Local Elections - 3rd of May 2012

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

While you've got the crystal ball out what do you reckon for this afternoon's 2 p.m. at Redcar?   

[Lord Elpus]

At 3/1 'Song Of Parkes', looks good.  Personally I'll keep my money in my pocket.  The Shadow, seems to prefer long odds on outsiders.

I think the Tory's in Hartlepool will be reduced to two Councillors after May and they'll still vote with the Labour group.

[The Shadow]

So where do you think the conservatives will lose out? Which ones will go? And who will they be replaced by?

Come on people, let's have a discussion about this.

[notinshadow]

He doesn't want to enter into that with you Shadow. You obviously pis*ed him off with your predictions. if you don't say P.H.F. is going to win everything the normal suspects will be on your case.

[rabbit]

Anything on the tele today?

[notinshadow]

Yes, Watership Down..

You read the book, you have seen the film, not eat the cast!

Bright eyes burning like fire..

[rabbit]

Later there is

Who do you think you are?

Silent Witness

Do Nothing

Embarrassing Bodies

and

Ultimate Police Interceptors

All relevant to the town?

[notinshadow]

No Playschool?

[Vincent]

Wallace and Gromit - A Close Shave -  all about sheep being lead to slaughter, Sheep being the Hartlepool Public, wonder who Wallace and Gromit could be representative of?

[notinshadow]

Whilst looking round the chamber, I am always reminded of the Addams Family.

They're creepy and they're kooky, Mysterious and spooky, They're all together ooky, The Addams Family. Their house is a museum Where people come to see 'em They really are a scream The Addams Family.

[stokoe]

just watched the remake of deep throat,been a few councillors into that...........so i hear

[The Shadow]

I believe we have wandered off topic again.

I did not post my predictions to upset anybody or get a few digs in. I posted them because I believe that the outcome will look similar to that when you look at all of the factors.

HIPHF have got a fight on their hands in Fens and Rosmere. Steve & Alsion are the incumbents and already known so even if HIPHF manage to keep Labour from getting all three seats, it'll be at Mr Lilleys expense as he's the new face.
Mr Allison has a better chance than he did since Tim Flemming isn't standing, I assume because of ill health. But even with Mr Flemming not standing, Labour are going all out and drew the boundary to suit them. Peter Jackson is probably the weak link but ultimately people will still just vote labour and HIPHF may lose out altogether.
They have a better chance than the tories in Jesmond, but it all depends on the effort put in. Steve Thomas is the weak link in Labours chain, so he'll go if any of them do.

[rabbit]

I would find it difficult to predict the result for each and every ward in the election.

It is hard to predict what impact the new HF candidates would have on the normal voting pattern, without the complication of new boundaries!

As a guess, with the current national situation, the voters here will back their usual suspects.

So overall, Labour will see an increase in the percentage of seats they have in HBC, although they will suffer a reduction in their total numbers.

Lets say down from current 29 to 23/24, which out of a 33 total would give them an even better majority than now.

Who the labour councillors will be who fail to be elected I have no idea.

[beanzontoast]

It`s all very interesting the predictions and all, i`m not so sure the labour party had much say in the new boundry changes, the main point is Hartlepool it`self it has for a very long time a Labour controlled council and many over the years have thought the Labour party as a whole were for the working man but they have not been that type of party for thirty years or more it is now a party for those on welfare and it is their core voters, so by it`s nature it is a tax and spend party, which has been much more in evidence as the Labour party had until last year been in government for 13 years, and on the desk at no 11 was left a note for George Osbourn, sorry there is no more money left that wasn`t the parents of a family saying that it was an outgoing Labour party and the note refered to the finances of the whole country. Any Labour controlled council will follow the same dogma it will be a tax and spend council. 3 points,
1. H.B.C. Audits it`s finances itself by itself  this in itself is bad because you will always see the council is doing well
    ( any big business has by definition to appoint outside auditors.)
2. Many council`s employ expensive outside consultants for instance to identify how to cut WASTE. any
    manager should be able to do that but it`s only taxpayers money
3. This year H.B.C. Did NOT have to put up the council tax BUT IT DID.

[The Shadow]

I agree with much of what you said beanzontoast.

HBC did not however put up council tax this year. The mayor, his cabinet and the majority of the labour group wanted to put it up instead of "accepting the government bribe". In fact they would have put it up (just like in labour Stockton and Middlesbrough) if it weren't for the all out elections next month.

The police and fire brigade put their precept up which is why there is still an slight increase. They did this despite being offered a similar grant from the government to freeze it as councils did.