So Council leader Mary Mears’ reaction to the scandalously icy footpaths, which sent dozens of people to hospital with broken bones, was that “We must work more closely with our partners”.

Partners? What is she talking about? We, the citizens of Brighton and Hove, are not her “partners”. We are her employers. And we are furious.

The truth is that the city council thought it could save money by not clearing ice from our pavements. It must have believed it would soon melt and go away. What were a few broken hips and fractured legs?

The result was the hospitals were so overwhelmed by people who had fallen that surgeons and nursing staff had to cancel all other operations.

Having failed miserably in their duty of care towards the city taxpayers, Mary Mears and the chief executive should resign.

Brian Hitchen, Palmeira Square, Hove