Its worse than they're letting on.... HBC Whistle blower lays bare staff morale crisis at local council...

Facing calls to quit, HBC Director faces No Confidence calls by even her own staff, as her position becomes untenable...

Whistleblower claims 9 out of 10 employees have lost confidence in Hartlepool Borough Council’s leadership, raising further claims the councils Top Officer Denise McGuckin's role is becoming increasingly untenable.

13th December 2024

Hartlepool Borough Council is said to be plunging into further turmoil, with a whistle-blower alleging that council directors are downplaying a severe staffing crisis, with employees said to be losing confidence in the councils senior leadership team day by day.

Speaking exclusively to HBC Exposed, the council employee revealed that morale amongst council workers has completely evaporated, with confidence in the senior leadership team all but gone, sparking debate as to just how much longer the councils embattled £174k a year Managing Director can hang on to her role . .

“Staff have almost completely lost faith in the directors. It’s not a matter of if things collapse;

it’s just a matter of when,” the whistle-blower said.

The damning revelations come in the wake of reports from local media earlier this week, which described morale at Hartlepool Borough Council as reaching "crisis levels." This is yet another blow for the council, which in 2023 was infamously declared an authority with "no public confidence."

Employees claim the council’s reputation "lays in tatters", with businesses no longer willing to engage with the council, firms no longer wanting to work with the council, and many members of staff no longer believing its directors can effectively manage the councils services.

A Hostile Environment

Businesses are reportedly said to be steering well clear of engaging with HBC staff, with many citing the council creating a "hostile environment" that stifling both growth and investment.

According to the whistleblower, “No one wants to deal with the council anymore. It’s become toxic, and it’s killing local development.”

This toxic culture isn't new. Several years ago, HBC Exposed was approached by another insider who alleged secretive meetings within the council were being undertaken off record & not even recorded on the councils so called 'pink papers'.

These meetings reportedly sought to discredit articles published previously by HBC Exposed following a number of publications made by the group, leading to what was claimed to be a major overhaul of the council's whistleblowing policies. Staff were then reportedly warned that speaking to the press—particularly HBC Exposed over any council issues—could result in disciplinary action, or even dismissal.

A climate of fear for workers

Now, it seems those policies have fostered a climate of fear for those who dare to speak out. The whistleblower described an organisation where employees now feel “too frightened to speak out,” with frontline staff said to be bearing the brunt of cuts that have left departments dangerously understaffed.

“We simply can’t work under these conditions anymore, and the cracks are starting to show,” they said. “Whilst directors enjoy pay their increases, the rest of us are doing triple the work just to keep things going. It feels like they’re reaping all the rewards while we’re left to pick up the pieces.”

A Dangerous Work Environment

One former council worker described how staffing cuts left them in a vulnerable position.

“I had to deal with complex and sometimes dangerous situations, often in people’s homes. I was once threatened, and when I reported it, management did nothing. They just told me to ‘get on with it.’ I ended up on the sick, I couldn’t stay in such a dangerous environment, so I left,” the ex-employee said.

Alarming Allegations of Misconduct

Perhaps most concerning are allegations that some council officers have reportedly made malicious claims against members of the public.

“In one instance, its claimed a customer was shouting on the phone, clearly upset with the council, and a staff member claimed the person made a direct threat against them. The incident was referred to the police as per the councils employee protection policy, but when we tried to access the recording of the call—which should have been recorded under GDPR—it was mysteriously missing,” the whistleblower explained.

Such incidents raise serious questions about accountability and integrity within the council.

The Breaking Point

The whistleblower confessed they themselves are now actively seeking employment outside of local government, disheartened by the toxic culture at HBC.

“When you’ve got a handful of directors raking in huge salaries while expecting the rest of us to do the work of three people, it’s demoralising. They’ve hollowed out departments, and the pressure is unbearable. I’m done, ime finished with it. Ime on medication because of it

They (The Directors) need to go—all of them.”

A Call for Change

Despite the risks of coming forward, the whistleblower felt it was necessary to expose the council’s failings.

“I don’t care if they find out it was me. At least people will know the truth. Working here is awful.

There’s a clear pecking order—those who suck up to the management & the directors are looked after, and those who keep their heads down & genuinely want to do some good in the place for the council & for the public are left carrying the weight of everyone else’s mistakes.”

HBC Exposed will continue to follow this developing story. Stay tuned for updates.