A COUPLE of years before the referendum on regional government for the North-East, the Government had been enthusiastic about directly elected mayors.

But its interest understandably waned when it suffered the embarrassment of three defeats in the North-East - to independent Ray Mallon in Middlesbrough; to Tory Chris Morgan in North Tyneside; and the ultimate humiliation of getting beaten by a man in a monkey suit in Hartlepool.

But now that the notion of regional assemblies is dead in the water, the Government finds itself returning to elected mayors as a way of reviving interest in local politics.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott paved the way for more elected mayors by unveiling plans to drop the "cumbersome" rule that requires five per cent of local residents to petition for a mayoral referendum.

However, he was unable to say what would replace that rule, except to say that there were "more effective means" of gauging public demand.

It's hard not to get the feeling that it's all a bit vague again - just as it was when Mr Prescott told the voters of the North-East what powers an elected assembly might have.

We believe that elected mayors can work. Love him or hate him, Ray Mallon has given Middlesbrough a shake-up and put the town on the map.

But the key will always be finding candidates capable of engaging with local people and making things happen - and they are hard to find.

One way or another, we have to find a way to make local government more meaningful.

But the challenge isn't being made easier by a lack of clarity by central government on how it might be done.