Hartlepool Borough Council Shrugs Off Hartlepool Homesearch Concerns: No Investigation, No Accountability

Hartlepool Civic Centre

Council Bosses 'shrug off' claims regarding the now widely discredited Hartlepool Homesearch Scheme, brushing all of the concerns unearthed in our Teesside & Durham Post report under the carpet.

30th October 2025

The Teesside & Durham Post can now reveal that Hartlepool Borough Council has issued an extraordinary response to the concerns raised in a report published by ourselves, dismissing serious allegations about social housing allocations without even launching a public, transparent & formal investigation.

Instead of taking the concerns seriously, The Teesside & Durham Post has found that Hartlepool Borough Council appears to have brushed the matter under the rug, insisting that everything regarding the scheme has been done “correctly” and “in accordance” with the allocations policy — despite mounting evidence and local case reports suggesting otherwise.

In an email received yesterday evening Hartlepool Borough Council states it “reviewed” the concerns highlighted in our report and is “confident” the allocation process was correct, yet there is no reference to:

• Any formal internal inquiry

• Independent scrutiny

• Audit or transparency measures

• Interviews or case checks with affected applicants

• Public reporting of findings

  
  

In short — Hartlepool Borough Council, once again investigated themselves, behind closed doors, and declared themselves innocent..

Concerns Dismissed, Documents Attached — and That’s That

Rather than acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations regarding the ineffectiveness of the Hartlepool Homesearch scheme — including claims of queue-jumping, improper banding, and vulnerable residents being overlooked — the council sought to simply distribute a link to its own Allocations Policy claiming that’s enough to answer public concerns over the now widely discredited housing scheme.

Disabled Residents Brushed Aside Too

Hartlepool Borough Council’s response also makes it clear that disabled applicants are expected to simply wait — potentially 12 to 18 months — for adaptations, unless in “exceptional circumstances.” This confirms what many disabled people and advocates have been saying for years:

Hartlepool’s housing system does not work for disabled residents, and the council knows it.

There is no meaningful plan to improve access to adapted homes, and no urgency in ensuring fair treatment. Instead, Hartlepool Borough Council appears comfortable defending a status quo that leaves disabled residents trapped, delayed, and repeatedly disadvantaged.

No Transparency, No Accountability — Same Old Hartlepool Council

Despite legitimate concerns over the operation of the scheme being evidenced, Hartlepool Borough Council seems to be opting to try and address the matter behind closed doors, Rather than addressing the issues openly, Hartlepool Borough Council has responded with:

• Dismissal

• Denial

• Self-assurance without evidence

• No independent oversight

• No public investigation

  
  

And worse of all, acting with complete institutional arrogance over the seriousness of the issued raised.

Hartlepool’s residents clearly won’t be fobbed off. The issues raised remain unanswered, the evidence remains standing, and vulnerable applicants still face a broken system.

The Teesside & Durham Post exposed a problem.

The public raised their voices.

Hartlepool Council’s response?

“Nothing to see here.”