Is this the final nail in the Mayors Coffin ?

[seaton]

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/labour-party-launch-investigation-into-mayor-of-hartlepool-after-day-job-sacking-1-7214310

Looks like Wright sees him as a liability, been a bad week for him !

[fred c]

It`s taken the flaccid "Member" almost as long to call for an Investigation into the Hartlepool Labour Party as it did for him to attempt to revive his interest into the Hospital saga.

I don`t think anything will come out of this, it`s just a pre-election a**e covering exercise by The TorLab Mob...... lets face it, if it wasn`t would SAB call for an investigation ?

[The Great Dictator]

YOU VOTE LABOUR, YOU GET SCUM...

[Lord Elpus]

To say SAB has previous form is an gross understatement.

It will be the same cover up as it was years ago when he was accused of malpractice/misappropriation of funds while the Local Labour Party's youth officer;

Summary of the offence from the Father of a witness'

'I think *** was 15 at the time of the pub AGM, probably 2001 pre march 27. There were 3 people there, Belcher, his secretary (a young chubby and none too bright lass as I recall ***'s description), and ***. *** was offered a position within the youth party structure and a free trip with spending money to the youth labour conference in Glasgow if he didn't let on that the meeting wasn't quorate.

From my memory of what you told me at the time there was suspicion of misappropriation of youth labour funds claimed on behalf of fictitious members, including paying someone's uni fees. I know SB went to Teesside uni around that time, or shortly after. I wonder if he got a bursary – and what he was studying and if he ever graduated.

I have no knowledge of the Mail having been informed of any of this, though I did write to all councillors, I think when SB was first elected making them aware of the aborted investigation. I also wrote to, and received a reply from, Edwin Jefferies who replaced Keith. As I remember Keith appointed Michael Johnson, Pam Hargreaves and Iain Wright as the enquiry team. They all got council seats shortly thereafter, Belcher shortly after that, then Wrighty got the big one.

Bunch of bas**ar*s the lot of them'.

[steveL]

Dear me, how cynical can you get. Wrighty has been completely silent on a number of issues including Manor Residents and Ms Wilcox. I remember how unwilling he was to help the tribunal winners.

So what's changed?

We're three weeks before the election, that's what has changed. Wrighty knows SAB is a liability to his re-election chances. I would expect this latest display of cynicism to backfire big-time.

[steveL]

YOU VOTE LABOUR, YOU GET SCUM...

In this town, Vote Tory, You Get Labour.

[Foggy]

They must realise by now that the public are wise to their little pre-election games. Well, you would think anyway.

The words shut, stable door, horse and bolted spring to mind.   The damage caused by SAB is well and truly been done.

Interesting that SAB called for the investigation himself... he must be confident that the investigation will some to nothing 

What I also found interesting about the article was the mention of Jonathan Brash and Pamela Hargreaves being subject to disciplinary proceedings and investigations in the past. That is totally and utterly irrelevant to the current situation with SAB but it doesn't surprise me that Iain Wright said it and the Fail printed it.

I find it totally shocking that they don't seem to acknowledge the Manor Residents situation was a problem.  I would hope that the council are waiting for legal proceedings to conclude before launching any kind of investigation of their own but I'm realistic enough to realise that the chances of that are very slim.

[seaton]

I am sure the Party will have have concocted reasons already about his conduct or should I say misconduct, that's why he is asking for an enquiry.
Mail doesn't have a comments column, I have emailed them asking why not !

[steveL]

You make an interesting point, Foggy. There is a limit as to what can be said when a trial is still on-going as Wilcox's is but there are many, many questions still to ask on the Manor Residents episode particularly around HBC's involvement and the often mentioned 'audit report'. We haven't forgotten. 

[fred c]

I am trying to picture how the council chamber will look with 200 or 300 members of the public crammed into the next full council meeting..... cos make no mistake, in the eyes of the public in Hartlepool The TorLab Mob have been well & truly outed & I don`t think they will sit back & allow the town to be dragged any deeper into the S***e

SAB obviously thinks he can walk away with a mild slap on the wrist from the "Mob" over this latest escapade, but one thing is for sure his performances will be under the microscope & you never know what might come to the surface when people look hard enough

Only In Hartlepool & Only Under The TorLab Mob

[fred c]

I find it totally shocking that they don't seem to acknowledge the Manor Residents situation was a problem.  I would hope that the council are waiting for legal proceedings to conclude before launching any kind of investigation of their own but I'm realistic enough to realise that the chances of that are very slim.

HBC had an investigation into the Phoenix Centre Scandal several years ago, same sort of issues, bad management, money going astray etc etc..... In there wisdom they Pink Papered the report.... Marked it Confidential, I think The Post eventually gained access to it though.

[Hartlepudlion]

Stevel You are not quite correct with your VOTE TORY GET LABOUR.

As far as the General Election is concerned VOTE TORY GET TORY. Richard Royal is a true Conservative and is by far the best candida. If only for this GE people in this town could forget their prejudices. it would be enormously beneficial for this town if I Tory won. Both main parties as well as thee others would put the town on the map.

As for SAB's investigation, I suspect that B&Q will soon run out of whitewash.

[DRiddle]

Things which will lead to you being pressured into resigning from the Labour Party; Conspiracy to steal, false accounting, financial mismanagement, forging cheques, failure to pay national minimum wage to employees, failure to pay tax to HMRC.

Things which will lead to you being investigated by the Labour Party; Accusing a regional strategic partner of failing to safeguard vulnerable adults in the press and on regional television, repeating the claims several times (even though the claim proved to completely lack substance). Lying to your employer (a local authority and regional strategic partner) and claiming to be at a funeral whilst appearing on regional television over 300 miles away. Accusing your employer of unfair dismissal, only to later fail to submit the required paperwork in order for your tribunal to take place (then claiming this leaves the situation "inconclusive"). In addition, acting as a trustee of a charity and failing to be aware of false accounting, financial mismanagement, forged cheques, the failure to pay national minimum wage and the failure to pay tax to HMRC.

Things which will get you kicked out of the Labour Party..... Believing that the public should be allowed to ask councillors questions.

I'm just 'helping out' with the investigation if anyone from the Labour Party happens to read this.

[steveL]

Stevel You are not quite correct with your VOTE TORY GET LABOUR.

As far as the General Election is concerned VOTE TORY GET TORY. Richard Royal is a true Conservative and is by far the best candida. If only for this GE people in this town could forget their prejudices. it would be enormously beneficial for this town if I Tory won. Both main parties as well as thee others would put the town on the map.

As for SAB's investigation, I suspect that B&Q will soon run out of whitewash.

I was referring to what goes on in the council chamber.

[steveL]

"Mr Wright said: "I would expect all elected representatives, especially Labour Party representatives, to honour and uphold the highest levels of honesty, integrity and professionalism.

"I would also expect all Labour Party representatives to ensure that their behaviour does not bring the party into disrepute.

"These standards should be maintained without exception."

I almost choked when I read this. It's worth remembering that Mr Wright's office refused to help the four tribunal claimants and he himself has never uttered a word in their support or in condemnation of them being paid less than the minimum wage by a Labour councillor.