Council Tax Meeting 3.9%

Land Phil · February 19, 2016, 04: PM

I have just heard Victoria Ward Councillors have just given a big chunk of their ward budgets to Hartlepool Hawks to help the club compete in a national competition.

All very well but I have friends in the heat or eat situation which makes this look like an extravagant luxury.

It is definitely not caring for the frail and vulnerable in our society.

fred c · February 19, 2016, 06: PM

These "Individual Ward Budgets" are an immoral use of public money, there has been a pre-election "Spend" by some members of the LabTor Mob since they were introduced.

Even though these "community contributions" are outwith the Purdah Period, they really need to be dispensed with altogether, there is something decidedly undemocratic about the Ward Budget system....

Land Phil · February 20, 2016, 08: AM

The flip side of the rediculous council tax rise, combined with everything else that has happened over the last year must make some fantastic material for election leaflets this year.

Never mind a leaflet, it could be a book about the mob.

Sick note, Liar Liar, Granny Magnet, Slow Flipper, Degeneratinon Misdirector.
Family and Friends employment scheme, Ferris Wheel visions, Vicar training scheme, town scam, sorry lack of plan, cafe Crem, £180K they couldn't spend in Seaton Carew, renting out Wind farm land, all sponsored by Niramax.

marky · February 20, 2016, 08: PM

Didn't Marj save up her ward budget until she was due for re-election and then she went on a spending spree?

DRiddle · February 21, 2016, 11: AM

Just going back to the issue of partial chairmanship for a minute, a concerned member of the public sent me to following statistics.

Cllr Barclay spoke for 5 minutes and 15 seconds (from his first spoken word to his last). There was no audible request for him to wrap up.

This surprised me because it felt like an hour.

But anyway, the issue here is members are supposed to be allowed 4 minutes to speak with some discretion from the chair to wrap up.

Paul Thompson, having spent 3 minutes 2 seconds reading out a statement from Councillor Brash, then spoke himself.

He started his own personal contribution at 51 minutes 25 seconds into the video recording. He was asked by the chair to wrap up 2 minutes and 26 seconds later. He then stopped speaking at 54 minutes 40 seconds.

Meaning (if you discount the fact he read out another councillors statement) he spoke for 3 minutes and 15 seconds, having been asked to wrap up after just 2 minutes and 26 seconds.

I started my contribution at 54 minutes and 48 seconds into the recording. After 4 minutes and 16 seconds I was asked to wrap up and managed to speak for another 1 minute 9 seconds before stopping. 5 minutes 25 seconds in total.

I actually spoke for 10 seconds more than Barclay (unbelievable I know but true), who was NOT asked to wrap up at all.

Then there was councillor Clarke. He spoke for 4 minutes and 42 seconds before the CEO nudged the chair into asking him to wrap up. He then spoke for another 1 minute and 34 seconds, giving him a total of 6 minutes and 16 seconds (mainly talking about steel).

So, to summarise, two Labour councillors spoke for a combined length of 11 minutes and 31 seconds with one request to wrap up between them.

Two independent councillors spoke (in their own personal capacity) for a combined length of 8 minutes and 40 seconds yet were both told to wrap up, one after just 2 minutes and 26 of his personal contribution to the debate.

fred c · February 21, 2016, 12: PM

Yep.... The Cat Cuddler & his pussies are giving Mayor Fleet a right good using..... i suspect she has no ideal how long any councillors speak, she just gets the nod from Cwissy the Cat or The CEO......

For a £140,000 a year you might expect her to be able to tell the time though.

Land Phil · February 21, 2016, 01: PM

...maybe Angie Wilcox could buy her a Rolex to help on that front.

Land Phil · February 21, 2016, 07: PM

How come Akers Belcher had a break down of the council reserves fund to hand ?

DRiddle · February 21, 2016, 07: PM

Because I can't ask an officer what brand the coffee is in the members lounge without Akers-Belcher knowing about it.

Anything myself, Paul or Brash request (in terms of figures, information etc) is vetted by certain people. Either we're given a reason why we CAN'T have the information we require, or we're given it but various other people are made aware of the information we've been given.

Take for example the council tax meeting. I'd requested information regarding funding allocated to a community group over recent years.

I wasn't allowed to have it through the proper channels but acquired the information via other means.

I suppose certain people didn't want me reminding the public that the council tax rise of 1.9% was worth £621,000 and the community group I'd enquired about had received funding to the tune of over £1 million.

mk1 · February 21, 2016, 07: PM

Quote from: DRiddle on February 21, 2016, 07: PM
Because I can't ask an officer what brand the coffee is in the members lounge without Akers-Belcher knowing about it.

If it were me I would be asking 'questions' about several things and not just about subjects I would raise in meetings. That way they have to keep a 'book' of ready replies to hand and for sure they will bugger it up by reading the wrong 'prepared' answer!

Land Phil · February 21, 2016, 07: PM

I thought as much, thanks for answering.

steveL · February 21, 2016, 08: PM

Quote from: Land Phil on February 21, 2016, 07: PM
How come Akers Belcher had a break down of the council reserves fund to hand ?

Yes I wondered that too - hardly the kind of info you keep in your head. He was obviously tipped off by a council officer but I would bet real money that there is a general edict in place that the queries of any opposition councillors are reported back to the Cabal - or else.

fred c · February 22, 2016, 06: AM

I realise it would be peeing into the wind but an official complaint to the CEO, BS & Local Government Ombudsman, by opposition councillors as to what is going on wouldn`t go amiss, if nothing else it would be another point of reference in any inquiry into HBC by a higher authority.