It cannot be denied that over the years I have been more than a little critical of the goings on at County Hall.

The infamous bottled water scandal and the decision to scrap public toilet funding but give £50,000 towards Plymouth's doomed bid to host a World Cup match are just two examples of ludicrous decisions, but times are a-changing and finally even Cornwall Council's credit card allowance appears to have reached its limit. 

With central government squeezing every ounce of blood it can from the dying carcass that is the council's bank account, even this cynical old salt can see members have been forced into a corner when it comes to this year's council tax budget.

Dealing with a further £1.4million cut on the money it will receive from Cameron and co, the council has agreed a 3.97 per cent increase on the portion it takes from the tax - or in monetary figures, that's a rise of £51.37 per year on a Band D house, bringing the amount to £1,345.29 for the 2016/17 year. 

This is without the 1.99 per cent rise on the Devon and Cornwall Police portion, to £177.84, and the amount taken by your town or parish council. 

A body blow, undoubtedly, to those taxpayers already struggling to make ends meet, but faced with paring back vital services even further or spreading the cost between constituents then the council's thinking behind it can at least be understood. 

No, what I take exception with is that, with the livelihoods of this county's hardworking taxpayers at stake, a FIFTH of councillors failed to vote - either for or against.

That's right - of the 101 members attending this crucial meeting, 67 were in favour of the budget, 13 were against and a disgraceful 21 of them couldn't even be bothered to decide, abstaining from voting entirely. 

If you fail to have the courage of your convictions to vote when it really matters, what right have you to be taking a seat from someone who really might fight for the interests of their community?