MIDDLESBROUGH mayor Ray Mallon will today call for new measures to be introduced to ensure councillors' expenses are totally transparent.

Mr Mallon, who promised voters during last month's mayoral election that he would scrutinise the authority's spending, wants to abolish first class train tickets for members and make them produce receipts for any subsistence claims.

He will tell a meeting of the council's executive board this afternoon that first class train tickets should be limited to himself, the deputy mayor and the speaker when travelling on official business.

Members - who can currently travel first class if they have the approval of the council leader -would only be allowed the privilege when travelling with any of the three on the same business.

Mr Mallon ordered a report into members' allowances for travel and subsistence after sweeping to power with a landslide 26,362 votes.

Councillors are currently allowed to claim for meals without providing receipts.

Mr Mallon's report, which is expected to be approved by the board, recommends that expenses only be paid if receipts are produced.

It also suggests members should use public transport wherever possible. If councillors choose to use their own cars for journeys outside a 75-mile radius they would only be paid the discounted standard class rail fare for that journey.

A council insider said the report would be welcomed by cabinet members.

"It's just to tighten things up and to ensure the system is not abused," he added.

A Middlesbrough Council spokesman said the measures were part of a drive by Mr Mallon to cut costs within the council.

"He's looking at the whole issue and attempting to make some savings and to have some definite procedures where previously there haven't been any."

Last week, the mayor ordered the return of 15 mobile phones used by councillors