It shows the true level of desperation of local socialists when former Labour councillor and Socialist Alliance candidate Andy Richards (Letters, July 8) has to dredge back several decades to attack Conservative views on cleaning up Brighton and Hove's seafront.

He has completely missed the point, as has John Stanaway (Letters, same date).

What we are talking about is clearing away the mess of abandoned vehicles, travellers' vans, litter and graffiti which despoils our seafront areas.

Mr Richards also harks back to Portland Gate, which is not on the seafront, while blatantly ignoring the Hove Conservative administration setting in train policies designed to rescue the building that Labour carried on after 1995.

For Mr Stanaway's information, the car parks we propose would be out of sight precisely because they would be underground.

-Coun Brian Oxley, Leader, Conservative group, Brighton and Hove City Council