Many people would find the idea of sitting through a three-hour long council meeting a form of cruel and unusual punishment.

Not Colin Bennett.

The retired electrical engineer, who has hearing difficulties, is taking Brighton and Hove City Council to court in an attempt to force it to make every single speech and debate audible to the hard of hearing.

Mr Bennett, 64, from Hove, has been campaigning for seven years to get the council to install fully functioning induction loops in the city's two debating chambers and main committee rooms. An induction loop allows anyone with a hearing aid to hear proceedings crystal clear.

The council installed one in Hove Town Hall three years ago but since then it has been dogged with technical problems.

At the start of the year the council installed a local loop at Brighton Town Hall which covers an area of about six seats in the members' area. None of the committee rooms has been fitted with the technology.

After years of letter writing and quiet nudging, Mr Bennett has had enough and is suing the council under the Disability Discrimination Act.

The case is due to reach Brighton County Court on September 9, when a judge will say whether his case is strong enough to proceed to trial.

Mr Bennett is not looking for compensation but for the council to be compelled to install, operate and maintain an induction loop or infra-red system in all public chambers.

He said: "I regret I have had to take it this far but I take a keen interest in local affairs and I like to know what our elected members are saying. At the moment my democratic rights are being taken away."

Mr Bennett is backed by the Brighton and Hove Disability Advice Centre. Volunteer Diane Fazackarley said: "This is not a small organisation, it's the council and everyone should be able to hear what is going on."

Councillor Paul Elgood, chairman of the equalities forum on the council, said: "Colin Bennett has been a tireless campaigner on these issues and is very right to raise them. The council must meet the needs of all residents, especially those who have a disability."

The council refused to comment on Mr Bennett's case but a spokeswoman said: "The council is committed to improving disabled access in all of the 458 council-owned buildings and to promoting accessibility to the city as a whole."