Licensing laws should be scrapped in favour of the Continental system, according to a member of Sussex Police Authority.

Dr James Walsh, a GP and leader of the Liberal Democrats on West Sussex County Council, said he believed there was less hooliganism and drunkenness in places like France because of their more relaxed approach to opening times.

Dr Walsh, a member of the Sussex Police Authority, said he welcomed the Government's planned National Alcohol Strategy to liberalise laws but he doubted it would go far enough.

A White Paper proposes separate licences for premises and managers and the transfer of many licensing functions from magistrates to local authorities.

It gives powers to police to close pubs and clubs where there is public disorder. There are also plans to give local authorities the power to ban drinking in public places.

Dr Walsh, who has a surgery in Rustington, said police should maintain a response role and react when problems and crimes occurred but he said they should play a lesser role with regulations and licences.

He told the authority: "There is still too much regulation of the industry.

"Police in France, where it is unusual to have time restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcohol, do not have nearly as many problems with drink as we do. We do need to look at how other countries handle this issue."

Ken Bodfish, Brighton and Hove City councillor, welcomed powers to ban street drinking, a crackdown pioneered in the city.

He criticised police and magistrates for rejecting the extension of opening times in the city centre, adding: "I am keen to promote a 24-hour city and the cafe culture."