Opinion: Three Departures in Quick Succession Suggests a Huge Confidence Issue in Hartlepool Council’s Top Officer

Sources had approached the Teesside & Durham Post previously claiming officials were leaving HBC not because they were moving to pastures new.... They'd had enough of a Managing Director that simply wasn't "managing the sinking ship"...

27th August 2025

In local government, the departure of a single senior director is rarely a cause for concern. People move on, some retire, and opportunities naturally open up. But when three senior officials depart in quick succession—within just a few months—alarm bells really do start to ring.

Sources had previously told the Teesside & Durham Post some time ago that senior officials had been openly raising concerns about the council’s Managing Director, Denise McGuckin. At the time, much of this was dismissed as speculation. Now, however, it looks like those concerns were accurate.

Natural Turnover of Staff.....We don't think so !

Hartlepool Borough Council's tried to spin these exits as part of the “natural turnover” of senior staff moving on to pastures new. Yet the reality appears very different. At least one official has taken up a post at a neighbouring council without any significant pay rise. That hardly points to career ambition or financial incentive—it suggests disillusionment. Either they felt they’d hit a dead end at Hartlepool Borough Council's 'Dead End' institution, or, more likely, they had lost confidence in its leadership.

And it’s not just the senior directors. Reports of collapsing staff morale are coming in thick and fast. We’re told that employees at all pay levels are leaving in their droves, apathy is rife, and those who remain feel there is little, if any, assurance that things will improve.

McGuckin at the Centre of the Storm

The root of the problem, according to multiple insiders, lies with Hartlepool’s top official, Denise McGuckin. In a bid to “re-invent” her role, McGuckin is set to have the position of Managing Director deleted and replaced with the traditional Chief Executive title. Yet behind the scenes, the deeper leadership issues remain unresolved.

Senior officials who have departed—or are considering departure—complain of a mounting workload. Posts have been deleted, and the responsibilities pushed onto those left behind. Staff already under pressure are now dealing with excessive caseloads, and the resentment is growing.

Meanwhile, McGuckin is said to remain comfortably insulated from the chaos. While she enjoys generous pay rises—reportedly working some weeks just three days—her “minions below,” as one source put it, are being pushed to breaking point. This has fostered a climate of anger, frustration, and what some describe as “open revolt” against her leadership.

A Widening Disconnect

The recent departures of senior figures such as Sally Robinson and, imminently, Craig Blundred, have all fuelled speculation that McGuckin’s position may soon be untenable.

Rumours swirl of a behind-the-scenes 'coup', with the gulf between the “top dog” and the staff beneath her becoming ever more stark.

In effect, McGuckin is expecting officers to take on the work of three or four people, whilst still collecting the salary of one. It is no wonder the council is haemorrhaging staff. Chief Executives cannot run local government like this, and critics argue this was always the risk in employing her in the first place.

McGuckin’s laid-back 'little effort' reputation—some say “so laid back you’d think she was a lilo”—has turned into a major liability. What might once have been seen as a relaxed leadership style has now been viewed as complacency, & even downright incompetence, damaging the council’s effectiveness and reputation alike.

The Real Story Behind the Departures

The issues at HBC appear to be focused on one single official... Who's simply in total denial over her role in it all !

Yes, it may be welcome to finally see some of the old guard of Hartlepool’s management move on. But let’s be clear: these departures are not about exciting new opportunities elsewhere. They are symptomatic of a much deeper malaise—one seemingly rooted in poor leadership.

At a time when Hartlepool Borough Council desperately needs stability, vision, and a culture that values its workforce, it's instead beset by resignations, low morale, and a Managing Director whose leadership is increasingly being questioned.

For Hartlepool, this is more than just a staffing shuffle. It’s a crisis of confidence at the very top.