A Nightingdale Sings in Barclay's Head

[Stevef]

Has anyone heard anymore as to the specific nature of the 'untrue allegations' which Mr Riddle has been accused of making?

You will be waiting a long time for that. There was no allegation made of any kind. Mr Riddle asked a straight forward question which was addressed to the Mayor. Any allegation true or otherwise exists only in the mind of Councillor Hall. As for whatever was in his mind at the time, I don't think its something he is going to want to share.

[fred c]

Its always difficult to try to work out why people say what they do, i think in this particular instance the answer is quite clear to everyone but themselves.

Stupidity........... Plain & Simple.

I don`t think there will be any more letters or comments in the mail from Mr Stupid or Mr Hardof Hearing on this particular topic.

[Stevef]

Its a difficult question to answer. As its Mr Riddle who is on the receiving end of this abuse, only he can make that call.

Personally I don't see any advantage in responding to Mr Barclay. It is quite possible any correspondence would be ignored, if not it would provide him with another opportunity to spread further lies and misinformation. The one thing it would not do is produce details of an allegation that was never made. How could it?

Tempting as it may be to respond to such provocation, it may only serve to detract attention from the main issue which is the actions of Councillor Hall. A cynical person may conclude that, that was the purpose of Mr Barclays interventions.

[steveL]

It doesn't really matter if Riddle sends a dozen letters to The Mail. At no point is Barclay going to turn around and say, 'do you know what, you're right. You didn't actually say anything defamatory, did you?'

Further letters will only result in more opportunities for him to use the pages of The Mail to spin the story that something was said that wasn't actually said.

Neither would I hold out much hope that the matter will be resolved by the Standards Board which was hijacked by the Labour Group years ago and is now reduced solely to being a weapon with which to hit non-Labour councillors over the head.

Hall is well and truly f**c*** over the connected care contract. He knows it; we know it and by all accounts, quite a few other Councillors know it too. He'll have time enough to reflect on his ineptness when he's pegged out to dry on the washing line.

For the record, I sent the following e-mail to Ged Hall on the 9th March:

"As the responsible Portfolio holder at the time of the awarding of the Connected Care contract you will be aware of the relevance of the quality and condition of the Manor Residents Accounts at the time the decision was made.
Would you therefore be prepared to discuss with me, face to face, the process by which that decision was made, the condition of the accounts of Manor Residents at the time and your own role in the decision process?"

Needless to say, I'm still waiting for a reply. Read into that what you will - I know I have.

[Vincent]

which councillors voted for and against the issue of supplementary questions?

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

There's another letter in tonights Mail on this issue, the telephone call from GH.

Please could we have a precis?

[steveL]

As I recall, it was a split between the Independents and PHF on one side (with the two Brash's, of course) and Labour and the Tories on the other.

[steveL]

Is that it? What a weird letter.

I seem to remember the Peer Group Report commenting on the unusually high frequency of changes in HBC's constitution in recent years.

[fred c]

I don`t think the Constitution is meant to be used as a tool of Political Expediency... Or...a means of saving some Councillors from making complete TW*Ts of themselves.


2 Quotes on what A Constitution stands for.

"We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution".
Abraham Lincoln

"Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties".
Abraham Lincoln


The above Quotes rather show up "The Mob" for what they are.

[Vincent]

As I recall, it was a split between the Independents and PHF on one side (with the two Brash's, of course) and Labour and the Tories on the other.

There must be an official record of who voted what, my recollection is that the vote was not as clear cut as SteveL suggests. I have tried to find a link on the HBC website without success?

[fred c]

As I recall, it was a split between the Independents and PHF on one side (with the two Brash's, of course) and Labour and the Tories on the other.

There must be an official record of who voted what, my recollection is that the vote was not as clear cut as SteveL suggests. I have tried to find a link on the HBC website without success?

I think there will be a record of the vote taken...... However, the vote was pretty much as steveL described it in his post, "The Mob" minus Brash & Hargreaves, along with the tories voted for the proposal, & PHF, The Indy`s & B&H voted for the amendment to retain an improved System for Questioning Cllrs.

[steveL]

I think Keith Fisher might have abstained...but I couldn't swear to it.

[Stevef]

There must be an official record of who voted what, my recollection is that the vote was not as clear cut as SteveL suggests. I have tried to find a link on the HBC website without success?

Taken from the Minutes

Those in favour: ( For Brash's Amendment )

Councillors Atkinson, Brash, Dawkins, Fisher, Gibbon, Hargreaves, Hill,
Lauderdale, A E Lilley, G Lilley and Thompson.

Those against:

Councillors Ainslie, C Akers-Belcher, S Akers-Belcher, Beck, Cook, Cranney,
Fleet, Griffin, Hall, Jackson, James, Morris, Payne, Richardson, Shields,
Simmons, Sirs, Tempest, Wells and Wilcox.

Those abstaining:

None

[not4me]

Will someone please take this man's quill away.

[mk1]

It must be sarcasm. No one can be this stupid..................


  IT is refreshing to see that there are elected representative(s) of Hartlepool sticking up for their residents by taking the lead (Mail 4 April) in fighting against  the establishment to be heard  through the publics right to ask questions and in demanding a full explanation as to the  draconian measures forced upon them and the constant witch-hunt made against  them!
The process by which this decision comes from is truly biased, prejudicial and unfair and is extremely flawed  with systematic failures and deserves action now and certainly those that are affected  by it are deserving of a full explanation as to why this has come to pass!
Well done Councillor Angie  Wilcox in taking the lead with the Staff of Manor Residents'  Association in urging a fight back over the controversial   Bedroom Tax and in taking action against it by writing letters demanding a full explanation as to how a property is deemed under occupied!
Congratulations should also go to Manor Residents for their recent petition that they implemented and their protest rally in support of it and to the subsequent submission by our MP Iain Wright to the House of Commons.

Perhaps now other Councillors will follow Manor Councillors' example and take the lead on things that truly matter in their wards

Allan Barclay, Hartlepool 

Believe it or not the 'letter' is a mere 5 (strangled & garbled) sentences!