Hartlepool Borough Council leader Shane Moore hits back at social media critics

Hartlepool Borough Council chiefs were provided with the feedback following a visit from experienced officers and members from other local authorities to “challenge and share learning” with the council.

This was carried out as part of the Local Government Association (LGA) corporate peer challenge.

A feedback report from those who took part in the December visit – the first of its kind in Hartlepool for a decade – went before the latest meeting of the council’s finance and policy committee.

Councillor Shane Moore, the independent council leader, highlighted a paragraph from the evaluation which stated the authority “has a track record of good financial management, with a strong awareness” of the challenges they face.

He said this comes “despite what people say on social media”, adding: “We’re the ones taking a lot of the difficult financial decisions.

“We’re constantly told that we’re rubbish, we’re not managing finances properly, but the reality is we are, and it’s acknowledged from our peers that we are and it’s really good to see that.”

Councillors also noted the “overwhelmingly positive” feedback for their “ambitious growth programme” alongside “consistently delivering balanced budgets in the face of funding reductions”.

Conservative Councillor Mike Young, the deputy council leader, said: “There are green shoots of things happening.

“That whole Northern Studios and our whole cultural quarter down there will eventually now become the place to be, Netflix are already in there.”

The report will go before the full council with officers expected to be asked to produce an action plan based on the findings.

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