D Day for the Mayor
There are times when it can be hard to feel sorry for our mayor. There are times when it can be hard to feel sorry for his cabinet members. “Putting Hartlepool First” has disagreed with the mayor and his Labour led council on a considerable number of issues. But at the moment it's hard not to feel sorry for them after the way their budget process was hijacked at the 9th February council meeting.
The budget process is a long and protracted one. In any year, many options must be considered and much analysis is required. But in this year, significant savings are also required, making the decisions much more difficult than ever.
With all these factors in mind, the mayor spoke about his proposals to the leaders of all political groups before taking his budget for approval. He received no indication of disagreement from any of them. 
But when the budget was presented to council, all three major parties supported a Labour led amendment. This is an incredible turn of events. Not one. Not two. All three major parties voted in favour of the amendment despite giving no hint of their intentions prior to the council meeting. This was a Hijack with a capital “H”.
It’s clear that the mayor was stabbed in the back by the cross party rebellion, but spare a thought for the six Labour cabinet members. 
These poor souls were left completely high and dry. They knew what they should do. They had worked with the mayor on the budget for the previous nine months. They knew what was the right thing to do. But they could not vote against their own party and instead chose the cowards route – they abstained from voting for a budget that they had agreed in cabinet only three days before. Under the circumstances, where can they go from 
here?
The mayor has chosen his path. He knows the budget is right. He will take it back to council on 23rd February and try again. But what of his cabinet? Where are their principles? Will they yet again prove that the good of the Hartlepool council tax payer is less important than the need to support their own party? Or will they demonstrate enough principle to support the right decision over the wrong one? 
We will all see soon enough.
The Conservative and Lib/Dem position is even more curious. They are using anti-privatisation rhetoric that would make the TUC proud, to reject a cost effective contract that will achieve savings of over £8M. Their position on this budget is completely opposite to their national parties policies. It could only happen in Hartlepool!
With elections in the air, it seems odd for Conservatives to support such left wing ideology. Hartlepool First hopes that the Rural West voters are taking note.
So where does that leave us? Well, we will know after Thursday’s council meeting. Common sense could prevail and the cabinet and management team will be able to deliver the recommended budget.
But then again there’s no prerogative quite like the political prerogative, so it could be that an un-researched and un-funded amendment will be voted through by a bunch of unprincipled hijackers.
Either way, this is Mayor Drummond’s D Day. Will he make a landing?