Only nine people out of 14,500 attended the annual meeting of a town council - and one was an eight-year-old boy.

Members of Uckfield Town Council said they feared next month's local elections may have to be cancelled because there is so little political interest.

It is doubtful even a third of the town's population will turn out to vote in the polls.

And former mayor Barrie Murray said the meeting's response was typical of the town and he feared for its democratic future.

One resident said after the meeting on Tuesday night - designed as an opportunity for the public to question their representatives - the town was suffering from "lethargy".

Mr Murray warned there will not be enough candidates to contest for the council's 15 seats in May.

He said: "No-one's interested in politics. If we get a third of the population out to vote next month we'll be happy.

"Will we get enough people to have an election, that's my next question? If we get 16 candidates we'll have to hold one for one ward but we certainly won't get a full house.

"I'd be very surprised if we'll have enough people interested in councillors to have an election.

"I'd say that nine was about average for these meetings.

"I did point out to the ensemble who felt the council's advertising wasn't very good that the attendance for 2005 was nine and 2006 was nine. So we were only half an adult down."

Councillors said there was plenty on the council's agenda for the people to talk about.

Shopping giant Tesco is looking to buy up more land in the small market town, despite already operating a huge superstore behind the council offices.

And the town still desperately needs a new doctors surgery, the location of which residents have been arguing over for more than two years.

But those at the meeting said councillors asked more questions from the floor than residents, and it was all wrapped up by 9pm.

One member of the public said: "It wasn't really a public meeting at all. The lack of turn out was either because people are entirely satisfied or extremely lethargic - and I'd vouch for the second.

"It's obviously disappointing. You go to other towns and there's a really good turn out. It's almost as if they are holding this meeting by law but they don't make a big thing of it."

Town clerk Ashley Serpis denied the event had not been properly advertised, with notices published on boards, in newspapers, the council's website and the newsletter The Uckfield Voice.

He said: "Some people said it was because they don't have many problems to worry about.

"To a certain extent you're always disappointed by the low turnout but we do a lot of consultations so it's not as if people are kept in the dark.

"Some think the phrase Annual Town Meeting sounds a bit formal and puts people off."

An increasing frustration with party politics led some councillors to ditch their parties last year and launch a new alliance, Uckfield First.

Many will now stand as Independents in next month's elections, rather than Conservatives or Labour.

But Uckfield First spokesman Mike Ziolek said: "For my money the annual meeting tends to be largely irrelevant for anyone who actually does anything in the town."