Labour Mayor of Hartlepool survives suspension vote

The Mayor of Hartlepool, Cllr Stephen Akers-Belcher, has survived a vote to suspend him after he was sacked for gross misconduct from his council day job.

Cllr Akers-Belcher was sacked from his job as a team leader in Newcastle City Council's social services department for gross misconduct and then went on holiday with his partner, council leader Cllr Christopher Akers-Belcher when it hit the headlines. The local radio station also called in the police after he allegedly tried to exert undue influence over their reporting of the situation.

The vote to suspend him fell by 19 votes to 11.

Labour Mayor of Hartlepool in trouble again

The Labour Mayor Hartlepool is at the centre of more controversy after local radio station Radio Hartlepool reported him to the police and the council for his behaviour.

Cllr Stephen Akers-Belcher was sacked from his day job as a team leader for Newcastle City Council's Community Mental Health team earlier in the month for gross misconduct and is currently appealing that decision. Now Radio Hartlepool have reported him for what appears to be exerting undue influence over the station not to criticise either the Labour Party or himself. Very few details have been made public but Cllr Akers-Belcher told the Hartlepool Mail from his holiday in Mexico with the leader of the council (his civil partner, Cllr Christopher Akers-Belcher) that his only contact with the station was to tell them not to be political.

Mayor of Hartlepool sacked from day job at Newcastle City Council

The mayor of Hartlepool has been sacked from his day job as team leader in the Community Mental Health Service department at Newcastle City Council.

Cllr Stephen Akers-Belcher was suspended for a couple of months earlier this year before being sacked for gross misconduct in July. Cllr Akers-Belcher protests his innocence and says he is appealing his dismissal.