I am sorry Joan Evans (Letters, October 13) has deprived herself of the right to vote by throwing away her ballot paper.

Although she complains about the standard of Brighton and Hove City Council services, she fails to recognise the mayoral referendum provides her with the opportunity to change the system for the better.

Because of the negative propaganda of the No campaign, many voters will have missed the fundamental issue at the heart of the referendum.

It is not about personalities but about how local government can be improved by providing the strategic leadership necessary to improve our public services.

If voters such as Joan are content with the state of things, they should vote No.

But they should also understand that by voting No they are agreeing to no leadership, no decision-making and just more of the same: A return to a committee system in which the well-intentioned and the self-serving alike muddle through, constrained by a system that fails to allow them the freedom necessary to get things done.

However, if voters are ambitious for our city, want to see public services improve and believe radical change is required to solve those intractable problems left unresolved for more than 20 years, they should vote Yes for a directly-elected mayor who will be able to work with the council, business, voluntary sector and local communities to keep our city moving on up.

It is time for a change. The committee system is a failure. We need new solutions to solve the old problems. Be bold: Vote Yes.

-Craig Turton, Yes For City Mayor