Just one candidate has emerged in the contest to fill one of the country's most important public sector jobs.

Simon Burgess, who has 10 years' experience as a councillor, is almost certain to be appointed unchallenged as leader of Brighton and Hove City Council next month.

In an interview with The Argus he promised action to rebuild the West Pier but ruled out park-and-ride as a realistic answer to the city's traffic jams in the foreseeable future.

The council controls an annual budget of almost £200 million and is on the brink of a number of key decisions which could improve or worsen the lives of 250,000 people for generations.

Yet Coun Burgess, 41, was the only nomination to succeed Ken Bodfish as leader of the ruling Labour group as the deadline passed at noon yesterday.

Barring an unlikely coalition of Conservative and Green opponents, Coun Burgess is expected to be confirmed leader of the Labour-led minority administration on February 23.

Finance councillor Simon Burgess' colleagues told The Argus there would be no competition because they were uniting behind their best candidate.

But political opponents said it was an indication that the job had become a mission impossible.

Coun Burgess said: "It's not a poisoned chalice but it's certainly a challenge. If people have chosen not to stand against me it means the party is uniting behind me. It's a great honour and makes me a little nervous, and shows I have got a big challenge to show I'm worthy of that trust."

Coun Burgess said if he was confirmed as leader of the council he would put public services at the top of the agenda. He said he would prioritise affordable homes, underlining his support for the controversial King Alfred development on Hove seafront.

But he poured cold water on any hopes of a park-and-ride scheme to solve the city's transport problems in the near future. He said: "There's no way the city is going to make progress on a park-and-ride until the different parties have resolved their differences. We need to hammer out a consensus. I still want to see a park-and-ride scheme but it's incredibly hard to know which site would get support."

But he promised action to rebuild the rusting West Pier, which had become an "embarrassment" to the city.

Political opponents last night expressed little surprise that Coun Burgess had succeeded to the leadership unchallenged.

Green Party convenor Keith Taylor said: "Taking over the controls of Labour when so many of its plans are going wrong is a brave move indeed. I'm not surprised people are not rushing to put themselves up for the job. They have realised whoever does it is in for a very hard ride."