A Gold plated pre-election clanger?

[kevplumb]

So here's the 'story' from beginning to end so far.

Around two weeks ago various people's inboxes started pinging with information from sources in and around the civic centre about a gold medal. That's a fact, that definitely happened. There was talk about a gold medal which could/would/might be given to the outgoing Mayor next month. That information was circulating on or around the 16th March.

What is certain is there is documented proof of what most people perceived to be a purchase order with the words 'for Cllr Paul Beck for annual Council on 24th May' on it. On the same document it quotes a price of £1,975.

That information founds its way into the hands or minds of myself, ex-cllr Geoff Lilley, various other Councillors, the people at The Hartlepool Post and from what i hear, practically every single member of staff in the Kremlin. 

Things then start to develop on the 23rd March when i make veiled reference to an alleged purchase which might upset sections of the electorate. I don't mention specifically what the purchase supposedly is due to my awareness of Purdah guide lines. However, others who are aware of the leak opt to fill in the blanks.

Over the next few days there are many murmurings from within HBC, in particular from Labour councillors. My name is offered up as the source of the leak (not true) and i'm told complaints were made to the CEO. The new Labour members go into defensive mode on social media and the story then becomes somewhat hazy with claim and counter claim made about the alleged medal.

Ultimately, the £140,000 a year CEO seemingly in charge of the organisation which employs 4,000 people and receives upwards of £70 million a year in council tax and business rates, decides to clarify a situation raised in an 'insignificant' local online forum. 

It seems what has 'leaked' out of the civic is NOT in fact a purchase order for a gold medal for Paul Beck, but in fact a QUOTE for one from a local jeweler.

To quote the CEO directly;

Enquiries were made with a local jeweler regarding the cost of providing a gold medal.   These enquires were made to establish the costs to enable discussions to be had with the out going Ceremonial Mayor and Chair of Finance and Policy Committee.  However, these discussions had not taken place before this issue was raised on social media.

Following receipt of the cost estimate, I discussed this with the Chair of Finance and Policy Committee and the decision was made not to proceed with the gold medal option.

As an alternative it is now intended that the out going Ceremonial Mayor will be awarded an alternative medal which the Council currently holds and originally cost £530.

That quote above comes direct from an e-mail from the council CEO dated yesterday, 29th March (sorry Gill but i'm just sick of it all). Some 13 days after the original chatter in the civic about a gold medal for the outgoing Mayor, and seven days after my original post on this topic.

People are free to draw their own conclusions from this timeline of events.

Whatever your position or view on this, it obviously raises some questions.

One, why, if we had a £530 medal 'lying around in the civic', did we feel the need to commission a local jeweller for another? Two, how many other 'treasures' are to be found in HBC as well as a £530 gold medal? A Picasso perhaps? A few diamonds, some bars of gold bullion? Three, how the hell do you 'over order' gold medals? Because it this one was lying around, who was the medal now going to Councillor Beck originally for? Did a previous outgoing Mayor decline it? How much has been spent of 'Medals for Mayors' since Stuart Drummond left office? All in all this raises more questions than answers.

Do the voting public feel even a £530 medal is necessary 36 hours before they're due to start paying the 3rd highest council tax rates (in unitary authorities) in the country?

Do they believe this situation has played out in the way described by the CEO?

Do they believe the situation would have played out this way had the information NOT found its way out of the civic centre two weeks ago?

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, will HBC stand by this explanation if a document marked 'purchase order' were to turn up (showing the details of the £1,975 medal) and find it's way into the public domain?

And that last one, is perhaps the most interesting question of all.

Happy Easter.

keep plugging young david you have them on the run

[Inspector Knacker]

Why would an enquiry be made to a jeweller unless a purchase was intended?
Or are random requests made for the hell of it?
What is an alternative medal? Was one discovered down the back of the municipal settee?

[kevplumb]

so what it amounts to is a man who lied to the full council and then got caught out by said councils own video
then backs belchers dodgy charity
which then becomes a good cause
gets a medal for his sterling service

you couldn't make this up
how many more dodgy gongs have we paid for ??

have that lot got their own skunk farm 

[fred c]

Do the voting public feel even a £530 medal is necessary 36 hours before they're due to start paying the 3rd highest council tax rates (in unitary authorities) in the country?

NO

Do they believe this situation has played out in the way described by the CEO?

NO

Do they believe the situation would have played out this way had the information NOT found its way out of the civic centre two weeks ago?

NO

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, will HBC stand by this explanation if a document marked 'purchase order' were to turn up (showing the details of the £1,975 medal) and find it's way into the public domain?

NO

And that last one, is perhaps the most interesting question of all.

[kevplumb]

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, will HBC stand by this explanation if a document marked 'purchase order' were to turn up (showing the details of the £1,975 medal) and find it's way into the public domain?

NO

And that last one, is perhaps the most interesting question of all.

without a doubt mucka

the part time sky pilot is just as bent as the rest of them

[Johnny Bongo]

WTF ...What exactly does G.A.  do for £140K a year...apart from covering up for lying, thieving, hypocritical labour Councillors?
Will G.A. resign when the truth emerges, which will show another cover up?
Was the medal that SAB wore to the Rememberence Day Parade, also a gold  one from HBC?
And finally...have HBC/ HCLP recently ordered a few dozen spades (using CT payers money!) as they seem to be doing a wonderful job at digging their own graves!  Hopefully, soon they'll have dug deep enough where they can't climb out!  Won't be long now!

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

Do they have a spare medal because they bought a number of them in the past ?

For such a bespoke item I guess it costs a lot more for one than it does for the second and subsequent made at the same time if they use the same mold etc.

There must be a paper trail behind this.
It would be quite something if it started with the disgraced mayor sacked for gross misconduct whilst wearing the mayoral robes and bringing shame on the town.

Is that really how the chief exec allowed such behaviour to be rewarded ?

[Inspector Knacker]

The most cringeworthy feature of this tawdry business is why a gold medal?
The forces medals aren't even made of gold, So how could the very idea of commisioning a 'medal' for any mere political nodding dog warrant the honour?
A medal for what exactly? Surely not in recognition of the work done ?
The whole thing reeks of pompous self importance amongst a group obsessed with their own vanity.
Surely if they want to indulge in such tosh, I suggest they pop round to the nearest engraver of dog collar discs. I'm sure all the relevant 'achievements' can safely be engraved on the space remaining after the name is finished.

[jeffh]

As has already been said - this is on top of the £7900 he has received for being Mayor (chairman of the council) only this bit's tax free.

Adding to Dave Riddle's list - do we now have another spare medal valued at £1975?

[DRiddle]

The official line, which I have no reason to disbelieve  is the £1,975 medal was never actually ordered. It was merely knowledge of a quote which leaked out of HBC, NOT an invoice or list of future pending purchases.

[Lord Elpus]

The official line, which I have no reason to disbelieve  is the £1,975 medal was never actually ordered. It was merely knowledge of a quote which leaked out of HBC, NOT an invoice or list of future pending purchases.

The way I was told it was very clear, there was an intention to spend £1,975 on a medal for Cllr Paul (I lied to Council) Beck.  It appears to me that once the cat was out the bag there has been a lot of back pedaling to try and save face.  Personally I fail to see why us Council tax payers should have to pay over £500 for a medal especially for a man who is a proven liar.

Perhaps we should also be aware of the 'special' relationship Beck has with the SCAB's he has been on holidays with them, a cruise with them, socialises with them and is appears to be involved with the 'Andsome ones' cafe, not to mention a volunteer on the Rifty project. 

As far a GA's involvement I would not trust her as far as Chris could toss her, Christian ethics? not the way I see it.

All animals are created equal, my ar**.

[DRiddle]

Just a quick update. An un named councillor has suggested to the CEO that the cost of the medal be paid for via a whip round from the 32 councillors (33 except Beck). The new cost of the medal, £530 would mean a donation of £16.56 each from their own pockets.

This seems a far more palatable solution to me and is much more 'normal' in most sectors when people have a whip round for a leaving gift or if someone has a baby or is ill and gets sent some flowers or something.

Obviously there will be some councillors reading this who will have just spat their morning coffee out at the thought of having to part with their own cash rather than spend the tax payers. But we live in hope of a further attack of conscience from the reasonable members of the Labour group.

[Lord Elpus]

Just a quick update. An un named councillor has suggested to the CEO that the cost of the medal be paid for via a whip round from the 32 councillors (33 except Beck). The new cost of the medal, £530 would mean a donation of £16.56 each from their own pockets.

This seems a far more palatable solution to me and is much more 'normal' in most sectors when people have a whip round for a leaving gift or if someone has a baby or is ill and gets sent some flowers or something.

Obviously there will be some councillors reading this who will have just spat their morning coffee out at the thought of having to part with their own cash rather than spend the tax payers. But we live in hope of a further attack of conscience from the reasonable members of the Labour group.

They'd have a job to have made me pay it.

Perhaps they could make him a Freeman instead much cheaper apart from the cost of the bun fight but the Andsome one could provide that, burgers all round.

[fred c]

I object to having to stand for the entrance to the council chamber of a man I have zero respect for..... I also object to the possible use of 'Any' public money to purchase a medal for the same person.

Only in Hartlepool and Only Under The SCABAL

[Inspector Knacker]

The official line, which I have no reason to disbelieve  is the £1,975 medal was never actually ordered. It was merely knowledge of a quote which leaked out of HBC, NOT an invoice or list of future pending purchases.

I would think asking for a costing is an indication of a possible intent to purchase, unless of course they randomly travel around local businesses asking for random quotes for random things out of interest.
If he's that great, never mind the Council or councillors paying, put out an appeal to the public to fund it. Party members excluded of course.
Imagine what would be needed for the top dogs in similar circumstances