Hartlepool council chief calls for end to 'hate culture' after Facebook video upset

Coun Mike Young made the calls at the latest full meeting of Hartlepool Borough Council after a video previously surfaced on social media showing him ‘appearing to celebrate’ the budget being passed at the December full council meeting.

The Conservative councillor opened the latest meeting stating the video was heavily edited to try and discredit him, and called for everyone to work together in the town.

He said: “Recently on social media a heavily edited video of me appearing apparently celebrating at our December council meeting in which we voted successfully to sign up on the budget, which will continue to tackle Labour’s deficit in Hartlepool.

“As a coalition we have been successful in doing this throughout the last nine months, working together to deliver for our borough.

“Sadly Labour voted against all of our new measures but we narrowly got it through and have begun the process to giving back to the whole of Hartlepool with new exciting investment plans.

“A tiny section of the overall full meetings worth of film was cut and edited in order to try and discredit me, it failed may I add.

“This clip in fact showed my relief for a lot of hard work to get a new budget through that protects vulnerable adults and children who are in looked after care and, as I said on the night, also secured much needed investment for our borough which all of us will benefit from.”

He added the majority of people in Hartlepool also want the hate culture to end and to work together to benefit the town.

Coun Young said: “I, and I’m sure, the overwhelming majority of people in this room and the borough of Hartlepool generally want this hate culture to stop the attacks on others and actually want to work together to include the whole of Hartlepool for the better.”

Councillors voted through the budget, including a council tax rise in December, with council leader Shane Moore saying the rate increase went “against every fibre in his being”.