Naughty Naughty

[steveL]

Interesting Press Release that highlights very well how the council's PR Department, which is funded through taxation, is being used by Labour for their own political purpose - something which isn't available to non-coalition councillors. I'm sure Riddle has a different point of view to the one expressed by CAB but would the council's PR Department be equally willing to publicise it?

If I was Riddle, then I'd be putting it to the test and sending Alistair Rae his own thoughts on the matter and asking Rae to make sure he gives it equal publicity. If not then we can only conclude that the taxpayer is funding what is in effect Labour's own Press Office.

http://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/news/article/5356/council_leader_hits_out_at_councillors_over_dereliction_of_duty

[Jeff]

Just shows they are terrified of having an effective Opposition.

[crisstw]

"I have a meeting next week with the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt MP, and will do my utmost to articulate the strength of feeling of Hartlepool residents in demanding the return of hospital services to Hartlepool, including A & E

Didn't this idiot or his partner chair a committee that recommended closing the A & E ?

[steveL]

Unsurprisingly, when the Trust decided to close the A&E there was a bit of a fuss. In response to the public outcry, the Health and Scrutiny Committee, Chaired by Stephen Akers-Belcher, pushed to have the decision 'reviewed' and eventually a 'review panel' was set up by the Trust which included Stephen Akers-Belcher and Sheila Griffin as members.

The outcome, a few months later, was a report from the 'Review Panel' that recommended that the A&E should close.

It was a bit politically sensitive for the Health and Scrutiny Committee to then vote to 'accept' the report so they opted to simply 'note' it instead.

[steveL]

Just as an addendum to this.

Immediately after last Monday's chaotic council meeting, Alistair Rae was heard to be on the phone to Joy Yates. The general gist of the conversation was that 'we need to get together to decide how we are going to handle this.'

Just a general point but in my experience, Hartlepudlians don't respond too well to 'being handled'.

[fred c]

You have to chuckle at The Deary Me Leaders own sense of Self Importance, does anyone apart from him & "Handsome Ste" seriously believe he is capable of arranging this off his own bat....

"I have a meeting next week with the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt MP"

I wonder if he will have The Handsome One as a travelling companion on his trip to London ?........... Its to be hoped that if he does, he takes a selection of toys, a box of crayons & a colouring book to keep him occupied on the return journey.

[Hopingforbetter]

This maybe of interest on the gov.uk site, 'Recommended code of practice for local authority publicity' - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recommended-code-of-practice-for-local-authority-publicity

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/5670/1878324.pdf