Local Elections - May 5th

[Foggy]

I certainly hope it is an interesting one 

Taking nothing away from the point you are making but I think the figures you have quoted are from 2012, rather than 2014 aren't they?

Just going back briefly to what I posted yesterday about what I had seen on Facebook. I thought I should edit my original post and add the word 'allegedly' in there somewhere but I can't see the option to modify my post.

I think you would have to be a friend on Mr El Menabawey to see the alleged post on Facebook and I haven't seen a screenshot anywhere yet. However, given the similar statement that has been made in RMW's election rag, I would say there is a good chance of this being genuine.

[Lord Elpus]

When Candidate are asking the electorate for the support would it not be reasonable to expect an honest photo of the Candidate.

There are a few who seem to have either used an air brush or a using photos taken of them many years ago.

Ann Marshall (Labour Candidate for Fens and Rossmere) is using a photo which appears to have been taken at least 10 years ago, says it all really.

[steveL]

I thought that the photograph used by CAB in his Mail write-up made him look positively ill. Surely they could have found a better one. 

[steveL]

......... given the similar statement that has been made in RMW's election rag, I would say there is a good chance of this being genuine.'

You can't attach any weight to what RMW says in his election rags; he routinely lies in everyone. In fact, if you go back over the Tory leaflets for the past few years you'll see that there is very little variation between them with most of the space used to slag off opposition councillors (not Labour) and very little used to list any achievements of their own. This is hardly surprising when your main achievements amount to supporting Labour at every opportunity and acting as a catalyst for his developer friends planning applications.

Throw in the annually repeated lie that Conservatives are the only councillors who don't claim expenses and you could probably write your own Tory Leaflet for 2017 right now.

[mk1]

Ann Marshall (Labour Candidate for Fens and Rossmere) is using a photo which appears to have been taken at least 10 years ago, says it all really.

Was she the woman in blue with SAB & Mad Dog when they had the car accident in Grange Road?

[The Great Dictator]

It is true actually, the only expenses a councillor can claim are for their landline rental, the £6000 is classed as allowances not expenses.

[Jonathan Brash]

No that's not quite right. It's true the 6k (actually a smidge less) is classed as an allowance and given automatically. However, there are a range of expenses that can be claimed, including: line rental, mileage (including to political meetings), conference fees, travel and subsistence.

CAB and SAB's expenses.

Summary
2010/11 = £3,434.56
2011/12 = £4,698.52
2012/13 = £4,179.77
2013/14 = £7,179.66
2014/15 = £7,133.54

Total = 26,586.05 over 5 years on top of basic and special allowances.

I've claimed £0 in the same period. The allowance should be enough!

[fred c]

No that's not quite right. It's true the 6k (actually a smidge less) is classed as an allowance and given automatically. However, there are a range of expenses that can be claimed, including: line rental, mileage (including to political meetings), conference fees, travel and subsistence.

CAB and SAB's expenses.

Summary
2010/11 = £3,434.56
2011/12 = £4,698.52
2012/13 = £4,179.77
2013/14 = £7,179.66
2014/15 = £7,133.54

Total = 26,586.05 over 5 years on top of basic and special allowances.

I've claimed £0 in the same period. The allowance should be enough!

I wonder, is it an Oxford (street) Graduate that does their expenses ?

[mk1]

I wonder, is it an Oxford (street) Graduate that does their expenses ?

I used to think Ged was basically OK  but after a conversatIon with him where he flat out lied to me about something he did not know I knew I realised he was a sheep willing to keep his head down and do nothing in the hope things would 'get better'.

[Lord Elpus]

I wonder, is it an Oxford (street) Graduate that does their expenses ?

I used to think Ged was basically OK  but after a conversatIon with him where he flat out lied to me about something he did not know I knew I realised he was a sheep willing to keep his head down and do nothing in the hope things would 'get better'.

Ged is keen to get the position of Chair of Children's Services in May, however Cllr Alan Clark is also keen to have the same roll.

CAB knows neither are 100% loyal to the current cabal but who is there within the Labour Group capable of doing the job as well as Simmons?

Barclay is in need of some SRA so it will be interesting to see who gets what.  Obviously the decision will have little to do with what's best for Hartlepool, just what's best for the CAB cabal.

If CAB get beaten in May all bets are off and the Comrades have to decide who they get behind as Leader, Mad Dog or Thomson.

[Land Phil]

Chair of Children's Services must be a poisoned chalice following the Angela Wrightson trial.

[fred c]

Land Phil.....


Anyone who had anything to do with chidrens services at that time may think that, but any appointment after the up coming elections should be starting with a clean slate.

After all "Lessons" will be learned.

[Paul Thompson]

If CAB get beaten in May all bets are off and the Comrades have to decide who they get behind as Leader, Mad Dog or Thomson.

Lord Elpus - Surely you mean getting behind Thomas (Steve) rather than Thomson.  I think there is more chance of our UKIP 'colleagues' making a contribution to council than there is of me being invited to be leader of the Council.

Or are you suggesting that I should put my name forward as Chair of Council again, seeing as that went so well last time

I don't think Thomas is the only contender.  I have had a number of conversations with members of the Labour Group who are really unhappy with their 'leadership'. To quote one in particular, they are an "embarrassment". From my basic maths, there are enough of them unhappy to change the leadership but they just need to get their acts together and talk to each other.  Pending the outcome of next Thursday, maybe a helpful 'independent' volunteer should give them a hand talking to each other

[fred c]

Any one who follows the political process in Hartlepool, especially by attending council meetings are all to aware of the problems created by the Cabal presently running things, Hartlepool  must have the only Labour/Tory coalition in the country.

The embarrassment, or should i say ridicule, heaped on the good name of the town by the antics of members of that ruling group have have made for inclusion in  Private Eyes, Rotten Boroughs on 7 or 8 occasions.

The constant propaganda Bo***x of visions, masterplans & expensive consultations has wasted millions of pounds of money that could have been better spent on services & local facilities.

The questionable use of individual councillors budgets is also something that gives cause for concern every year, coincidentally around March/ April time, some ward scheme or another comes to the front of some councillors agenda's.

But the biggest damage faced by Hartlepool is the abandonment of the town plan & not solely because of the cost of £1.5 million pounds, although that appears to have been conveniently  forgotten by the ruling group.

It is the 'Planning Free For All' that was created by abandoning the town plan, it has left the council defenceless in the face of any & every tin pot planning application put forward by "Developers"

Democracy in Hartlepool has never been more compromised than at the present time, the use of the "Secret Squirrel" Pink Paper system, has led to a lack openess, transparency & most importantly accountability.

Politics in Hartlepool  needs fixing & the sooner the better.

[Lord Elpus]

Paul, humble apologies, I did indeed mean Thomas.