own 'unique' interpretation of the role of an assistant Director for Regeneration.


I remain in no doubt whatsoever that HBC as an organisation is rotten to the core and much of its time and energy continues to be dedicated to preventing anyone finding out just how rotten it really is.

[Foggy]

I have never understood why the likes of Devlin, Alexander and Stubbs can't stand up to these idiots and keep them in check.  What could the possible consequences be of doing this?  What are they scared of?? The great leader can't be that powerful surely!

[testing times]

Knowing the words to 'Onwards Christian Soldiers', doesn't require you to be one evidently. You can be a Christian on a Sunday and turn a blind eye to corruption for the other six days. Perhaps that's the real purpose of confession.

[DRiddle]

The salient point in all of this is Christopher Akers-Belcher should never have sent the letter. He should never have been allowed to send the letter. If such a letter were to be sent out to all of the staff within the biggest employer in the town (HBC), it should have came from the CEO and nobody other than the CEO.

The CEO is the person in overall charge of the organisation, although Christopher appears to have fashioned a situation where he believes that he is.

The perverse nature of local democracy does mean that on the strength of 700 votes from the misinformed, he holds significant power. However, those 'powers' appear to have been allowed to extend to way beyond the rightful role of a council leader.

A strong team of senior officers backed by a CEO with the will, would have taken a firm grip on the situation within HBC many years ago. For whatever reason(s) that hasn't happened.

The situation would be funny if it wasn't so damaging.

In two years within the council I've seen a Vice Chair of The Finance and Policy openly ask what the letters 'HMRC' stood for in a meeting.

I've seen a fella who had the thick end of a year off with a gammy toe be appointed Chair of the Health and Wellbeing board.

Then there's the issue of a person being appointed to lead the planning committee. Planning requires a leader who is whiter than white, yet Labour have appointed a person who has been caught out time and time again being 'economical with the truth'.

Then to cap all of that off we get a situation where the person in charge of the regeneration services committee has been officially labelled 'incompetent' and was on the wrong end of the company directors disqualification act. That's hardly a ringing endorsement when trying to attract investment into Hartlepool.

But back to the 'leaking of the letter', I'd say he's wasting his time trying to track down ONE person who is to blame for allowing the letter to enter the public domain.

I think there are around 4000 people employed by the council in one form or another. It'd be easier to try and track down the people who DIDN'T make fun of the letter.

If there are any who didn't. 

[fred c]

The 'reputation' of HBC questionable as it is, is more important to the powers that be than is the running of the organisation in a proffesional manner, there is no way that the antics of the LabTor Mob should be allowed to go on completely unchecked.

The highly paid, proffesional CEO & her senior officers are employed by the council to manage the authority, they should be allowed to do so without any day to day interference or pressure put on them by a bunch of self serving unqualified amateurs.

Like many people, I cannot for the life of me understand why the senior employees of the council don't stand up to the ar**holes, after all, what are they going to do sack the senior executives of HBC.

Not standing up to the 'Bully Tactics'  of the odious members of the mob, only ensures one thing...... Even more Bullying.

[grim reaper]

Fred, et al; it is patently obvious why the senior management allow themselves to be dictated to, by people without enough education between them to pass the 11 plus! 
Who lied (again!) so that he could sit in on the interview for the post of Chief Executive? 
Who sits on the panels that interview and select the various senior officer posts? 

Why do senior officers kowtow to the great unwashed and uneducated..........answer the first 2 questions and you have the answer to the conundrum.

Uneducated lay persons should not have the 'power' to hire/promote senior management, period.
It is obviously being abused. 

Why not an outside body, even the senior management from another council (that have similar qualifications to the post advertised) being the people to carry out interviews?

Like the ridiculous post of Police and Crime Commissioner....he/she has the power to hire/fire the police chief.
Doesn't that make the police chief rather obsequious to the 'leanings' of the PCC?
   
All it took was 80 votes and one of the malaise in the civic would have been history.
What a shame UKIP didn't try harder in Belle Vue..whoever was in charge of that wants flogging with a rolled up copy of the Financial Times! 

[Land Phil]

We all know the monkey employed the organ grinder and that is why the organ grinder does the dancing.

[mk1]

Fred, et al; it is patently obvious why the senior management allow themselves to be dictated to, by people without enough education between them to pass the 11 plus! 

Although Kevin F*anny deserves all he gets.  It is painful to hear him speak in chamber. He is obviously a slow thinker but believes he is being very witty and incisive when he delivers his rambling 'speeches'. He thinks all his replies are crushing and everyone looks up to him as the man who can deal with the opposition. He is just a thick eared thug.
SAB was a special needs pupil whilst at school.

[Inspector Knacker]

The trouble is that the councillors labour under the misapprehension  that they and the council are one body, failing to comprehend one is an institution and the other a  transient group of wannabes.

[Johnny Bongo]

I've said it before and I'll say it again....there are only two possible reasons why SAB and CAB are in the positions they are in...ooerr, missus, don't titter! ) . The first reason is that Mandelson is reeking his revenge on Hartlepool folk for having the p*$$ taken out of him  when he confused mushy peas with avocado dip, in a Hartlepool fish shop!  So he pulled some strings, etc, and lo and behold, the SCABS are where they are today!  Job done!    
The second reason is one which obviously binds many politicians of different parties, and the associated staff, etc.  BLACKMAIL.  Whether it be an individuals social habits, ie, heavy drinker, drug user, big gambler,  having an illicit affair, etc, or something further up the scale, ie, fiddling your expenses, sloping off from work early, etc, OR at the top end, imo, actual thieving, misappropriation of funds/ council tax, etc , using the computers for viewing of illegal images (you know what I mean!), etc.  Gathering info on people, of all social levels, is useful as any info can be stored and used, if needed, whenever! All I can say is that some of the Council people must be being blackmailed, in order for the smooth functioning / no questions asked, of HBC on a daily basis!

[mk1]

Another reason might be the inability of the Political Parties to admit when they have been hijacked by chancers. Ray is proof positive that they will close their eyes if the culprits deliver 'power'.


Blackmail is a two-edged sword. Rumour has it a councillor snorting coke is in the photo being used by a high profile local firm to get all its planning applications through. 

[the_exile]

A certain developer who may be developing land on the outskirts of the town near the A689 junction with the A19, has a history of using incriminating evidence in order to get what he wants.

In one of his previous incarnations a contract with a large supermarket chain was won (and then maintained) with the use of photographs from a "jolly boys coach trip" that included strippers on board!!!!!! ALLEGEDLY ;-)

[Inspector Knacker]

Posted this just for fun as I had nowt better to do for 20 minutes....

Spot the difference !

what difference ?
Both have challenging hair 'styles'.
Both have a tight grip on the party.
Dissent is not encouraged by the minions.
Politics runs in the family.

[Hartlepudlion]

Any updates on this witch hunt?