LABOUR held on to power at Middlesbrough Council with a slender majority after they secured 26 of the 48 seats in Thursday's elections.
An early shock saw the deputy mayor become a casualty of the rise of the Independents.
Bob Brady, the former Labour deputy mayor didn't hang around to listen to the shock announcement that he had lost his Beckfield seat.
He was comprehensively beaten by former Labour councillor Brian Hubbard and Peter Cox.
And it was the Independents who had the best night, picking up five more seats taking their total to ten.
Independent Councillor Joan McTigue believes the people in Middlesbrough are no longer led by political colours alone.
She said: "This result shows that people are starting to move away from political parties and towards independent people who listen to what people want in their areas."
The Middlesbrough Independents failed to make an impact, despite entering 15 candidates, with only former Labour member Ken Walker retaining his Gresham seat.
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