What do we want?

[jeffh]

With all that's going on around the Labour Group both within and outside of the council chamber we obviously need to think about what it is we want/need out of this.

What we certainly don't want is the same attitude but with different faces - with the Labour Group turning on themselves the survivors could come out of the other end and revert to type.

I can't speak for other people, but what I would like to see is -

A return to Democracy
The public being allowed to ask unvetted questions at full council meetings
All members of the council being able to participate in full debate within reasonable time limits
Chairs of cross party committees being selected by the committee members
Cross party committees being made up as per the constitution - ratio of committee members being the same as ratio of sitting councillors

Live within our means
No more vanity projects
Fully account for all money that is used on such projects as feeding children during the school holidays - I don't object to these schemes but I'm sure that a voucher scheme with the town's supermarkets would be a lot more effective than throwing money at groups who don't have to account for the expenditure
Review the recent 31% increase our councillors awarded themselves - more so now as we are getting another 3

Care for out Town
When ever we add to the infrastructure of the town ensure that the maintenance cost is included in future budgets
Bring the town up to a standard we can be proud of - the 8 Environmental Operatives SAB boasted about have only just started and they are on a 6 month contract, which is subject to review.  With the savings on councillor allowances we could employ an extra 3 full time staff to keep on top of the problem.
Have high profile inspections of Wards with the results being publicly known along with corrective actions

I'm sure that you all have different ideas as to what you want but unless we make that known and simply concentrate on getting rid of the current regime we will be no further forward

[pieface]

What will happen when the apprentice money supplied by national government departments dries up soon? I think the 8 environmental operatives are probably being paid by that like most other extra posts advertised by hbc recently. I use the word extra loosely as it doesn't cover all the amount that were made redundant to leave the middle managers in jobs.

[fred c]

With all that's going on around the Labour Group both within and outside of the council chamber we obviously need to think about what it is we want/need out of this.

What we certainly don't want is the same attitude but with different faces - with the Labour Group turning on themselves the survivors could come out of the other end and revert to type.

I can't speak for other people, but what I would like to see is -

A return to Democracy
The public being allowed to ask unvetted questions at full council meetings
All members of the council being able to participate in full debate within reasonable time limits
Chairs of cross party committees being selected by the committee members
Cross party committees being made up as per the constitution - ratio of committee members being the same as ratio of sitting councillors

Live within our means
No more vanity projects
Fully account for all money that is used on such projects as feeding children during the school holidays - I don't object to these schemes but I'm sure that a voucher scheme with the town's supermarkets would be a lot more effective than throwing money at groups who don't have to account for the expenditure
Review the recent 31% increase our councillors awarded themselves - more so now as we are getting another 3

Care for out Town
When ever we add to the infrastructure of the town ensure that the maintenance cost is included in future budgets
Bring the town up to a standard we can be proud of - the 8 Environmental Operatives SAB boasted about have only just started and they are on a 6 month contract, which is subject to review.  With the savings on councillor allowances we could employ an extra 3 full time staff to keep on top of the problem.
Have high profile inspections of Wards with the results being publicly known along with corrective actions

I'm sure that you all have different ideas as to what you want but unless we make that known and simply concentrate on getting rid of the current regime we will be no further forward

No CIC Contracts to be awarded to councillors or newly formed councillors businesses

No preferential use of council properties by councillors starting their own businesses.

A serious look at the use of the postal voting collecting system in care homes and sheltered accommodation.

[angryjim]

All pretty reasonable demands in my opinion !

[Inspector Knacker]

Councillors to have no contacts even through family or associates with council activities.
All Councillors must put the interests or the town's people before their Party

[mk1]

Councillors to have no contacts even through family or associates with council activities.
All Councillors must put the interests or the town's people before their Party

So far higher standards that apply to National Politicians?
It is never going to happen. Not in a million years.
You might as well campaign for world peace and an end to famine.
The best I can see on offer is  less obvious decisions made in advance and more time allocated to making it look like a vote in chamber could go against the whip. Anyone who believe the Corbynists will for a second contemplate any action that puts people before party is delusional.

Labour. For The Many Not The JFew

[fred c]

Councillors to have no contacts even through family or associates with council activities.
All Councillors must put the interests or the town's people before their Party

So far higher standards that apply to National Politicians?
It is never going to happen. Not in a million years.
You might as well campaign for world peace and an end to famine.
The best I can see on offer is  less obvious decisions made in advance and more time allocated to making it look like a vote in chamber could go against the whip. Anyone who believe the Corbynists will for a second contemplate any action that puts people before party is delusional.

Labour. For The Many Not The JFew

I totally agree mk1.....the utopian dream doesn't exist, as for the Corbyn Pixies putting the town and it's residents before The Party...there's more chance of me turning base metal into gold.

[mk1]

The best comparison to those people who believe that a new 'Council' (pick your Party) will be corruption free is the 'Ingerland'  lot who keep believing their team will win the next World Cup. Also the Pools supporters who believe a new owner will be any better than the old owners. They  know they are fooling themselves but it feels so nice to live in that dream world!

[Inspector Knacker]

We know it won't happen . But, no harm in expecting better, or there's no point in going on.

[mk1]

We know it won't happen . But, no harm in expecting better, or there's no point in going on.

You will never change the system. Once a new lot replace the old lot and find out how easy it is to make money then they become the old lot. Always was that way and always will. The best we could do was the occasional slip where  overt corruption was exposed in the local paper. No chance of that today. The Mail and Hartlepool life are only concerned with getting the Council Add money so neither are interested in upsetting the goose that can provide them with a golden egg. I think we  just have to accept the way things are. Its an old English tradition. Like jokes about vicars bu**ering altar boys. A despicable act but accepted as something that  happens a lot and that is just how it is. .

[Inspector Knacker]

I think you're missing my point. I don't live in a monastery,  I know the problem only too well, it's been a feature of my working life.  I'm more than conversant with the way things work, but like I said, I'm not going to lower my expectations of how things should be done.