North Tyneside has a superb CAB service, and the Council has helped by giving it a far higher grant than is given by other councils elsewhere. In its original budget the Council thought it had to move more towards the average sort of grant. I’m delighted to say that this has now been rethought, and the budget is not being touched until September at least, to enable more discussions to take place between the CAB and the Council on the best ways forward.

I mention this, not just because it is a good thing, but also because it shows what can be done when people work together. Lots of people, particularly in the coastal areas, from all political parties and from none, worked together to get a rethink. I myself spoke to the Mayor about it when he came to visit Monkseaton South to learn about its problems a couple of weeks ago. He and his colleagues also deserve credit for having the courage to rethink their plans.