Wilcox

[fred c]

They wont find answers, because the powers that be, aren't looking to ask any questions.......

[Heknocks68]

The lost pennies, lots of them, should be recovered from the allowences of ALL Labortory councillors, those whom have held office within MRA should be dismissed by those who have lost the from their allowances, hey, hang on, this is artlepool, thats not cricket or crochet. Get a grip, only the good die young, so this lot have nowt to fear, domestos, its a ten from Len.

[kevplumb]

isn't there an ombudsman or some sort of regulator that they have to answer to ?
this whole affair stinks to high heaven
that lot are just doing whatever they want
and us silly gets are paying for it and we cant ask where our money is going
if thats correct it's time they (goverment) changed the rules

[DRiddle]

We (people connected with this site and/or 'opposition' councillors) did try try to bring the trustees into the spotlight. Here's an example below. It's also another clue as to why public questions will very soon be completely done away with.

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/hartlepool-mayor-insists-he-will-not-resign-over-role-in-crisis-hit-charity-1-5895443

Remember what came from this story above? Ultimately, the two people who went public with their resignations as trustees of MRA, later DENIED having ever been trustees in the first place.

Notice in the article the references to 'denying charities' and 'children going hungry'.

Classic tactic from this lot. You cry "corruption" and they yell "you're trying to starve children".

You cry "pull out of the hospital trust" and they cry "you're deliberately risking the safety of vulnerable people".

You cry "Councillor Cranney's reputation precedes him" and they cry "He's an asset".

Anyway, keep chipping away people. Don't give up. Labours position in Hartlepool has never been more vulnerable.

These things take time. It'll take 3 to 4 more years to nullify the presence of some of these chancers. But it WILL happen. 

[kevplumb]

point taken
as fred would say it boils my p*ss to see them get away with it

[Inspector Knacker]

So what was the role of the two trustees who weren't trustees ?
Why were they there ?
What part did they play in the running of the organisation?
How often were they at the place ?

[Land Phil]

Comments on the Mail UKIP article mentioning Angie and LABOUR have all gone !

[Land Phil]

...just a glitch, back again.

[Inspector Knacker]

The Mail couldn't ignore the obvious on the day, but I suspect the whole business will be buried very quickly never to be mentioned again.

[Steely Dan]

I remember the Mail from about 15 years ago when it was always taking the council to task and battering Cleveland Police. These days it's just an embarrassment. I read a court case on the web site today. They got the bloke's name wrong several times. It really is sh1t.

I've heard that the editor is very, very friendly with Wright

[Inspector Knacker]

All that's left Is a hollow husk, with the wind blowing through it. An echo chamber. All very disappointing.

[veggismiennicht]

In the alleged accounts did any of the trustees get expenses of any discription freebies etc cause if not trustees these will be repayable 

[steveL]

caveat: the vast majority of charities in Hartlepool are run by thoroughly decent people, very often in difficult circumstances yet still doing immensely important work. It's part of the collateral damage caused by Wilcox and her mates that many other charities have been unfairly tainted by their activities.

As well as being thoroughly bent, Wilcox was also unusually stupid; stupid enough to steal cash from Manor Residents accounts directly via ATMs. However, the main type of skimming in these sort of organisations is to use the organisations resources to fund personal purchases and expenses. Taxi fares, Petrol, Food and all sorts of other purchases would go through the organisation. As a result, these organisations would have eye-popping travel expenses, vehicle costs and computer purchases.You have to remember that no reliable, external auditing of the accounts was going on even though, over the years, millions had gone in to the funds. No credible asset register was being kept in order to keep track of purchased equipment. In short, it was a free-for-all. If one of her fellow councillors would ask Wilcox to provide the odd buffet or two or to purchase something from eBay then that was no problem. If no detail is being kept and the accounts themselves are a shambles, then its very difficult to single out individual transactions or identify who benefited.

I think most people would assume that when HBC pumped hundred of thousands into an organisation then it would have some mechanism to thoroughly check how it was being spent. It just wasn't happening and the few times that it did, for example, when it was a requirement of Government funding, uncomfortable results were ignored. Any wrongdoing was far less important than the risk that news of it would leak out.

[DRiddle]

As one third of what I would call 'The real opposition' within Hartlepool Borough Council, I though I'd share the following information.

A week tomorrow (15th December) is the final full council meeting of the year in the civic centre at 7pm.

This meeting represents the first time any councillor has been able to speak about Manor Residents Association for 3 years or so since The Hartlepool Post blew the lid off the rampant corruption which was going on there. Sub judice has prevented anyone from mentioning the situation during the VERY long trial.

Anyway, given we have now seen a councillor jailed, I personally am hoping there is a degree of self reflection from certain members of the council. We are no longer is the realms of 'rumour' or 'conspiracy theory' or the usual mutterings about 'brown envelopes'. All 33 of the current group of councillors now know there was corruption within the council in (at least) 2013.

I personally have submitted the following questions which will be asked in next weeks meeting:

Question 1, to the Chair of Audit and Governance - Following the successful prosecution of former Labour Councillor Angie Wilcox for a multitude of offences, what safeguards has HBC put in place to ensure a situation like Manor Residents Association can never happen again? 

Question 2- to the Chair of Finance and Policy- Despite significant warnings from members of the public and councillors who expressed concerns about the financial situation with Manor Residents Association, you voted to continue to provide substantial funding to the organisation arguing it was the only way to provide breakfast clubs for children. In hindsight, would you accept this was a serious error of judgement?

Question 3 - to the Chair of Audit and Governance - Would you support an external forensic audit of all charities, community groups, community interest companies and organisations which have any connection to ex-councillor Wilcox?

Question 4- to the Chair of Audit and Governance - Would you support the introduction of a 'fit and proper persons' test, concerning directors of organisations tendering for council contracts? For example, should this council be excluding former bankrupts, people who have served custodial sentences and such like from tendering for council contracts? Would this be something you would take to your committee with a view to making it a formalised part of the council's criteria for consideration when awarded contracts?

Nothing I do in council is secret, so going public on here before the meeting won't alter anything. However, I hope in doing so it inspires people to perhaps give up an hour or two and attend the meeting and see how Labour respond to the questions.

In addition, I hope the 'heads up' inspires the group who are supposed to represent the 'official opposition' to Labour to actually get involved and contribute something meaningful.

Here's hoping...

[the_exile]

Great questions Mr Riddle

However check your tyres enroute to the meeting, watch for nails in tyres!!!!!!

The forces may conspire against you getting to the chamber.

Trusting that you get there make sure you give them hell, and watch out for that left hook from Cranney the terrible.