RAY Mallon today enters the Middlesbrough mayoral elections with a lot of baggage.

He comes with a fearsome reputation as a man who gets things done and delivers on his promises. He has formidable organisational abilities and a no-nonsense charisma that appeals to the man on the street. It is this positive baggage that gives him a 30 per cent lead in The Northern Echo's poll.

He also comes with some negative baggage. There is confusion over his guilty pleas when he insists he is innocent. There is also concern over the state of the police force he left behind. In his time at Cleveland, he inspired deep loyalty in some fellow officers, but there has also been factionalism and in-fighting as shown by the mess that is Operation Lancet. It is this baggage that is causing 40 per cent of people to be unsure as to whether he deserves their vote.

The poll shows that people find Labour equally culpable for the mess, and only nine per cent are prepared to commit themselves to the traditional ruling party of Middlesbrough.

However, it is the emotional baggage that comes with Mr Mallon that is most concerning. There is a palpable perception that he - the little man - has been poorly treated by an over-mighty establishment that wanted him crushed. There is a great deal of sympathy for his predicament.

While there may be some merit in this sentiment, it should have no place in deciding who is the new mayor of Middlesbrough. That decision has to be taken purely on the grounds of who is the best person for the job.

The new mayoral office has the potential to evolve into the voice of all the Tees Valley, and should regional government come to the North-East, that voice will have to shout up for the south of County Durham as well to ensure that Newcastle does not get everything its own way.

The mayor will be in charge of a £160m budget and 8,000 people in Middlesbrough, but this is a decision that has importance beyond the narrow boundaries of the council area.