New leader confirmed for Hartlepool Borough Council as key positions decided for next year

Conservative group chief Councillor Mike Young was confirmed as the new leader of the local authority for 2023/24 at the council’s annual meeting on Tuesday night.

He takes over from Independent Union representative Councillor Shane Moore, meaning a coalition between Tory and independent councillors is once again ruling Hartlepool Borough Council, as it has done since May 2019.

This is despite Labour leaving the local elections as the biggest party on the council, winning nine of the 12 available seats to have 18 out of 36 councillors.

However, all six independent councillors joined with the 12 Conservative representatives to form a coalition group.

In any tie, the ceremonial mayor would have had the deciding vote, and with the role being held by a coalition member for the past year, it would ensure they remained in control of the council.

Two Labour councillors submitted apologies for absence at the annual meeting, meaning this was not necessary, and the party did not contest the leadership positions.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Young said he was “immensely proud” to become leader and exciting times are ahead.

He said: “Every councillor in here would say that politics is secondary to getting the job done for the people of Hartlepool.

“We are committed to doing what is right for the town, as a whole council, 36 councillors, and that’s what we’ll continue to do because that’s how we operate.

“This year should be a good year in terms of getting a lot of the projects that we’ve started and got funding for off the ground, we’re excited about being able to put our plans into action for people to see.”

He highlighted continued developments at Hartlepool Railway Station, the planned production village in Church Street and further growth with the Northern Studios as key projects coming forward.

Meanwhile planned civil engineering and health and social care academies are set to be “up and running by September”.

Cllr Young added there will be more happening in the coming weeks which will be “equally exciting” as they bid to “regenerate the town and look at new industries that will employ people.”

The Rural West representative previously served as deputy leader, initially from May 2019 until August 2021, when he resigned from the position following controversy over his role in talks about potential nuclear waste disposal in Hartlepool.

He then resumed his position as deputy chief for the 2022/23 municipal year.

Independent Councillor Paddy Brown is the new deputy leader for the coming 12 months, and remains chair of the planning committee.

Former leader Cllr Shane Moore was elected as ceremonial mayor for 2023/24, with Conservative Cllr Brian Cowie, who held the position last year, his deputy.

It was confirmed at the meeting that coalition members will hold the chair and vice chair position on all of the council’s policy committees.

Labour’s deputy group leader Councillor Jonathan Brash will be chair of the council’s audit and governance committee, which promotes the authority’s internal governance and scrutiny.

Following the annual meeting, Cllr Brash wrote to the new leader congratulating him on his appointment and reiterating Labour’s pledge to see council tax frozen for 2024/25.