A couple of meetings ago The Mayor alluded to the fact that I was rich  I am certainly not rich and there were times when I was hard up really hard up, but I had to manage.   I could not go out and knock on my neighbour’s doors and tell them that I will not have enough money to manage this year so you will have to give me a percentage of your income.   I could not go to the Government and tell them that I did not have enough money so could they give me some extra children’s allowance.  No what I did was to manage the money that I had I looked after every penny.    I have always been very careful with my budget and never spent what I could not afford.

Unfortunately this council has not been so careful and has wasted vast amounts of money.    If they had not we may not be in the position that we are in today.   The council have demolished their assets, losing 1.4 million pounds in council tax,  This council received 52 million pounds for the West Middlesbrough and what have we got to show for this 52 million pounds, absolutely nothing.  This part of town should be a show-piece for Middlesbrough but the money was wasted.

Now here we are again telling the residents that they will have to pay yet more council tax.  I have said this before and I will say it again, we cannot keep taking from the residents we must learn to manage with the money we have and find ways of bringing money into the council other than from the residents.

I will certainly be voting against a rise in council tax.