Why do we need a mayor in Middlesbrough?

Chris_Boro said:
switching between formal and informal language is what many people do on a daily basis depending on who we are talking to.
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Exactly. If the term was used informally by another poster it probably wouldn't register. But it was used by someone representing an official body. Which is a different scenario.
That's my point of view. You don't agree and that's fair enough. I'll leave it there.
 
Rofesleg said:
Exactly. If the term was used informally by another poster it probably wouldn't register. But it was used by someone representing an official body. Which is a different scenario.
That's my point of view. You don't agree and that's fair enough. I'll leave it there.
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It only registers if you choose to ignore the main point of what was being made.

Bit like only quoting a part of someone's post to avoid answering the main point of it.
 
TheLodger said:
Yes it could have been called in, but pointless when the make up is with so called independents, who will always- like last night, support the mayor. So we could have had the scrutiny meeting, but because they call themselves independents, they get the majority on the committee.
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But that's politics, isn't it? You can't just avoid call-in scrutiny because the majority 'party' or 'group' will take the majority of places on scrutiny. The fact that scrutiny happens in the first place is primarily a tool of opposition groups to ask questions directly to officers who are duty-bound to provide you with answers. Ok so you will lose the vote in the end but your job in opposition is to try and make these decisions more transparent. Even if you have just one well-informed Councillor in scrutiny it makes an enormous difference. Not sure if the deadline is passed but I would urge a rethink.

I know that sometimes it seems very futile especially when your ward has so many issues that take up so much time. Sometimes the stuff that goes on in a town hall is miles away from the issues your residents will be suffering from but using the mechanisms of scrutiny where you can is important to residents to better inform themselves when election time comes around.
 
ThePrisoner said:
"Mr Preston, who was meant to present the plans, did not turn up to the Friday meeting. It is understood that this is because he was advised shortly before by the council’s monitoring officer that he had a conflict of interest, due to a building he owns in the new MDC boundaries, and would not be able to be involved."

Yet his register of interests says he has no property in which he has a beneficial interest, but he was going ahead to push the MDC through until he was stopped and now has put his name to a letter saying the democratic decision reached should be overturned because... reasons :unsure:

https://moderngov.middlesbrough.gov.uk/mgDeclarationSubmission.aspx?UID=128&HID=127&FID=0&HPID=0

View attachment 53801
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How crooked does that sound?

Of course we have lots of people quite happy with that type of thing, corrupt friendly people, they'll be on here soon deflecting.
 
DidsburySmog92 said:
But that's politics, isn't it? You can't just avoid call-in scrutiny because the majority 'party' or 'group' will take the majority of places on scrutiny. The fact that scrutiny happens in the first place is primarily a tool of opposition groups to ask questions directly to officers who are duty-bound to provide you with answers. Ok so you will lose the vote in the end but your job in opposition is to try and make these decisions more transparent. Even if you have just one well-informed Councillor in scrutiny it makes an enormous difference. Not sure if the deadline is passed but I would urge a rethink.

I know that sometimes it seems very futile especially when your ward has so many issues that take up so much time. Sometimes the stuff that goes on in a town hall is miles away from the issues your residents will be suffering from but using the mechanisms of scrutiny where you can is important to residents to better inform themselves when election time comes around.
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The deadline has passed sadly, my point wasn't about scrutiny, but the fact so called "Independent" Councillors can often mucky the water because most, but not all, are far from Independent.
 
Corcaigh_the_Cat said:
How crooked does that sound?

Of course we have lots of people quite happy with that type of thing, corrupt friendly people, they'll be on here soon deflecting.
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He is saying the reason he could not vote was because he would have been on the board of the MDC. Yeah, right.

I also read that it was him that called the meeting. Not sure if that is the case though.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1630266459879251970
 
BiggEggo said:
We haven't got a mayor. We have a crook impersonating one.
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I can't be bothered to read this whole thread, but there's more libel right there. Why do you say that? If you disagree with his policies, words or actions, fine. I happen to disagree and think he's doing a good job. But "a crook"? Malicious, untrue and defamatory.
 
johnsmithsno2 said:
I can't be bothered to read this whole thread, but there's more libel right there. Why do you say that? If you disagree with his policies, words or actions, fine. I happen to disagree and think he's doing a good job. But "a crook"? Malicious, untrue and defamatory.
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I tend to agree. He's negligent, acts unlawfully and just plain bad at his job, unless anyone can prove otherwise.
 
Not accepting the result of a democratic vote, and then going outside of agreed process to get a tory minister to override the decision of an elected body. That's a bit of a crooked act imo, but i take you point, it might not make him a crook.

Same as Steve Turner (ex cop also the board of the quango). His acceptance of a caution for shoplifting doesn't necessarily mean he's been caught shoplifting.

Note that Ben Houchen stated that Mbro Council (includes Mr Preston) is not fit to manage major regeneration projects.

Last time a quango was let loose with our money it went very badly. And millions of £ went missing.

Let's see what happens with The Crown. Let's see who makes the profit. I suspect it won't be the residents of the town.

Last time Mr Gove signed off on something for Ben Houchen it went like this
northeastbylines.co.uk

Who runs Teesworks? Unequal partners

Who really owns and controls Teesworks?
northeastbylines.co.uk northeastbylines.co.uk
 
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Having worked with a number of local mayors I can say with some qualification that the role is a hindrance to the function of the local authority, not a help.
 
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