The people of Brighton and Hove would be mad to vote for an elected mayor.

Wherever it has been tried, it has proved an infallible recipe for corruption. In France, President Chirac himself is under investigation for financial crimes when he was mayor of Paris. In Berlin, the mayor is similarly under investigation and US cities such as Washington DC and Chicago are notorious. Indeed, the corrupt city mayor is a stock Hollywood character.

Politicians such as Councillor Ken Bodfish may be in favour but to give one man massive financial powers for four years can only lead one way.

The Mayor of London is not a parallel. Ken Livingstone is there to give strategic direction only. The nitty gritty of contracts for things such as refuse collection or building - which is where the opportunities for corruption flourish - remains in the hands of the boroughs, where the mayors are not elected.

I hope the people of Brighton and Hove will use their natural common sense and vote this proposal down.

-Brian Robson, Woodlands, Hove