A ROW between a group of independent councillors and the ruling Labour group of Middlesbrough Council continues to rumble on.

Several independents refused to attend a full council meeting after a number of questions they had submitted for the session were rejected by the authority.

Members including Jon Rathmell and Terry Lawton boycotted the meeting on Wednesday night as the row over the sale of council assets continues.

Middlesbrough Mayor Dave Budd branded the members 'childish' for not attending the meeting and bringing 'melodrama' into the council chamber.

At the end of last year a full council meeting was held up for an hour after members of the public where accused of being disruptive and were ordered out of the town hall.

Addressing members he said: "Now we have another melodrama - the boycott. This really is childish behaviour."

A number of Labour councillors took the opportunity to defend the authority and its handling of business during the meeting.

Councillor Rathmell, who represents the Nunthorpe ward, said: "I am disappointed that the questions for full council were rejected for various reasons, some being 'opinion' but then the Mayor is permitted to make his attack on absent councillors using copious amounts of opinion. Very disappointing that we have no set policy that applies to all."