THE battle to become the North-East's first directly-elected mayors will hot up in the New Year as the political parties announce their candidates.

Labour is hoping to have its candidates in place by Christmas for the three areas which have so far opted for the new form of local government - Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and North Tyneside.

A fourth area, Durham City, is voting on the proposed changes at the moment. Yesterday, after four days of postal polling, 10,500 papers - 14 per cent - had been returned. The polls close, at 9pm on Tuesday.

The Government has yet to announce who will be allowed to stand in the elections on May 2, but it seems likely to decide that you must either have lived or worked in an area for a year before you can be considered as mayor.

This means that should Durham City vote yes, the controversial cobbler Tony Martin, who has already put his name forward, will be eligible because, although he lives in North Tyneside, he has worked in the city for years.

Middlesbrough could be more interesting. Ray Mallon, the controversial policeman, lives outside the town, in Stockton, and has not been able to work for more than three years because of his suspension from Cleveland Police. However, because Mr Mallon has continued to receive pay from the police, he is confident he will still be eligible.

The three major political parties are pledging to make their selection processes for candidates as open as possible.

Labour's plans are the most advanced. Nominations to be the party's candidate in Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and North Tyneside must be received by November 26, with people even allowed to nominate themselves.

The nominations will then go before an eight-person panel, four of whom will come from the local constituency and four from the regional party. This is supposed to prevent local rivalries dominating the selection process.

The panels will have a fortnight to come up with a shortlist of between four and six names. Every member of the local party will then vote to choose the candidate. In Middlesbrough, there are 1,400 Labour members, Hartlepool has 800 and North Tyneside 1,600. In Durham City, there are about 600.

The results should be known by December 21.

"We are hoping this process will get us candidates quickly so that they can develop policies and manifestos that are exciting," said a Labour spokesman, who expected the campaigning to begin in earnest in the New Year.

The Conservatives and LibDems seem likely to follow a similar process.

A Conservative spokesman said: "All party members will have a chance to see, hear and vote. It will be an open selection process, carried out by a modern, democratic party."

Durham City hopes to emulate the 35 per cent turnouts that the other areas managed when its polls close next week.

"There seems to be a healthy level of interest at the moment and we think that will grow," said a council spokeswoman.

The ruling Labour Party in the city is opposed to a directly-elected mayor, saying it will concentrate too much power in one person's hands. The LibDems, who have opposed the concept across the region on the grounds of cost, agree.

The Conservatives, who are also usually against the mayors, have taken out newspaper advertisements urging people to vote yes