Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston rebuffs calls for resignation

An elected mayor has denied wrongdoing after five senior councillors resigned and called for him to quit.

Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston's deputy and four others said they had lost confidence in him and urged him to leave his post "with immediate effect".

In an open letter, they wrote it was "collectively agreed that we can no longer support you... due to your consistent poor conduct and behaviour".

In response, Mr Preston said the allegations were "completely untrue".

The letter, posted on Facebook by deputy mayor Antony High, was also signed by councillors Dorothy Davison, Dennis McCabe, Chris Hobson and Ashley Waters - all members of Middlesbrough Independent Group.

They accused Mr Preston of incurring costs of £600,000 without official senior approval and of appointing and paying a friend without following required procedures.

The group later resigned en masse, with Mr High saying: "I can no longer be associated with Andy Preston professionally or politically."

In a post on Facebook, Mr Preston, 54, described the allegations as "unfounded" and claimed they were made by those "who don't like the fact that I'm upsetting the applecart".

The former hedge fund manager who was elected as mayor in 2019, said: "I do things differently, I challenge the status quo and I clearly upset a few people along the way who'd like things to stay just how they are.

"I won't stop. I won't resign. I'll keep doing what's best for Middlesbrough.

"Ultimately, if anyone believes I've done wrong, they'd be better advised going through the appropriate channels and put in an official complaint to the council."

Conservative Mieka Smiles is the only executive member, aside from Mr Preston himself, who has not signed the letter.

She has been approached for comment.

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