Sold Out for A Song

[admin]

The next meeting of the full council is due to take place on Thursday, 12th November and will include information on the agreement to set up a Teesside Combined Authority complete with an elected Mayor.

Anyone thinking of submitting a public question will need to do so by 12 noon tomorrow (Thursday)

No agenda has yet been made available

[testing times]

Surely CAB now has even less of an excuse to resist putting the issue of re-joining Teesside to a public vote. If it's good enough for Durham then it's good enough for us - any lie that a referendum isn't an option has just been blown well and truly out of the water.

[fred c]

Apparently a referendum can't be held, it would need to be in the form of a "Poll".... this was mentioned in an Audit & Governance meeting this morning 6th November at 10am..... the cost of such a Poll  would be in the region of £80,000.

The decision to go ahead with joining Tees Valley will be discussed & voted on in the full council meeting next thursdat 12th November.

[craig finton]

Was it a Poll or a Referendum when the town voted not to have an elected Mayor? It follows that whatever it was, the exercise needs to be repeated before we have another elected Mayor foisted on us against the people's will.

Isn't it funny how the £80,000 cost wasn't an issue when CAB wanted to take Drummond's place?

Besides, this lot waste that amount before lunchtime most days. £3m gone to OFCA since 2009? I wonder how much of that paid Cranney's 'livery' bills for the family Gee Gee business.

[for fawkes sake]

An extract from the report presented to the Finance and Policy Committee gives us a taste of things to come:

Transport (paragraphs 17-19)
 
4.8 There are a number of key transport schemes which are needed to make it easier for passengers and businesses to move around the region (including widening the A19; a new Tees crossing; improvements to Darlington station; improving east-west connectivity in the area and electrification of the Northallerton-Teesport line). These schemes are major projects which take years to develop. The deal recognises the importance of those schemes and commits the Government to working with Tees Valley to develop detailed business cases.
 
4.9 The deal also puts Tees Valley at the forefront of new proposed arrangements for buses which will mean we can improve services so that people have better access to jobs and can travel more easily around the area.

Note the total concentration on the Stockton/Middlesbrough/A66 Corridor.

[steveL]

This is worth a read if only to appreciate how it is possible to produce 29 pages of text and still say absolutely nothing. This document is full of generalised and totally unsubstantiated claims of passed achievements by the likes of Tees Valley Unlimited.

4.9 The deal also puts Tees Valley at the forefront of new proposed arrangements for buses which will mean we can improve services so that people have better access to jobs and can travel more easily around the area.

Obviously, Gill Alexander doesn't watch the local news or she would be aware that similar plans for buses within the North East Combined Authority in Newcastle have just been kicked into touch by the Inspectorate.

http://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/egov_downloads/06.11.15_-_Finance_and_Policy_Committee_Agenda.pdf

[fred c]

Members of the Mob explained away their reservations about joining a "Greater Teesside" with the need to have a new "Constitution" for the devolved authority.

You can see it a mile off..... The Smoggies will run rings around this shower

[not4me]

so you agree to join this thing then decide how it's going to work. What a plan

I see that CAB will be one of the new portfolio holders in the new Mayor's cabinet. I wonder how much that will be worth. 

[mk1]

I see that CAB will be one of the new portfolio holders in the new Mayor's cabinet. I wonder how much that will be worth.

£5000 to SAB buys the hospital closure.

High paying non-job for CAB buys Hartlepool

[Hartlepudlion]

CAB can be stopped by Foggy voters next year

[fred c]

CAB can be stopped by Foggy voters next year

You are right about that..... but it requires a group of people to join together behind 1 strong candidate, & to help fund & support that campaign, to leaflet & canvas the ward.... ideally the candidate, who ever it is needs to be in a position to start the fight asap.

[Inspector Knacker]

I love the reference to the electrification of the Teesport Northallerton. The Teesport thing is neither here nor there, the real outcome would be the opportunity to run an electrified service for passenger trains from Middlesbrough direct to London.
The tone of the document is just so reminiscent of the sort of wishful tosh pumped out effortlessly by the unmourned Cleveland County.
I recall being informed that Hartlepool wouldn't be included in the then metro tram system, but would benefit from real time message systems at bus stops, ironic in a town where the bus business virtually disappears after tea time.

[seaton]

CAB can be stopped by Foggy voters next year

You are right about that..... but it requires a group of people to join together behind 1 strong candidate, & to help fund & support that campaign, to leaflet & canvas the ward.... ideally the candidate, who ever it is needs to be in a position to start the fight asap.

That strong candidate could be you Fred ?

[marky]

I love the reference to the electrification of the Teesport Northallerton. The Teesport thing is neither here nor there, the real outcome would be the opportunity to run an electrified service for passenger trains from Middlesbrough direct to London.
The tone of the document is just so reminiscent of the sort of wishful tosh pumped out effortlessly by the unmourned Cleveland County.
I recall being informed that Hartlepool wouldn't be included in the then metro tram system, but would benefit from real time message systems at bus stops, ironic in a town where the bus business virtually disappears after tea time.

You can see how this would play out. Once this line was electrified, the main-line electric trains could run from Middlesbrough to London stealing passengers from Grand Central at Northallerton, Thirsk and York and probably making the direct Grand Central operation from Sunderland unviable. Actually, come to think of it, electrification isn't a prerequisite; they could, and probably are, pushing for this now using diesel trains.

[craig finton]

Does anyone know why the Grand Central goes through Stockton station but doesn't stop? Surely this would give 'Teesside' its direct link?