I wholeheartedly agree with Adam Trimingham (Argus, March 4) regarding a directly elected mayor.

The 2001 referendum was indeed bedevilled by an anti Steve Bassam campaign.

I was pleased to support the yes campaign.

There has never been a strong council since Lord Bassam was made a peer by Tony Blair.

In fact we had a very strong council with experienced men like Caplin, Turner and Lepper and the top chief executive Glynne Jones.

I was an active lead tenant and achieved great progress in planned maintenance. The town really came alive.

Since the Bassam period the council has been very parochial and the leadership virtually nonexistent. We need a Tony Mernagh or Roger French to bring to life what is now a dull and boring administration.

Albert Wright, Sheridan Terrance, Hove