Pride of Hartlepool

[Ted Bass]

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/the-pride-of-hartlepool-1-6825170

What do you think of this list? Is it better to honour councillors when they are alive instead of when dead?
Who would you include?

I would go for some personalities from Hartlepool who have put the team on the map such as Jeff Stelling, well known for his love of Pools, also Paul Gough for being a top dj for over twenty years on radio and even longer in clubs and bars.

[The Great Dictator]

Jeff Stelling is already a freeman of hartlepool


Goffy is a Tyneside DJ, nothing to do with hartlepool.


Anyone without a criminal record, thats not many then.

[mk1]

Anyone without a criminal record, thats not many then.

Bu*gger............I was going to suggest John Darwin!

[The Great Dictator]

Brian Morton....hahahahaha

[Tommy]

Ted Bass, why Paul Gough?

Your choices of the two people who are (or in Gough's case was, but not anymore) known for work within media, there are far more locals that are or once were involved in media in the town, even the group that established our town radio station is more worthy than a has been pub DJ.

I could go on more about your favored outdated celebrity Paul Gough, however I will save that for your next mention of him.

Our town is full of celebrities or celebrities that once had an affiliation with it, Wayne Sleep, Wincy Willis (lived off Elwick Road I think), and a stack of others.

I agree that if we are going to dish out Honours, my opinion is to honour those that are "living" and have brought "distinction"upon the borough.

mk1, I like your suggestion of famous paddler (in jest).

If I was going to make a guess at a future new years honours list, I bet the Mayor Stephen Akers Belcher persuades the entire Labour party to ask the Queen for one (that doesn't sound too PC to me!, I am not homophobic, I love my house).

Getting back on topic, well done Sir Ron!

[one direction]

Surely the former mayor Stuart Drummond should be on the list. Arguably the most popular politician in tbe town in living memory. The labour party had to play dirty tricks and change the rules to abolish the post as the only way they could get rid of him! Still i supose only standard gerrymandering tactics in politics, if you can't win a seat then move the goal posts until you can.

[Tommy]

one direction, I was surprised not to see Stuart Drummond on the list too.

[fred c]

Civic Honours in Hartlepool were downgraded to the level of a "Joke in A Christmas Cracker" when "The TorLab Mob" awarded Mandelson The Freedom Of the Borough.


http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4740890.print/

[The Great Dictator]

Drummond deserves nothing, he was there to collect £1500 a week and then disappeared when he was thrown out.


Why didn't he come back as a councillor and punish the Labour party ?


He's a carpetbagger like the SCABS.

[Tommy]

I agree, he too lined his own pockets, don't get me wrong I was just surprised the muppets that are the Civic Committee didnt give him one.

[marky]

"Is it better to honour councillors when they are alive instead of when dead?"

How do you tell the difference?

[Lord Elpus]

Perhaps its more interesting to note the people who have turned down the 'honour'.

Mike Turner said no to Alderman and Stan Kaiser always made it very clear he would refuse.  Peter Gowland refused Freeman of the Borough, a guy who has done more for Hartlepool people than anyone else I can think of in recent years. 

On the other hand others have actively lobbied fellow Cllr's for the chance of a 'Muttley medal' all a bit sad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qkSe4YM7EY

[DRiddle]

It's a strange old situation. I respect most of the people who got the awards, but it does raise the issue of who is actually awarding them and the damage that actually does to the validity and reputation of the award.

I mean be honest, imagine if you'd busted a gut doing your bit, you've done over and above the call of duty for the town and it's people. You've devoted thousands of hours of your time trying to make a genuine positive difference on people's lives. 

Then, your 'reward' was a eulogy from the Akers-Belchers, a few kind words from Allan Barclay and a nod of respect from Kevin Cranney.

*shakes head

[mk1]

Ron Norman?
The Ron Norman who shredded nearly all the documetation at TDC?
The Ron Norman who disposed of TDC  assetts at bargain prices just before it was wound up?
This Ron Norman?

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/2000/nov/10/teesside-development-corporation

[Tommy]

David, good point made there.

As I believe the situation relating to the award is as:

The Committee meet to make sure that only people they wish to have it, get it, and forgetting the fact of the towns people that went to the trouble to put pen to paper (or type on a keyboard) and made nominations for other genuine and justified "LIVING" worthy candidates like you say that have busted a gut doing their bit, doing over and above the call of duty for the town and it's people, devoting thousands of hours of his or her time, and possibly a shed load of their own funds, that "HAVE" proven to have made a genuine positive difference on people's lives in town, to be refused the Honour.

Do you or anyone else on the forum know of any candidates that fit the above, that were nominated but the nominees and the nominators and for that matter the residents of the town let down by the self centered committee appointing exactly who they wished to receive it instead?