The No campaign is misleading people over the costs of changes to the new system and fails to tell the truth about how much more all the extra committees will cost.

It fails to mention that, as part of the reforms, Brighton and Hove City Council is to lose 24 councillors from 2003. At present, each is paid £8,000 a year and, on top, gets free phone calls, free postage, a free computer, free internet access, free secretarial support, free car parking and a free bus pass should they prefer it. These services, plus all the other support costs for meetings and research support, come at a cost to us taxpayers. I have no argument with any of that. It is, after all, the cost of democracy.

But there will be a net saving of allowances from 2003 of roughly £200,000 plus the savings accrued from having 24 councillors fewer. I estimate these at no less than £150,000 at a minimum. Indeed, with a reduction in the number of ward elections and servicing costs, it could be far higher. Over a four-year period, this will save at least £1.4 million.

The Nos estimate a mayor will cost an extra £200,000 a year or £800,000 over four years. In calculating this, they have failed to take into account the cost of the council leader will simply transfer over to the mayor. My guess is the council leader over a four-year period will be roughly 75 per cent of the so-called mayoral cost, so £600,000 of this so-called extra can be discounted.

Finally, the Nos have not told us how much more the extra committees will cost. The cost of the salary and support for each member of staff could be as high as £50,000 each, or in total £600,000 a year or £2.4m over four years.

So the mayor might cost an extra £200,000 over four years. But this does not take account of the likely £1.4 million saving on councillors. Moreover, the Nos have yet to explain away the extra cost of the extra committee bureaucracy, which is likely to be well over £2.4 million.

Frankly with services like homelessness, refuse, recycling, street cleaning and care for elderly folk, plus problems with voluntary-sector funding on the critical list, this sort of money would be better spent on front-line public service. We want to fund public services that work not extra bums on seats in the committee room.

And, finally, I want some answers to my questions. They have been met with silence from the No camp.

-Steve Bassam, Yes For A City Mayor Campaign