If anybody needs to be assured it is not mere whim that has Brighton and Hove City Council held in such low regard, one need look no further than the disgraceful performance by Councillor Brian Fitch at the latest policy and resources committee.

There was discussion about an all-postal ballot for the highly-charged local elections in May. After a while, when views had been exchanged with some vigour, Coun Fitch got to his feet and gave a peculiar monologue, which rambled all over the place with no logical flow, especially when making the claim that, with Remembrance Day just commemorated, it was incumbent upon the council to introduce an all-postal ballot.

Let's think this through. People drowned on the Arctic convoys, fell bloody into the desert sands and plunged from the skies. One can be sure, as they did so, none expired with the final thought: "Well, that's it for me, but at least there could be an all-postal ballot in Brighton in 60 years' time."

Those awful exertions required more energy than is needed to amble to a polling station. Such people died for democracy - that is, for debate - not for their memory to be hijacked by Coun Fitch as he larges it. If, as he claims, these lives were laid down in hope of an all-postal ballot, why did he not mention it when he joined the council years ago? Coun Fitch is just trotting out the latest line and using a cheap shot to do so.

-Christopher Hawtree, Westbourne Gardens, Hove