Councillor Ben Clayton

💙 Happy ! Join us in honoring the inspiring role models within our fire service and communities.

👏 We'd like to say a heartfelt thank you to all the dedicated men here at Cleveland Fire Brigade for their invaluable contributions in . 🙌👨‍🚒

🚘♿️ Blue Badge Charges ♿️🚘

Following misinformation circulated yesterday by a Conservative Coalition councillor - I have confirmed the current position with parking enforcement.

🌹 ALL Hartlepool Borough Council car parks are currently free of charge for blue badge holders following a Labour motion in July
🌹 This includes Middleton Grange, Victoria Road Health Centre, One Life and any other car park owned or managed by HBC (look for the HBC logo on the tariff board)
♿️ Consultation is still ongoing with disabled motorists via CLiP
🚜 There is currently no timescale for accessibility works to be completed, but they will start soon

I hope this clarifies the situation for anyone who was unsure. If you have any questions please ask or telephone the council on 01429 266522 and speak to the parking team.

The public deserve honesty from their elected leaders and representatives. The Tory leader of the council needs to show he has the integrity to come clean 🧼

CONSERVATIVES LYING OVER COUNCIL TAX?

Earlier this month Hartlepool Conservatives put out a leaflet saying they had decided to freeze Council Tax.

Last night, Conservative leader Mike Young said they’d “meant to say they were looking toward the possibility” of freezing Council Tax.

Then they voted AGAINST Labour’s proposal to freeze Council Tax.

Honesty matters. The Conservatives owe voters an apology. See Councillor Brenda Harrison’s letter here. 👇👇

CLIP are holding a session on Thursday 14th September 10:30am to 12 noon regarding disabled parking provision within Hartlepool. The more residents they can hear from the better. You can book a space below, or if you’re unable to attend there is an online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/communityfeedbackbluebadgeparking

BLUE BADGE PARKING/ACCESSIBLE PARKING METERS HARTLEPOOL

We are looking to speak to people living in Hartlepool who are blue badge holders and access Hartlepool Borough Council Car Parks.

The local authority (HBC) are in the process of upgrading parking meters and blue badge parking bays in local authority car parks.

We would like to consult with our community to see which car parks have been identified as a priority areas for upgrades.

Please join us on Thurs 14th September. 10.30am-12 noon at CECA, King Oswy Drive. TS24 9PB

To book your place on this session please follow the link:

https://www.trybooking.co.uk/CQVI

Or scan the QR code

Hartlepool Labour Party
Hartlepool Vision Support
Councillor Ben Clayton
Incontrol-able CIC
Parents and Friends of Catcote Academy
1 Hart, 1 Mind, 1 Future Group Forum

🚘♿️ Parking Charges Suspended for Blue Badge Holders ♿️🚘

💩 The Tory Independent coalition imposed charges for blue badge holders, knowing full well that parking meters were inaccessible.

💩 I asked for charges to be suspended, the Tory Independent coalition refused.

🌹 After months of fighting, I was able to propose a motion at full council with my Labour colleagues to have the charges suspended.

Delighted to see that common sense has prevailed. Asking disabled residents to pay using equipment they physically can not reach is abhorrent.

Charges will remain suspended until a meaningful consultation has taken place and all access issues have been resolved ♿️🚘

Absolutely amazing work from Jonathan Brash for Hartlepool MP and I’m sure more to come in the future!! ✊🏻🌹🗳️

⛽️ ‘BIG WIN’ IN PETROL PREMIUM CAMPAIGN ⛽️

Today, I met with national executives from Morrisons about my campaign to end the Hartlepool Petrol Premium where retailers charge us more than in neighbouring areas.

I’m delighted that they have agreed to my request to cut their prices to bring them in line with neighbouring towns and, I hope, reset the petrol market in Hartlepool.

This morning, Morrisons were charging 142.7p/litre, now that’s dropped to 138.7p/litre.

This is a massive first step to ending the Hartlepool Petrol Premium and I pay tribute to Morrisons for stepping up and doing the right thing.

Now we must force the other retailers to do the same! I would urge everyone in Hartlepool to make the smart choice as to where you get your fuel - vote with your feet!

I made clear in the meeting that I would keep this campaign going to ensure fairness for my hometown.

You can continue to add your name to my petition here: http://tiny.cc/rhd8vz

Many thanks to the CLIP members I spoke to this morning. It was lovely to spend time with you all, and hear about the challenges you face parking within Hartlepool.

The current situation is ridiculous. The Conservative Council should not be expecting people to pay using parking meters that they physically can not reach. I will be taking the comments from the discussion back to HBC and pushing for further action.

Thank you to our community members for attending our BLUE BADGE PARKING SESSION this morning. It was great to see you all and listen to the barriers currently faced by blue badge holders especially the difficulties faced by the new parking charges that have come into effect.

Thank you to Councillor Councillor Ben Clayton who joined us this morning to share his own experiences and also the work he has done so far to raise awareness and challenge local authority on blue badge parking issues.

Are you affected by lack of accessible parking in Hartlepool?? Please join us to help get our voices heard

www.clip.uk.com

IT’S DOWN!!!!

Finally, after years of fighting by Councillor Pamela Hargreaves and I, The Hourglass has been demolished!

I know local residents will be delighted to not have the constant worry of fires, anti social behaviour and fly tipping that this has attracted for far too long.

Labour | Add your name Running as a candidate in the local elections, he wasted valuable police time, launching investigations into his political opponents.

Shameful display from Ben Houchen. Avoiding scrutiny and criticism at every turn.

WHO DOES BEN HOUCHEN THINK HE IS?

You’d think after the last week Mayor Houchen would recognise the importance of openness and transparency.

Instead, at a meeting of Hartlepool’s Mayoral Development Corporation he shouted down Labour’s leader for wanting to ask a question.

Don’t come to Hartlepool thinking you can be rude to one of our own Ben!

KEEPING TRUE TO OUR WORD

In the current economic crisis it is imperative we all do our part to support the services on which Hartlepool people rely.

To that end, the Labour Party pledged to reduce the special allowances that Councillors receive when appointed to certain roles.

I’m keeping that promise.

Last night, I was appointed to be Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee tasked with scrutinising Hartlepool's Conservative and Independent Coalition.

Today, I have imposed an immediate 50% cut to the allowance I receive for the role and I've asked that the savings be used to support investment into children's play areas in our town.

You can see my letter to the Council's Managing Director here: 👇👇

🚒 Cleveland Fire Brigade is encouraging people to take extra care on the roads as part of a national drive to reduce the number of UK road deaths to zero.

Continue reading: https://www.clevelandfire.gov.uk/2023/05/driving-down-the-number-of-road-deaths/

Thank you to everyone in Manor House who placed their trust in me. I am absolutely honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity to represent the ward again. Together we can achieve great things for our town 🌹

Today is election day! Polls are open until 10pm. Remember to take photo ID 🗳️ 🌹

Tomorrow, use your voice, use your vote, secure change in our town.

A Labour Council will:

✅ Freeze Council Tax
✅ Cancel allotment fee rise
✅ Suspend parking charges for the disabled
✅ Secure a real investigation into the sea life deaths
✅ Abolish the appointment system at the tip

Vote Labour tomorrow. Don’t forget your photo ID.

Absolutely delighted to see that plans to demolish The Hourglass have been approved. I have worked hard with Councillor Pamela Hargreaves since being elected in 2021 to get action on this derelict eyesore. It’s been a long and challenging process, but progress is finally being made. Residents nearby deserve this to be rectified quickly, I will continue to keep the pressure on to ensure this goes forward! 🌹

'Dilapidated' former Hartlepool pub is to be finally bulldozed to make way for bungalows Plans to demolish a fire-hit former Hartlepool pub have been approved.

Tomorrow’s the day. Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm and you will require photo ID to vote. Let’s show the Conservatives and Independents who run our council that we have had enough!

Less than a week to go until polling day. I am so excited about what I can continue to achieve for Manor House alongside the ever fabulous Councillor Pamela Hargreaves but I need your support. Remember to vote for me, Ben Clayton your Labour candidate on Thursday 4th May and together we can achieve so much 🗳️🌹✊🏻 remember you need photo ID to vote!!

Your election candidates in the Hartlepool Borough Council Manor House ward With council elections just around the corner, we’re shining the spotlight on Hartlepool’s candidates in the run-up to polling day.

What a fantastic day to be out talking to residents, just before the heavens opened! Thank you to Councillor Rachel Creevy, Jack and Martin Dunbar for supporting this afternoon. The message from residents is clear - they are fed up with the Tory Independent coalition who are ruining our town and increasing charges year on year

Another fabulous sunny day out talking to residents in Manor House. The message is clear: people feel let down by the Tories and they want change! 🌹😎

Great to be out with the ever brilliant Councillor Ben Clayton delivering his leaflet to Manor House ward residents.

I love working with Ben because he’s so committed to making our community better for everyone who lives here.

Please support him in the local elections.

This absolutely needs to happen. Anything less is a dereliction of duty by elected politicians across Teesside. Our seas have been decimated and we must conclusively find out why 🦀

LABOUR LOCAL ELECTION PLEDGES - 4/5

On May 4th, Hartlepool has the chance to elect a new Council, one that will deliver for our town. Labour has a plan.

Sea Life Die Offs…

Our fishing industry has been devastated and our ecology destroyed, yet the Conservatives don’t want to find an answer. We know why.

Both Councillor Rachel Creevy and Jonathan Brash for Hartlepool MP have led on this issue.

A Labour Council will never rest until a proper investigation into what has happened to our sea is launched. Our fishermen deserve support and answers. Labour will deliver both.

Charging disabled motorists to park when the meters are inaccessible is wrong on so many levels. Labour would suspend charges for blue badge holders. It’s common sense. Vote wisely on 4th May 🌹

LABOUR LOCAL ELECTION PLEDGES - 3/5

On May 4th, Hartlepool has the chance to elect a new Council, one that will deliver for our town. Labour has a plan.

Blue Badge Parking Charges…

The decision by Hartlepool’s Conservative Council to charge disabled drivers to park without first ensuring that ticket machines were accessible was an act of stupidity. Councillor Ben Clayton has exposed this repeatedly.

A Labour Council will suspend these charges until these accessibly issues are solved and engage with community organisations, like CLIP to ensure the voices of disabled people are heard.

This morning until 12 there is a ‘Fuel and Food Fair’ at Kilmarnock Road Children and Young Peoples Resource Centre. A whole host of fantastic community organisations there to offer support and guidance. No appointments necessary, just get yourself along.