Coun Andrew Price, leader of city council Conservative Group.

"WE take the view we would not be in this position if we had a Conservative council.

"We want to keep the three day centres open.

"In Labour's proposals there is some money going into mental health services, but they are also cutting mental health community support workers.

"Labour has put aside £75k to review pedlars. That money could be better spent this year.

"And we would reduce the £930,000 spent on corporate marketing.

"There are some underlying problems in the budget such as the money spent on consultants and we want to look at the £20m spent on servicing debt, as well as the £1m a year the council is still putting into the Ice Stadium and Enviroenergy.

"Our idea is to create a recession support fund for those in greatest need.

"Labour is proposing to increase market rents but we want to reduce them.

"We want to put more support into debt advice, which we assume would be through the Citizens' Advice Bureaux."