People on Teesside react to spending cuts research
- Published
Research commissioned by the BBC reveals the Tees Valley is the least resilient part of England to economic shocks.
Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Hartlepool all feature in the 10 areas likely to be hit hardest by public sector cuts.
BBC News website readers on Teesside gave their reactions.
Tom Jones, 58, Redcar
Tom Jones is a retired chemical worker
I'm upset about it, but you can understand why there's a heavy demand on social services because we've lost a lot of the major industries that the area has relied on, like shipbuilding, chemicals and the steel industry.
How we put that right is going to be quite a challenge.
The government is looking to reduce funding so I think we need some entrepreneurs to help us turn the area around.
Cheryl Brack, 47, Middlesbrough
Cheryl Brack describes herself as a housewife
I think it's always been the North East that gets left out. You always find the jobs down south.
We've just had Corus close and now the council cutbacks are coming. It's just bad news.
There's not enough job creation. It's difficult at the moment to sell yourself because no businesses are working out and people are being made unemployed.
Irene Lock, 69, Middlesbrough
Irene Lock is a home carer
Just look around Middlesbrough and look at all the shops that are closed. I suppose a lack of investment is partly to blame for that.
The South always seems to get the jobs and we're always at the bottom of the pile. I think we need to fight for what we're entitled to.
It's all right people saying we need investment in the area, but where is the money going to come from?
Omar Mahdy, 33, Middlesbrough
Omar Mahdy is an IT student originally from Iraq
The North East has always been at the bottom.
Labour tried to improve the situation, but I'm not sure that's the situation with this government.
I was disappointed with the cancellation of the new hospital at Wynyard. I think the people in this region need more help and support than they are getting now.
Victoria Lewis, 39, Middlesbrough
Victoria Lewis is a full-time mother
We always seem to come bottom of every poll, whether it's worst place to live or worst amount of crime and it annoys me.
I don't think there's enough money spent here and I think we need to be made into a city to change that.
I think we need to develop the Riverside and bring more leisure industries in to replace the old industries that used to be there.