Decision to hand a national charity seventy thousand pounds worth of public funds likely to be frowned upon by Hartlepool locals, in the midst of a proposed Council Tax increase...
1st Feb 2025
Hartlepool Borough Council is reportedly set to hand £70,000 pounds of taxpayers’ money to a charity to commission a study on how community engagement can support the town’s recovery following the Summer 2024 riots—described by many as one of the worst outbreaks of civil unrest the UK has seen in decades.
Hartlepool witnessed two nights of violent clashes between protesters and Cleveland Police, with scenes that many described as a near outbreak of civil war. Officers struggled to contain the situation, leading to accusations that Cleveland Police was 'poorly prepared' for the incident & 'pushed to the brink'.
What Sparked the Riots?
The unrest was found to have been largely attributed to left-wing extremist ideologies promoting open-border immigration—policies that many argue have placed immense strain on local resources & seen local residents pushed further out of the Housing Market, especially social housing, which in Hartlepool has become ever more scarce, with Private Sector Rents in the town reaching record levels, as demand grows ever stronger.
Tensions escalated ever further in the aftermath of the murder of three schoolgirls in Southport by a second-generation migrant, an event that fuelled already growing frustrations in some local communities. As a result, its claimed Hartlepool, still bearing the scars of the 2024 riots now finds itself at a precarious tipping point once again, with some suggesting further disorder could be imminent, if action isn't taken to curb the numbers of illegal immigrants coming to the country, as the UK's population soars amidst strains all being placed on Housing, the NHS, & infrastructure.
A £70K ‘Community Cohesion’ Study is simply not needed !
According to a council decision report recently signed off by Managing Director Denise McGuckin—who reportedly paid £182,000 per year—the charity ‘Belong’ has been selected to carry out the study.
'Belong' (the charity) is described as a national think tank on community cohesion, working closely with central government and local councils to develop policies aimed at reducing tensions and promoting integration.
McGuckin, who's already said to be facing growing calls to resign after Hartlepool Borough Council was declared an authority of no public confidence back in 2023 attempted to justify her decision to use the public purse to fund the study claiming that a delay in approving it would..... in her words "harm both the council and the public interest".
Is This Really the Best Use of £70,000?
Many argue that this money could be better spent directly in the communities most affected by the riots—areas where crime, disorder, and a lack of integration are said to have been the root causes of the unrest back in the summer of last year.
Critics also question whether a study—rather than direct action—is really the right approach, with some suggesting that real change will only come when the UK’s immigration policies focus solely on ensuring those arriving in Britain actively assimilate into society rather than creating further cultural divides.
With tensions still simmering, and local frustrations at the minority elected Labour Government said to be reaching boiling point once more, many fear that unless meaningful action is taken, Hartlepool could be on the verge of yet another eruption of unrest—one that no amount of government-funded reports will be able to prevent......
Does Hartlepool Council really need to hand a charity £70k when the problems that sparked the Summer 2024 riots is right before their eyes ?
YES
NO