Concerns raised over new Hartlepol Mayoral Development Corporation assets list

It came as the latest Hartlepool Borough Council full meeting unanimously backed moving forward with the creation of a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) for the town.

Conservative Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has said it will help transform Hartlepool by “driving investment and cutting red tape”.

Despite the unanimous support, the meeting saw concerns raised by Labour councillors that the list of publicly owned assets due to be transferred to the MDC were on private papers – known as pink papers – only.

Council managing director Denise McGuckin said this is due to continuing negotiations on safeguards and protections.

She added: “Until we have reached an agreement on all of them, once we do we will make them public.”

A motion by Labour councillors to reveal the list was defeated 16 votes to 12.

Labour’s Councillor Jonathan Brash said: “Negotiating a list does not mean it should be on pink papers, it is a list of places in Hartlepool.”

Council leader Councillor Shane Moore said council officials will first speak to “potential tenants or service users” of the assets to make them aware of the situation first.

The Independent Union representative said the “whole purpose” of the MDC is to “regenerate town centre areas within Hartlepool”.

A TVCA spokesperson said: “Negotiations and agreement over the assets to transfer to the Hartlepool Mayoral Development Corporation remain financially sensitive for the time being.

“The asset list will be made public in due course.”