4th September 2015 - The Day that Hartlepool Died

[steveL]

Teesside Elected Mayor Expected By April 2017

Friday, 4th September is the deadline for Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar and Darlington to submit their proposals to the Government to join together as a Combined Authority.
The authority will come into existence next year and consist of the five local authority leaders working with the Local Enterprise Partnership in the Tees Valley.

According to Sue Jeffrey, leader of Redcar Borough Council and chairwoman of the shadow Tees Valley Combined Authority, an elected mayor for Teesside is now expected by April 2017. Although she acknowledges that the public had "no appetite for additional bureaucracy", she hoped that any new governance arrangements will see that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

Cleveland County was abolished in 1996 and in 2012 the Hartlepool voted in a referendum to scrap the position of an elected Mayor. Speaking on June 22nd, 2012, the present leader of Hartlepool Borough Council said, "It is only right and proper that the people of Hartlepool are given the opportunity to indicate how they wish to be governed."
However, he has since refused the public any right to have a referendum or whether or not they wish to be part of a Combined Authority, complete with its own elected Mayor.

http://www.hartlepoolpost.co.uk

[Inspector Knacker]

Well it's finally made the Mail, sadly, on page 15, in a small corner complete with the obligatory photo of the one with the unfeasible hair praising the new arrangement. I was underwhelmed.

[Inspector Knacker]

Thinking about this, it's as though we're given cheerful snippets after the event and we really shouldn't be be bothering ourselves with such matters.
However, you do have to ask what qualifies these people to make such decisions on our behalf as any fool can stand for electon and any fool can win. So what exactly are their qualifications, anyone have any idea ?

[not4me]

Good point but then two-thirds of the people who will be sitting on the Combined Authority won't be elected by anyone.

[Inspector Knacker]

And there's the problem, two thirds are unaccountable, but just how much more accountable are our 'representatives' ? They always say they're accountable at the ballot box, but as most of them are elected by wards that are the modern day equivalent of Dunny on the Wold .

[steveL]

You can take this latest Press Release, slow as it has been in coming, as Christopher's panicked response to the coverage on this site. Notice that there is no mention of the elected Mayor expected in April 2017 which both The Echo and The Gazette covered. Notice too that we're not being given any detail of the composition of the Combined Authority on which only the 5 leaders will have a seat - the other two-thirds of the seats will be taken up by Quangocrats and local 'entrepreneurs'.

The 3 card trick is how can you transfer responsibility for 5 critical areas to the Combined Authority (and eventually an elected Mayor) while still justifying the existence and cost of 33 councillors.

HBC PRESS RELEASE

Published Monday 7th September 15

THE Tees Valley has submitted ambitious proposals for devolution to the Government.

The Tees Valley Powerhouse plan builds on the effective work of the five local authorities and the Local Enterprise Partnership, Tees Valley Unlimited. It asks for a greater number of powers to be devolved to the Tees Valley Combined Authority, which relate to transport, education, skills and employment, economic growth and business support and investment. 

The area already has a proven track record of successful partnership working to secure investment including the City Deal and the Tees Valley's Strategic Economic plan.

The devolution deal would bring increased jobs to the area, at a quicker pace, across a range of industries and ensure that local people have the skills to take up these new jobs. There would be improved road and rail links, enabling people to travel to work and attracting investors to the area. The Tees Valley would play a crucial role in the Northern Powerhouse and make a bigger contribution to the UK's economy.

Chair of the Shadow Combined Authority for the Tees Valley and Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Councillor Sue Jeffrey said: "These proposals present an exciting opportunity for the Tees Valley to be at the forefront of the Northern Powerhouse. We have put a robust deal before Government, which would enable us to improve our road and rail networks, generate economic growth, stimulate housing development and create opportunities for local people. We know that we are best placed to understand what the challenges are for the Tees Valley, and what we need to put in place to accelerate and unlock sustainable growth which will benefit our businesses and our people in the long term."

Councillor Bill Dixon, Leader of Darlington Borough Council said "Tees Valley is a functional economic area in its own right, distinct from other areas and other economies. We have always been an area of significant innovation and will continue to build upon these strengths. Devolution will give us the opportunity deal directly with the issues that matter to us, to our residents and to our businesses to help us prosper."

Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, the Leader of Hartlepool Council, said: "The five Tees Valley councils have an excellent track of working together and delivering successfully when we have been given the opportunity to do so.

"Devolution presents an excellent opportunity to build on what we have achieved already and enable us to have much greater influence over key areas such as job creation, the economic development and transport which are all so vital to the area's future prosperity."

Middlesbrough Mayor Dave Budd said: "Devolution has the potential to make a real difference across the Tees area, with improvements to infrastructure and transport links helping to drive job creation and lay the foundations of a sound economy.

"We have already shown what can be achieved by working closely together, and a successful bid will help to ensure we can compete on equal terms with city regions both in this country and further afield."

Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Councillor Bob Cook, said: "The Tees Valley is a great place to live and work and through devolved powers we can further improve the fantastic work we already do to attract further business, investment and create jobs.

"We have a very clear and ambitious vision for the region's future growth and more localised decision-making and control would help us successfully and swiftly implement it."

[fred c]

"Councillor Bill Dixon, Leader of Darlington Borough Council said "Tees Valley is a functional economic area in its own right, distinct from other areas and other economies. We have always been an area of significant innovation and will continue to build upon these strengths"

They haven`t had enough Innovation to keep a fully functioning Teesside Airport.

"Chair of the Shadow Combined Authority for the Tees Valley and Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Councillor Sue Jeffrey said: "These proposals present an exciting opportunity for the Tees Valley"

This coming from a Leader who thinks spending Millions of an Eyesore Vertical Pier is a good investment.

"Middlesbrough Mayor Dave Budd said: "Devolution has the potential to make a real difference across the Tees area, with improvements to infrastructure and transport links"

I haven`t noticed any improved transport links in Hartlepool, but there are plenty in Middlesbrough & Stockton.

And to top the Quotes Off

"Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, the Leader of Hartlepool Council, said: "The five Tees Valley councils have an excellent track of working together and delivering successfully"[/color][/left]

Calamity Chris has certainly done his bit for Hartlepool in all of this..........

Coroners Court, Maternity Unit, A&E Department, Law Courts....... all moved to the City Of Teesside.

Hartlepool is slowly but surely having it`s Civic Heart torn out & donated to Tees Valley Unlimited, courtesy of The LabTor Mob.

[not4me]

The Snail is well up HBC's rear with this one. The most important change to how Hartlepool is run for years and yet The Snail places it well after bonnie babies, cute dogs, the weekly 'pervert' story and the three times a week dying man/tragic baby story.

Bread and Circuses or the Mushroom approach - Keep Them in the Dark and Feed Them On s**t

[Inspector Knacker]

I suspect the dear leader has'nt yet twigged that his role on the new authority will probably be a bit  part.
The new authority will be based along the Saltburn to Darlington rail line corridor , we're probably the farthest of all the authorities away from where the action will be.
The transport comments were comical, any fool knows Middlesbrough is desperate for a direct rail link to London which is were the emphasis will be. Public transport in Hartlepool is a joke and links to the real powerhouse of the North East in Newcastle are abysmal..... I think we are the only place in the North East without a direct link by bus.
The only purpose of this whole exercise is to give the kiss of life to Middlesbroughs tedious ambition to pretend it's important. It isn't.

[for fawkes sake]

I doubt if he's that bothered about his role. After all, his role at Health Watch is as Manager and yet he's hardly ever there. It's the money that counts and he's been very, very quiet on that so far, but as long as he can pick up the pay cheque that'll do nicely.

[Inspector Knacker]

Will figures of remuneration for the role be available...?