All the warnings of dictatorial or corrupt elected mayors must be looked at in the light of London and French cities with their elected mayors.

It would take a bold person to say any are less "democratic" than Brighton and Hove.

There is no evidence that Ken Livingstone is either a demogogue or corrupt. What he is, however, is a prominent spokesman who knows he is there for four years, responsible to cabinet, council and, eventually, the electorate.

The leaders of the political parties, on the other hand, are quite anonymous and their tenure uncertain. Brighton and Hove's two major parties have had five leaders in three years.

It is true the role of the councillors will change. But this doesn't mean less involvement of the people in local affairs.

That will depend on how much we know of what is going on, who actually decides what and how much monitoring occurs.

Furthermore, councillors will be able to immerse themselves much more in the problems and hopes of their constituents and have more time to answer correspondence.

A mere 30 per cent of the people in the UK vote in local elections. In France, it is 60 per cent. It is unlikely it will improve here with the present structure.

-R G Jenkins, Hove