Now Brighton and Hove is a city, please could Brighton and Hove Council get on with improving essential public services.

The environment: Brighton and Hove has no free recycling services and traffic congestion will only get worse with the new minimum £1 bus fare.

Floods and drains: Brighton in particular has suffered in the recent floods because drains are not well maintained and litter and leaves are allowed to accumulate and exacerbate the problems.

Dog Fouling: Brighton is notorious for dog mess on its pavements and in parks, where there is very little enforcement of the bylaws.

Refuse Collection: Once bins were emptied every week. It would be nice if this could return.

Public Toilets: Finally, those of us with young children would be grateful if the council could keep public toilets open and not sell them off to be converted to shops or florists.

-James Simister, Bates Road, Brighton