Chris Little Hartlepool Borough Councils Finance Director reportedly set to leave at the end of the month amidst a litany of controversy over his thirteen year mismanagement of the councils finances,as well as claims of alleged 'corruption' & gross misconduct. .
Thursday 16th March 2023
A Council finance directors reportedly QUIT his role for the local authority following a litany of scandals & questions over his management of HBC's finances over a thirteen year period that have left the local councils financial position now teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.
Chris Little, who'd spent over a decade as the director of finance for the failing local council is reportedly set to leave his post at the end of the month, after sources told Hartlepool Matters that Mr Little penned his resignation to the local council earlier this month & is now on Garden Leave until the official termination of his employment commences at the end of the month.
It comes after its been repoted that Hartlepool Borough Councils official audited accounts are still not ready for publication amidst claims the councils financial position is now so bad, publication of its accounts could spark further public backlash and reputational damage leading to potential calls for the council to be declared section 114 Insolvent.
He just couldnt explain any basis for a sound business model for the purchase of Shades for four times what it was worth....
Two buildings collectively worth just £70k, Mr Little signed off to pay over £300,000 for in a deal that sealed his fate as one of the worst financial decisions the council had ever made...
Mr Little was heavily critisised over his decision back in 2019 to sign off on a controversial deal to purchase two buildings in the towns Church Street for over four times their actual market value, taking out significant loans the local taxpayer was then left to repay to purchase the delapidated Shades former nightclub & the adjasent former mamma Mias Takeaway that's reportedly now cost the local tax payer over half a million pounds just for its upkeep since it was purchased...
Overall loans liabilities at the stricken local council now amount to around 80% of the councils overall operational yearly budget (some £90.0 Million Pounds according to sources)
"No laughing matter" for their victim.....Both Mr Little (Left) & HBC's Assistant Chief Solicitor Neil Wilson (Right) were recently exposed as being involved in a bid to 'Harass' a member of the public, in an act of Gross Misconduct that was covered up by the local councils managing director...
Further scandals erupted shortly after the council purchased the buildings, with claims Mr Little actively conspired with the councils assistant chief solicitor Neil Wilson to post a member of the public's personal details & social media profile picture out to twelve other council officers, in a bid to cause the local resident nuisance & distress when a local member of the public sought to openly question the local council over its decision to use public funds so irresponsibly...
Formal complaints put before the councils managing director Denise McGugkin who herself is facing calls to stand down were then brushed under the carpet, in what's been claimed to have been the biggest cover up of Gross Misconduct by council senior officers in the councils history & reportedly led to a second investigation by external authorities being undertaken into the fitness of the councils finance director to continue his role at HBC....
He doesn't want to be associated with a council that's warp speeding its way into bankrputcy...... even though he's largely reponsible for nearly all of it......
As he's set to leave the role managing the councils rusty abacus, its said he's now left a legacy of a local council that's now drowning under the weight of its own debts through a number of capital expenditure vamity projects thats likley to see the public purse bled dry through sky rocketing loan repayments, with the council said to be visibly 'overstretched' in just about every single department, with departmental overspending rife & budget deficits spiralling to nearly £12.0 million pounds leading to claims the councils set to announce further more damaging spending cuts, as well as the scrapping of a number of capital expenditure projects that due to crippling inflation may now have to be shelved for the foreseeable future, as the threat of bankruptcy for the corrupt local council looms ever closer & local residents 'bled dry' for funds to prop up the councils litany of financial blunders .
Has 'Highlight' been Highlighted to be shelved until inflation subsides ?
'Highlight' the councils flagship leisure centre has reportedly been delayed again, amidst claims construction wont start until 2024 at the very earliest.....
One of those projects reportedly now "under threat" due to inflationary pressures according to our source is the councils flagship "highlight" leisure centre...
Work was set to begin early this year, with HBC's leader claiming that the building contract was "out to tender" with the number of companies whittled down to just one.
Previous claims over the delay of construction on the multi million pound development were met with a colourfull response by the councils leader claiming talks over the development being allegedly delayed or shelved were in his words "Bullsh!t"....
Who's likely to take on the "poison chalise" role of HBC's finance director ?
The local councils facing ever increasing calls to be stripped of its public duties as public calls of no confidence in Hartlepool Borough Council grows....
Since Mr Little's resignation was reportedly submitted to the local council, his deputy, HBC Assistant Director of Finance James Magog has been undertaking Mr Little's duties in his abscence & is likley to succeed Mr Little in the role as HBC Finance Director in a role that's no refered to as the Director of Resources & Development, however behind the scenes, issued surrounding the financial stability of the local council & concerns over its solvency are fuelling concerns that those brave enough to take on the role as the councils abacus man is likley to have inherited "a poison chalice" that not even the most experienced finance officer would dare take on......
The councils dire financial position & general ramshakle management has led to calls for Hartlepool Borough Council to be declared an authority with no public confidence, in whats been said to have shook the local council to the core following claims that campaigners seeking to have HBC potentially stripped of its public responsibilities or being made subject to government commissioners being appointed to run the stricken council now reportedly needs just 500 signatures to reach its 3000 signature goal.
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