Tories want to reduce the number of members of Brighton and Hove Council by 24 when ward boundaries are changed for the next local elections in 2003.

They are submitting their proposals to the Local Government Commission next month after consultations with as many groups as possible.

The Labour-controlled Brighton and Hove Council has put forward a plan to reduce the present system of 78 councillors in 26 wards to 22 wards and 64 members.

But the Tories want to go a stage further by having only 54 councillors from 19 wards.

There would be three councillors in each ward with the exception of Portslade North, Portslade South and Woodingdean.

The two Portslade wards would remain much as they are while Rottingdean would take in electors from Roedean, the Marina and Sussex Square.

A new East Brighton ward would contain the Whitehawk, Bristol Gate and Craven Vale communities while Queen's Park would be mainly an enlargement of the present ward.

Hanover and Elm Grove would be amalgamated while other wards include Moulsecoomb with Tenantry and Hollingbury with Stanmer.