Councillor Allowances 31% Pay Rise

[jeffh]

Looking at the Mail article on the proposed Councillors allowance rise, it would appear that our councillors are only in it for the money -

The increase of £1,839 – equivalent to 30.8% – is being recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP). It says the proposed increase is needed to bring Hartlepool Borough Council more in line with neighbouring authorities, and would encourage more people to stand as councillors.[/b]

The question that needs to be asked is do we want to attract more of this type of person - I believe that the positions should be occupied by people who care the town and are not driven by financial gain - maybe that's part of the problem in Hartlepool.

If they are serious about this recommendation then maybe they are short of prospective councillors and if enough come forward they are willing to stand down to give somebody else a go - yes I don't think so

[Inspector Knacker]

To make a difference as a Councillor realistically you'd have to join their party. Then you'd have to climb the greasy pole and being a good Councillor doesn't guarantee anything, because when I look at the leading players I have to ask that if these are the pick of the crop, the crops a failure.

[kevplumb]

no suprise there then voted for it  with three abstentions shower of idle grabbing leeches 

[WhatTheHeck]

No surprise, the Labour cllr's, apart from 3 who abstained, together with the CONservatives voted for the increase.

[mala]

I see they voted for the rise by 17 to 11 with 3 abstentions

CAB said: "In Hartlepool we should be trying to create an environment where we have a rich mix of talent and expertise on the Council"

What talent and expertise have this lot got besides lining their pockets?

[Land Phil]

Unemployable selfish egotistical unloved failures.

[fred c]

I don't think a single person who takes an interest in local politics in the town thought the vote would turn out any different, they greedy t**ts were always going grab it with both hands......

Lindridge came out with a cracker...... he has enough money, not to need his allowances........ but he voted to take the increase anyway.... Jeremy will be so pleased with his selfless show of concern for the council employees who have been stuck on 1% increases for years now.......nice one Jim...... or should that be, nice one, I'm alright says Jim

[admin]

http://www.hartlepoolpost.co.uk

[jeffh]

Last night was an utter disgrace - how can a group of people vote through such a rise - champagne socialists.  Is there a chink in the armour with 3 absentions?

From Paul Beck's performance I can now see why he didn't think he was an MRA Trustee, like last night he probably didn't have a clue what was going on and was waiting for the bingo to start.

As I said last night we can only hope that the electorate remember this, but somehow I don't think they will.

[Inspector Knacker]

CAB said: "In Hartlepool we should be trying to create an environment where we have a rich mix of talent and expertise on the Council"

So can we safely assume the present motley crew will now be resigning en masse?

[steveL]

Labour councillors were given a 'free vote' on this but it's important to remember what Labour understands by 'a free vote'.  The maths always comes first and if the Leaders wishes are not at risk by allowing a free vote then its allowed. If there was any real chance that the increase could have been voted down last night then there would have been no free vote.

Note also that the 3 Labour councillors could not bring themselves to vote against the increase even though they didn't agree with it. Abstention was as far as their principles could stretch.

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

The Hartlepool Mail streamed the meeting - here's footage.

https://www.facebook.com/hartlepoolmailnews/videos/1580907748595736/

[jawsbbc]

https://www.facebook.com/HartlepoolNewsAlerts/posts/1067576863373058:0

[DRiddle]

Dear fellow elected members,


I was hoping I would not have to send this e-mail. I was hoping the majority of members would have seen sense last night and voted down the 31% increase in allowances, alas, that did not happen.

Thus, I felt compelled to write to you all to express fully my feelings on the matter.

It is very difficult to fully articulate my thoughts in whole council, given many of you voted to limit my (and other councillors) contribution to just 180 seconds in debate. That coupled with the constant heckling and interruptions my verbal contributions are subjected to by some members (which happened again last night) make building a persuasive argument difficult.

However, in written form, in a less heated situation than a council chamber on such an emotive issue, thoughts on the matter can be expressed more thoroughly.

My view is accepting a 31% rise in allowances is perhaps the most scandalous thing I have seen in our council chamber in recent years (Besides the lies, fraud and corruption associated with the Manor Residents Association scandal of course).

We have largely, without any shadow of a doubt, the most inept, shambolic, greedy and morally repugnant set of councillors in England.

Granted there are some who I do not include in that statement above. I was pleased, in part, to see three abstentions within the Labour group last night. That said, I would have preferred those who abstained to have had the courage to vote 'against' rather than simply opt out of voting.

I cannot comprehend how a party who profess to be socialist in terms of political policy and practice could knowing vote through a rise in allowances of 31%.

When Henri de Saint-Simon coined the term 'socialism' he did it as an alternative viewpoint to 'individualism'.

Individualism works on the premise that a person puts themselves and their own interests before those of others in society.

It is literally the polar opposite to socialism.

What most of you did last night, voting yourselves a rise of 31%, was in no uncertain terms a textbook example of individualism.

You were given countless opportunities to put the tens of thousands of pounds this increase will cost the taxpayer of Hartlepool to better use. A more socialist use.

But you rejected the opportunity to do so, instead grabbing the money for yourselves in a very grubby distasteful fashion.

Those of you who voted through the rise should be ashamed. I know you WON'T be ashamed though, because you lack to morality and judgement to even understand why what you have done is wrong.

As a side note, I was extremely disappointed to see Councillor Lindridge gleefully accept the rise last night and to even have the brass neck to point out how he doesn't even really need it. That was a particularly bizarre and insensitive thing to boast about in one of the most socially deprived boroughs in Northern Europe.

Before being elected Jim spoke to me in person about how he was going to go into our council and he would be his own man. He even how he was going to quote; "Sort out those Akers-Belchers".

However, it seems his principles have a price. That price being just sort of £8,000 per year.

I also noted that Jim described myself and others as "his learned friends" last night. For the record, the term "my learned friend(s)" is used by solicitors or barristers in a courtroom. Not councillors. It's derived from the fact that they (solicitors and barristers) have actually had a specialist education and have learnt the ins and outs of our complex legal system.

The term "my learned friend" therefore is not really justified when describing property developers, the unemployed, retired carpet salesmen and such like.

In fact, I imagine the only time some members of the Labour group have been 'called to the bar' was to get a round in.

Finally, I realise I speak from the heart. I realise I upset people within our council, particularly some members of the Labour Group. But I also know there are some who agree with me who stand under the Labour banner. However, those who do agree with me, at present, do not have the courage to back me up publicly.

I hope they will have the morality and courage to do so one day. 

Kind regards



Cllr Riddle.

[steveL]

'Labour's Alan Clark said he was among those who believed the rise showed he "stood shoulder to shoulder with my workers".'

That was Alan Clark speaking to the Hartlepool Mail in February 2015 after voting to accept a 2.2% increase to the basic allowance. He's just voted to accept a 31% increase to his own basic allowance while council workers have had to settle for a 1% increase

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/hartlepool-councillors-will-get-pay-rise-to-stand-shoulder-to-shoulder-with-workers-1-7094936