Local Council Facing Questions over Political Neutrality following Social Media Post....

Local Council which in 2023 was declared an authority of no public confidence under fire from even its own councillors over an apparent politically bias post promoting a proposed Labour backed Council Tax freeze for 2026...

3rd June 2025

Hartlepool Borough Council is said to be facing calls to be investigated, following claims they Breached Political Impartiality Rules Over a social media post placed online from the Hartlepool Labour Group, breaching political neutrality rules.

The announcement, which appeared on the council’s social media page on the 3rd June 2025, has triggered allegations that council bosses misused public resources to promote a party political agenda, with several local councillors, including an number of independents, raising the alarm, accusing the council of ignoring the legal requirements to remain politically neutral.

Former Independent Leader. of Hartlepool Borough Council Shane Moore has hit back at the council over its use of council resources to effectively promote a political agenda

Independent councillor Shane Moore representing the Headland & Harbour ward & former Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council posted bluntly online stating:

" Corporate Comms cannot be used for party political purposes. It’s set out in legislation and regulations. Anyone would think there was another by-election about to be called in a ward the ruling group have just lost badly in."

It's alleged Hartlepool Borough Council used its official social media account to publish Labour’s proposal to freeze council tax next year—a policy clearly not yet agreed or even adopted by the full council, with critics claiming this amounts to party-political advertising dressed up as council news.

One local resident also weighed in, questioning Labour MP Jonathan Brash’s apparent involvement in the move despite him effectively no longer being an elected councillor to Hartlepool Borough Council, saying:

"Why is the MP involving himself in local council tax decisions when he is no longer a councillor? Does he not understand—or is he choosing to ignore—the distinction between the role of an MP and that of a councillor?"

Adding fuel to the fire, it’s claimed that once the political backlash began yesterday evening, Hartlepool Borough Council swiftly deleted the public comments on the social media post and disabled any further replies—moves widely seen as damage control rather than transparency from the local council thats had numerous questions being raised over its apparent 'authoritarian' attitudes towards local tax payers..

Local councils must never use their communication channels to promote party policies. They're bound by laws and guidance ensuring political neutrality. Council officers are also explicitly prohibited from publishing content that could be interpreted as favouring any political group—especially content that's deemed politically sensitive, controversial, or, in this case, appears to be outright political propaganda.

Unfortunately, its not Hartlepool Borough Council’s first brush with accusations of political bias.....

Back in 2022, just hours before polls opened in local elections, the council’s official Twitter account—allegedly managed by then (and still current) Managing Director Denise McGuckin—posted content praising Conservative Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, even including a statement from McGuckin herself. The post criticised as a blatant breach of election impartiality, also known as purdah.

The post, tagged with #NowisTheTime, praised the creation of The Mayoral Development Corporation and declared Hartlepool was “fast becoming a fantastic place to live, work and invest”. Many, including former Labour MP Anna Turley, pointed out the problem: McGuckin, who issued the statement, was also the councils official Returning Officer for the election—the very person supposedly 'responsible' for ensuring its fairness.

Despite the scandal, no disciplinary action followed & McGuckin was once again 'shielded' from any accountability for her actions.

Fast forward to today, and it seems history may very well be repeating itself. With Labour teetering in Hartlepool after losing ground to Reform UK—who recently gained their first councillor in May’s by-election—the timing of the council’s social media post has certainly raised eyebrows.Labour’s grip on Hartlepool is said to be looking increasingly shaky, coming just weeks after the Reform win, a Conservative councillor defecting to the party. Then the resignation of former Labour-turned-Independent councillor Steve Wallace following his assault conviction, triggering yet another by-election in July, with sources close to the Labour group telling HBC Exposed that tensions inside their camp are reaching boiling point, with many fearing that another Reform victory in the upcoming by-election could tear apart Labour’s fragile alliance between its left wing extremists & its more moderate centrists in a group, already said to have been weakened by internal infighting.....

However, it seems that whilst Hartlepool's crying out for transparency, accountability, and political neutrality from its public bodies, it looks like Hartlepool Borough Council still hasn’t learned the lessons of its past, pointing the finger once again at exceptionally poor leadership & a managing director who's political neutrality has been called into question .... not once..... but twice... raising calls once again for her to resign !