A POLITICIAN is vowing to bring 1,000 more jobs and 100 businesses to a town if she is elected mayor.

Many of those jobs could come with the redevelopment of Middlesbrough's old dockland - Middlehaven - which Sylvia Connolly, Labour's candidate for mayor of the Tees town, regards as a top regional priority.

Explaining the reason she wants to be mayor, Councillor Connolly, the borough council's deputy leader, said: "I want to be there because I think it's a key job for Middlesbrough in the years to come, to help us maintain our position as a sub regional centre and to have a real voice for Middlesbrough.

"I am experienced. I do understand local government, which is important, and have long experience of working in the community, listening to people. I think I have a deep understanding of the problems and issues in Middlesbrough."

Listing her priorities, the solicitor and law lecturer said: "First of all, to create jobs and support all businesses. It is vital that jobs are generated and protected in the town and that, in turn, helps improve people's quality of life.

"It is vital that is underpinned with skills training and education, making sure our young people are qualified and skilled."

She wants to make the town safer, taking on 50 more community wardens to patrol the town in her first year of office.

The mother-of-two said: "For the people I talk to in the community, crime is a very important issue.

"I have a whole package of proposals, but what I am committed to is an increase in the number of community wardens."

Providing and improving housing across the borough is another priority in her manifesto, as well as support for a light rapid transit system, if there is public support, and online reservations for car parking spaces to relieve traffic congestion.

She wants a clean-up of vice and to set up an American- style specialist drugs court, and to ensure value-for-money spending on education and the phasing out of temporary classrooms.

She said: "Being mayor is about the future of the town."

Rival contender Ray Mallon produced his manifesto this week.

Liberal Democrat candidate Joe Michna is publishing his on April 2. Charity founder and candidate Rod Jones says he will be publishing his manifesto shortly.