A directly-elected mayor for Brighton and Hove would be little short of a dictator and would sound a death-knell for democracy, opponents have claimed.

Members of the public and councillors voiced their concerns about the proposed changes to local government at a meeting at the Brighthelm Centre last night.

It was organised by a cross-party alliance of city politicians who came together following the defeat two weeks ago of plans for a referendum on the issue on May 3.

Francis Tonks -one of four Labour councillors who defied party whips to vote against a May 3 referendum - chaired the meeting.

He shared the platform with Conservative Brian Oxley, Lib Dem Paul Elgood, Green Party councillor Keith Taylor and Brendan Bird, a Labour councillor on Fulham and Hammersmith Council who is campaigning against directly-elected mayors.

Mr Tonks said: "We see directly-elected mayors as petty dictators. Once they are elected you can't get rid of them for four years unless they have done something criminal.

"More and more decisions will be made behind closed doors, which is undemocratic."

The group has concerns about directly-elected mayors but is resigned to a referendum taking place, probably in October. However, members want a wider debate.

The group also wants a clear alternative to the directly-elected mayor in the form of a revised committee system.

About 60 people, including 19 Brighton and Hove councillors, attended the meeting.

Mr Bird told them that having a directly-elected mayor would lead to opposition councillors, minority groups and the hardest working local councillors being squeezed out of the decision-making process.

There was no representation of the pro-mayor camp at the meeting.