Every person in Brighton and Hove could be put on the Internet free for a millennium project.

The scheme was outlined to Brighton and Hove Council's ruling cabinet yesterday by writer and broadcaster Simon Fanshawe.

He chairs The Place to Be campaign which is organising Brighton and Hove's bid to become a city and the millennium celebrations.

Mr Fanshawe said as the 20th century dawned, a new system of communication, the telephone, was installed at Brighton Town Hall.

He said it would be appropriate to start another new system of communication.

Mr Fanshawe said: "This will enable the local authority to provide free Internet service to every single person in Brighton and Hove."

He said under a deal with an Internet provider it should be possible to give access to many through their television.

Because most people had televisions, it would be available to the poorest members of the community who could not normally afford access to the net.

Mr Fanshawe told councillors: "You would be the first local authority in the country to do this."

Members of the cabinet welcomed the idea in principle.

Coun Frieda Warman-Brown said: "It sounds very exciting."

Council leader Lynette Gwyn-Jones said: "We need to gather people's ideas for this."

Business director Steve Rayson will

prepare a report for councillors giving details of the project and the likely cost.

Mr Fanshawe said the Internet service would be marketed under The Place to Be title which was already becoming well known.

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