I'm surprised the Argus is seemingly backing a directly-elected mayor for Brighton and Hove after running its campaign Behind Closed Doors (Argus, February 1).

The only people this new system is going to benefit will be some politician on an ego trip and big business wanting to operate behind closed doors.

If the Government wants to get more people to take elections seriously then it has to give people back their vote.

At the moment, if you live in a safe ward of a party you don't care for, your vote is effectively useless.

Some form of proportional representation has got to be a must if local and national government is going to retain any credibility.

Creating a powerful mayor is concentrating too much power in one person's hands.

I for one would rather Brighton and Hove Council spent our hard-earned cash on something useful rather than running a referendum for a mayor.

-Chris Todd, Hollingdean Terrace, Brighton