UKIP

[Straight Talking]

That much I agree sir. Hartlepool can only change if we get people with brains and morals in charge of our towns money. Some of the current lot in my opinion lack one or the other. Some lack both. I shall be observing the PHF situation with interest.

I think you have missed the whole point that has been made, whilst you are happy to blame ALL Councillors - which would include the continuing PHF Councillors, it is in fact the MAYOR and CABINET that have been deciding how money has been spent in the main.

So why attack, as many have, the decision this year, that Councillors collectively made it clear, that the money tree has shed its last leaf. They for the first time, challenged the MAYORS BUDGET, reset it a bit, and locked the money out of his grasp.

Decisions will be made by Councillors collectively not just those who get the tap on the shoulder from Stuart Drummond.

[notinshadow]

A bit like a certain H and H campaign??

[beanzontoast]

I have sent 2 replies to Perseus, on this topic, dont know where they have gone anyone seen them.

[beanzontoast]

Perseus, I thank you for your answer, and while i have not laid any bear traps for you, can we say, a little understanding along a road of some common ground, for me to answer you it will be nessasary to go to basics, there are only 2 political party`s that can possibly exist in this country, as surely as night follows day this is so. I believe all those who run for local government are intelligent and wanting to do their best for the town, likewise those that go and vote for them. I empathise with those who have suffered misfortune in their life, but dont feel this misfortune holds them back in any way, at this point it is fair to point you to the stage hypnotist and a question which is quite difficult to answer but never the less relavant doe`s the hypnotist, hypnotise his subject   Yes or No. To continue on the common ground, I like some of Labour`s policy, as I like some of the Tory`s, and should you have a look at U.K.I.P.s 2011 manifesto you may discover it answers your question as to those who have suffered and how to stop life holding them back, or to stop suffering. U.K.I.P. as a party has one unique thing about it in that it has not been in government, political party`s are not what they seem.

[Inspector Knacker]

Riddler, I hope it may be clear to you that party politics is and always will be in local government, how can it be any other way, in a democracy that is.

I would like to see party politics excluded from local government for the glaringly obvious reason that their loyalties are  generally to their party and the electorate come a very poor second. It's not democracy by any stretch of the imagination and can simply be achieved by excluding people who are members of any national political party.
I may not be able to achieve that, but I can still apply my expectations to the actions of people who's first loyalty is to a partyand not me and my fellow citizens.

[Inspector Knacker]

That much I agree sir. Hartlepool can only change if we get people with brains and morals in charge of our towns money. Some of the current lot in my opinion lack one or the other. Some lack both. I shall be observing the PHF situation with interest.

Then we are coming together in our expectations of those we elect.

[Inspector Knacker]

Riddler also a question if i may, i dont understand your reference to a stepford wife system, could you explain what that is, my question is why do you despise them all, ( i assume you mean all councillors ) again as a question to Perseus i would genuinely be interested in your reply.

I despise ALL national political parties operating at local government level, where local issues have to go through a party filter to ensure party interests always come first.

[Straight Talking]

I don't know where you all get your facts from, you must all be Sun readers.

Whilst there is clearly an agreed position on national issues, those who are local representatives of an established Party such as Labour, Lib Dem, Conservatives, UKIP etc. DO NOT consult with regional or national office before campaigning on local issues or voting in local councils.

To be fair, national parties have little if any interest in how often bins are emptied, dog sh**t is cleaned up, etc. etc. Local issues are cebated and determined locally, you really should stop making it up as you go along.

[beanzontoast]

Perseus, We do and will always share this common ground, P.H.F. did indeed do very well with the votes on the night, they i think won one ward, in Hartlepool, there were 180 councils on the same night, all voting and on Telivision, P.H.F. were not metioned once, this tells you something does it not, its a big world out there, but allow me to make it smaller. I have had the privelage of working with Mr Lilley and in the end he saved my life, for me he is a big friendly giant, he has been of late not very friendly, i say this because i did talk to him recently, for the first time in 30 years, he does look older, but still the same friendly giant, talk to him it will be ok, mr. Allison only met him twice, same good guy, but speak to Lilley first.

[steveL]

I don't know where you all get your facts from, you must all be Sun readers.

Whilst there is clearly an agreed position on national issues, those who are local representatives of an established Party such as Labour, Lib Dem, Conservatives, UKIP etc. DO NOT consult with regional or national office before campaigning on local issues or voting in local councils.

To be fair, national parties have little if any interest in how often bins are emptied, dog sh**t is cleaned up, etc. etc. Local issues are cebated and determined locally, you really should stop making it up as you go along.

But that's the point really, isn't it - neither have you.

How many 'motions' have you put together to send to Downing street now? What was the last one "Dear David, please stop being so cruel to us" - or something similar.

No problem wasting time sending letters to Downing Street - hell of a problem sending letters to the Hospital Trust though.

[Straight Talking]

I don't know where you all get your facts from, you must all be Sun readers.

Whilst there is clearly an agreed position on national issues, those who are local representatives of an established Party such as Labour, Lib Dem, Conservatives, UKIP etc. DO NOT consult with regional or national office before campaigning on local issues or voting in local councils.

To be fair, national parties have little if any interest in how often bins are emptied, dog sh**t is cleaned up, etc. etc. Local issues are cebated and determined locally, you really should stop making it up as you go along.

Again you assume who I am, for your information I regularly lobby my MP, MEP and sign e-petitions on the Government website. On occasion I have been known to write to ministers. Ultimately we all do what we can in our own way. How many laws have you had changed? How many people have you supported? When did you last make a difference to anyone other than yourself?
But that's the point really, isn't it - neither have you.

How many 'motions' have you put together to send to Downing street now? What was the last one "Dear David, please stop being so cruel to us" - or something similar.

No problem wasting time sending letters to Downing Street - hell of a problem sending letters to the Hospital Trust though.

[Julie noted]

Ooooooo, perseus, you are awful.........but I like you 

Although PHF are big enough to stand up for themselves, I must take a stand against your disingenuous comment on 'anyone they could cobble together'. 

If you read the earlier posts on here, appertaining to the meeting in the Grand Hotel etc. you would see that people with the best interests of Hartlepool turned up to the public meeting and offered their services.

No-one was 'cobbled together'. Genuine Hartlepool residents asked of PHF, 'What can we do for the town'? 

You see, people have only known self service and duplicity in this town for so long, they wouldn't know if genuine people came along and bit them on the butt!!!
The tide is changing.......................

[Julie noted]

'You'll also need help'...as I have said before, I'm not a PHF candidate. Simply a great believer in the requirement for change in this town.

'They' may need help from 'rivals'..I agree to a point.
However, as long as PHF stay true to their manifesto --PUTTING HARTLEPOOL FIRST-
I believe the decent people of this town will eventually turn their backs on the crowd they THOUGHT were for the working class, see them for what they really are and tick 'PUTTING HARTLEPOOL FIRST'.

Simplistic attitude? Maybe I have.
I also believe most people in Hartlepool have.
We are just working class people that want to provide for our families and pay our way.
All we can see is our money being squandered on grandiose ego trips and people that believe working for a living entails going (via taxi) to the dole office to sign on, every month or so.
And if that offends those people out of a job through no fault of their own, or those that are fighting hard to obtain employment, I apologise.
But everyone on here knows the people I really mean;
never worked, never wanted to work and never will work.

[beanzontoast]

Hi Julie Noted, H.P.F. dont have a manifesto, they are not a popular national party, they are a small group of people, who cannot, do anything, your council ( Hartlepool ) has a budget of £hundreds of thousands of pounds, do you think they will give this money over to P.H.F. not likely they may be good people i know 2 and they are good people, but National party`s rule OK.

[Straight Talking]

Sorry missed that spat while i was typing the other. ST, if what you say is true explain the ICT contract situation and the 6 sacked. was that about dog s**t or privatisation?

If you care to check the public record, minutes are on the website.
You will find that the ICT contract was not up for renewal until the autumn of 2013. However the MAYOR aided and abetted by PAUL WALKER (could have been the other way round) decided to go for an early re-letting of the contract. They also decided that it might be a good idea to role in some other services such as Revenues and Benefits. This would make it difficult for a local contractor to win it and would probably give an opening for one of the big nationals. (Maybe they have family or friends with shares - who knows)

Despite numerous objections from ordinary council members and I believe some senior officers, the two continued to push onwards.

Then just for good measure we had the opportunity for both of them to scratch each others backs, £10k pay off for Paul Walker and a payrise for Drummond. Despite objections, Paul Walker got his, enhanced his pension and got out fast, leaving poor Drummond behind to continue the work alone and without his promised payrise . POOR STUART!!

So how could he get a huge buy out clause through council - should he take it to a Council meeting in October/November/December/January as part of the Acting Chief's Report or was there another way. Ah yes he shouted Eureka, lets put it into the Budget that will make it more difficult to identify and even harder to remove.

So the scene was set for the battle of wills that we all witnessed.

So no, it was not about dog sh**t it was most definitely about privatisation of a critical service for many residents both young and old. The only way to make money out of a benefit contract is to provide a service where people can't get what they are entitled to, or to delay them from getting it for as long as possible.

Lets just see, what the savings are when the ICT contract is re-let and lets also wait and see how important the Revenue and Benefit function at HBC is in managing the needs of residents.

All should be revealed over the next 6 - 8 months.