Council to Undergo Rebrand as Public Confidence Reaches All Time Low...
- teessidetoday
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
Hartlepool Council’s Year-Long Rebrand Begins Amid Calls for Dissolution and Crisis of Public Trust...
15th July 2025
Hartlepool Borough Council's getting set to unveil a new website and corporate brand identity this August — the first of what's said to be a major visual and digital overhaul to the crisis stricken institution in nearly a decade.
But whilst the Council frames the move as part of its "digital transformation strategy," critics say it's a rebranding effort designed to distract from a deepening crisis of public trust following a public petition that branded the local council an authority of no public confidence back in 2023..
According to a recent Council report, the new website and refreshed logo are the product of a 12-month project led by the Council’s Communications and Marketing Team, working with local authority website specialists Jadu. The aim, they say, is to modernise services, improve accessibility, and better reflect the Council's ambitions to become a forward-thinking organisation.
The current Council website — last updated in 2006 — is now said to be 'outdated', inflexible, and non-compliant with modern digital standards. The Council claims the updated platform is a cornerstone of its wider digital strategy, aimed at delivering faster, more efficient services. Alongside the new website launch, the Council will retire its current logo and begin a phased rollout of a new brand identity. The updated design retains the iconic Hart, land, and sea elements but introduces a modern typeface and enhanced digital compatibility — changes necessary to meet accessibility guidelines.
However, what the official report doesn’t address is the political backdrop to this rebrand.
Rebrand Follows No Confidence Petition
In 2023, a public petition of no confidence in Hartlepool Borough Council gained significant traction, forcing the council to face widespread scrutiny. The petition, signed by thousands of residents and supported by sections of the local business community, alleged chronic mismanagement, lack of transparency, and failures in service delivery.
Since then, its claimed public engagement and trust in Hartlepool Borough Council has plummeted, with local businesses being especially critical of the local council and in some cases even withdrawing their services from the council altogether, with several high-profile local entrepreneurs openly distancing themselves from Council-led initiatives.
It’s within this context that many now view the rebrand not as a forward-looking strategy — but as an attempt to bury negative public sentiment behind a glossy new logo and a modern website.
Slow Rollout to Limit Costs
The Council acknowledges that a full-scale rebrand — replacing signage, vehicle logos, and uniforms — would be too expensive to implement immediately. Instead, the new brand will be phased in over several years, as assets are naturally replaced at the end of their operational lifespan. This decision is said to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers.
What Residents Can Expect
Despite the controversy, the new website is expected to deliver at least some tangible benefits for locals, where its claimed local residents will find a simplified navigation system, better access to services, and compatibility with mobile devices and screen readers.
Importantly, the site meets the latest Website Content Accessibility Guidelines, addressing long-standing issues with usability for disabled users. The rebranding is also meant to bring the Council in line with how modern councils present themselves online — though for many, the question remains: will a slicker logo and new website really be enough to repair the Council’s fractured reputation?
Branding vs. Trust
For Hartlepool residents and businesses, the key issue isn't whether the new website works — it's whether the Council behind it has changed. With support continuing to falter following the 2023 no confidence motion, and a 2024 petition said to have been fraught with claims of 'bullying' from the local council, critics argue that rebranding without reform is little more than a PR exercise.
Time will tell whether this rebrand signals real change, or whether it's a new face for the same old problems.
The proposals will go before the councils Economic Growth& Regeneration Services Committee on the 22nd July 2025
What do you think ?
Is Hartlepool Borough Councils new rebranding a waste of money ?
YES
NO
