A few months ago, councillors were saying the "fourth option" - for the council to continue to own and run the city's housing - was silly wishful thinking.

Thankfully, some Labour councillors have at last seen the light and are proposing that tenants be given this real choice.

Our experience at Defend Council Housing in Brighton and Hove, is that council tenants overwelmingly want to remain so. They do not want their landlord changed because they don't want to pay higher rents or endure the profiteering and lack of accountability of privatised housing. Councillors with tenants in their wards have said, all along, this was the preference of their constituents.

Councillors must look to their consciences. Doing so, how could they refuse to endorse democracy and give tenants the "fourth option" on the coming ballot paper?

We'd like to invite all tenants and supporters to join us at Brighton Town Hall on Thursday, March 10 at 6.15pm, to witness whether their local councillors are helping or hindering democracy.

-Jane Erin, Secretary, Defend Council Housing, Portslade,