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Councillors' letter escalates freeman row
THIRTEEN councillors have joined together to express their dismay over the voting procedure for choosing seven people for the highest civic honours in Hartlepool.
The councillors, who are a mix of independents and members of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, have joined in the furore that saw two people named Alderman of the Borough and five people as Freeman of Hartlepool, including former town MP Peter Mandelson.
It comes as Hartlepool Mayor Stuart Drummond slammed councillors for revealing confidential details of a behind-closed-doors meeting to discuss the nominations.
Town Mayor Stuart Drummond says councillors who breach council rules should "consider their positions", after details emerged of how former town MP Peter Mandelson was approved for the title.
In a letter to the Mail, the 13 councillors have criticised the way the Labour Group put forward last minute proposals to vote in block for all five nominations for Freeman and two nominations for Alderman, instead of individually.
It has been claimed that this was done because Labour leaders feared that Lord Mandelson – who stood down twice as a Cabinet minister while he was Hartlepool's MP – would be otherwise rejected.
The letter reads: "The Labour Group forced the proposal through which meant that the merits, or otherwise, of each individual candidate could not be taken into account.
"Councillors had to vote for candidates they didn't support in order to vote for those they did support. Or not vote at all.
"We believe this is contrary to the public interest and must be seriously prejudicial to the reputation of Hartlepool Borough Council."
It adds that the meeting "descended into chaos when one influential Labour member then told those who opposed this procedure that they should be ashamed of themselves."
The letter to the Mail, which does not reveal votes cast or the identities of nominations, is signed by Conservative Councillors George Morris, Pauline Laffey, Chris McKenna, David Young and John Coward, independent Councillors Hilary Thompson, Steve Gibbon, Michael Turner, Alison Lilley and Geoff Lilley, UKIP Councillor Steve Allison and Liberal Democrat Councillors Edna Wright and Caroline Barker.
The letter comes after several other councillors have spoken out following the vote on November 5.
Meanwhile, Mayor Drummond says councillors should respect council rules and not disclose confidential information.
Mayor Drummond said: "Rules are rules and the meeting was being held in confidential session, therefore councillors should keep things said in that meeting confidential.
"That meeting could have been about child protection matters or matters of commercial confidence, which, if leaked could lead to the council being sued.
"People trust councillors and this whole process shows that some councillors cannot be trusted.
"There is a time and place for this full story to be told, but not before the nominations have been informed as it is embarrassing for them too.
"At the end of the day no serious damage has been caused, but there could be in the future. It begs the question should these people consider their positions if they are not prepared to stick by the rules."
The other approved Freemen nominations are Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling, Pansies breast cancer support group founder Isobel Wilson, Families First founder Wendy McLoughlin and Hartlepool Voluntary Development Agency project manager Peter Gowland.
The full letter from the 13 councillors will appear in the Mail later this week
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Weather for Hartlepool
Thursday 09 February 2012
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