Councillor Allowances 31% Pay Rise

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

'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

There's nothing like a bit of solidarity ... and let's face it - that's nothing like a bit of solidarity ... P.S. Looks like it wasn't a free vote - the whip was applied the day before. Note Dave Hunter's comments on the Town of Hartlepool Facebook group. 'Dave Hunter The whip was applied The day before'.

[steveL]

[fred c]

Stand Shoulder to Shoulder  ........ even in my wildest imagination I can't visualise that happening, from what I have observed over time I would hate to think I had to 'Go Over The Top' with this bunch of self righteous, self serving 'Socialist Soldiers'.......

Having said that....... if some of them had to get across 300 yards of 'No Mans Land' under heavy fire for a fivers worth of brass farthings, they would manage it.

[Sanddancer]

Can someone please find out whether our newly elected Labour MP has an opinion on the 31% rise his fellow Labour members have awarded themselves? Viz the sort of question the local press would have asked a few years ago!

[Lord Elpus]

Can someone please find out whether our newly elected Labour MP has an opinion on the 37% rise his fellow Labour members have awarded themselves.

According to FB he's very pished off, will he do owt, doubt it.

[Inspector Knacker]

Just heard The Ub man on Radio Tees driving home, managed to keep control of the car in between laughing fits. Apparently it's not a rise it's an increase in allowances😂 Also said he attends a lot of residents meetings and they all thought councillors deserve more. Really?
He said some councillors  were not going to accept the rise, then was asked if he'd ne taking his. Guess what?
It was pure radio comedy.

[ReturntoZenda]

Can someone please find out whether our newly elected Labour MP has an opinion on the 31% rise his fellow Labour members have awarded themselves? Viz the sort of question the local press would have asked a few years ago!

Doubtful.  I've asked him a couple of questions through his facebook pageand got absolutely no response.

[Riqueti]

https://mobile.twitter.com/mikehillmp/status/878368729511243776

Back in constituency. Statement on Councillors Allowances will be released tomorrow

[Land Phil]

I was shocked to get a reply from Mike within minutes.

It showed a very human side and the couple of sentences showed more care and empathy than the pages and pages of defensive drivel sent by little Iain.

Early days but a glimmer of hope.

[Riqueti]

Back in constituency. Statement on Councillors Allowances will be released tomorrow

Mike Hill tonight on Twitter

[Foggy]

Very interesting post from Dave Hunter tonight on Facebook. Is there a glimmer of hope that someone finally will start to do something about the disgrace that is the Labour Group... or will Dave be following Ged Hall? Either way.. respect to Dave for saying the following:

An apology to the people of Hartlepool.

Last night I found myself torn between party and heart, I am historically a proud Labour man and would normally respect the 'Whip' system, as is used in most parties, indeed as I did last night. But I was simply wrong and I should have voted against it instead of abstaining. I have no problem making difficult decisons in my work place, and normally not as a Councillor, but I failed two significant tests over the last 24 hours. Firstly if I can look through a mirror into my eyes, and then look deeper into my soul and know it was the right decision,then it is right! However in this case I cannot. Secondly I often ask myself, how would my late Father have dealt with this one when he was a shop steward? Would he have voted people over process? The answer is a resounding yes to people, and I have let him down  on this as well as myself. Once both tests were failed, nothing was left inside. I am not looking for attention, sympathy or anything else, and I am confident the keyboard piranhas will be delighting in this, as they smell blood, however I have turned off comments. I hope next time I am faced with such an emotive scenario I can pass my own two aforementioned tests. If not then I must oppose, because that is what is - and was - right, regardless of the discipinary actions that may follow such a decison. Before anybody posts that I still took the money, it is a matter of record that I declined any additional income, several hours prior to the meeting, so at least that part of my soul is protected.

[Mr H]

Sounds like he's just trying to save face after the fact,  point is he abstained,  it got voted through end of story

[Mr H]

Secondly,  I'm sure someone said this was a free vote,  doesn't sound like it from his point of view

[steveL]

The word was that it would be a free vote but when the possibility of 3 Labour councillors voting against emerged, the whip was applied just 24 hours before the vote - hence the 3 abstentions. Labour would still have been home and dry even if he 3 had voted against because of the support of the 3 Tories.

Raymond's disproportionate 3 seats on the Planning Committee are far more important to him than any ethical stance on allowances.

[DRiddle]

My guess is Mike Hill will blame the Tories for funding cuts and creating a race to the bottom type mindset. He'll also most likely accuse opposition councillors (again) of making a decision based on personal vendettas rather than morality.

Which is the same argument Jim Lindridge tried to bake in the debate . . . Before he quickly trousered the money and boasted about his own financial situation.