Some have suggested elected mayors are somehow undemocratic or even fascist.

I would say that to suggest as much to the elected mayors of Dieppe, New York, Paris (or even, for that matter, Ken Livingstone) might earn you a slap in the face.

Brighton and Hove needs an elected mayor who has a role carefully set out and overseen by our elected councillors, is directly elected by a majority of the city's voters and can just as easily be voted out again by those same people.

The city needs someone who can take swift executive action to tackle modern-day problems the council committee system alone seems too slow, too partisan and too cumbersome to deal with, who can promote this city at a regional, national and European level when it comes to competing for funding, investment and jobs.

It needs someone who can champion and campaign for every citizen, every group and every community in the city in a way individual councillors cannot, someone who can build partnerships beyond politics and draw people in our city back in to public life, even if that only means casting a vote.

The councillors should think again. The people should have their say.

-Warren Morgan Maresfield Road, Brighton