Here in Southwick, we often breathe a sigh of relief we are - so far - beyond the reach of the lot running Brighton and Hove City Council.

Sometimes, when I meet friends in Hove for a lunchtime pint on a Wednesday afternoon, we go to the planning committee meeting at Hove town hall afterwards.

At first, I was reluctant, thinking it would be boring, but I went along anyway and found it is fascinating.

I can certainly recommend going along to one of these as a way of overcoming a hangover.

The way these councillors attack one another and ask planning officers awkward questions and keep getting rebuked by the irritable man in charge while the public jeers - it's the best show in town.

Jerry Sutton

-Albion Street, Southwick