Residents in a block of flats on Brighton seafront want a say in plans for the next Labour conference, saying the last one caused too much disruption.

The request follows a string of complaints about the policing arrangements at this year's event.

Sussex Heights, which overlooks the Brighton Conference Centre, contains 116 flats, some housing elderly or disabled residents.

The directors of the flats said residents suffered excessive disruption despite attending public meetings to voice their concerns before the conference.

They claim residents were not told police officers would be stationed in the entrance hall. Some residents were asked who they were and where they lived when they went in.

There were also complaints about excessive noise from officers stationed on the roof of the Metropole Hotel at night.

Taxis were banned from entering St Margaret's Place.

The directors said they reached an agreement with Sussex Police allowing elderly and disabled residents to get taxi passes, allowing them through.

But residents say although photographs were given to the authorities their passes never materialised.

They claim an offer of £75 towards the cost of taxi fares was made by the police.

Even then, officers patrolling the entrance to St Margaret's Place turned away taxis, forcing elderly and disabled residents to walk.

The directors claim the dustmen were turned away from the flats on two occasions, leaving refuse overflowing.

In a letter to Sussex Police, the directors wrote: "This gives you a picture as to how disruptive this security presence was to a significant number of residents within Sussex Heights, leaving them angry and resentful towards the police, the council and the Labour Party.

"The thought of having to put up with this again in 2001 is most distressing indeed."

A spokesman for Sussex Police declined to comment on the complaints from the residents at Sussex Heights.

However, she pointed to a general apology made by Nigel Yeo, Assistant Chief Constable of Sussex Police and the officer in charge of policing the conference, about the inconvenience to local people.

Mr Yeo said the high level of security was a result of the attack on the MI6 building in London.

He said while the police made every effort to maintain normal life, this had to be secondary to ensuring the security and safety of everybody.