The salary of Middlesbrough's elected mayor 'Robocop' Ray Mallon is to go up by �20,000.

The council approved the 60% pay rise for the former head of CID at Middlesbrough police based on an independent report's recommendation that Mr Mallon's pay should be increased to �50,000 a year.

In nearby Hartlepool, mayor Stuart Drummond's salary is �53,000 a year, but Mr Mallon's pay packet was set at �30,000 when he was elected in May.

Mr Mallon will get a pay rise of �15,000 plus the basic allowance of �5,000 which takes his salary to �50,000 a year.

Advisory panel

Middlesbrough Council said when the post was set up, it was unclear what the extent of the mayor's role would be and therefore what level of salary it should attract.

Councillor Bob Brady, Middlesbrough's deputy mayor, told BBC Radio Cleveland, Mr Mallon's new pay packet was justified.

"Every council in the land has their own independent panel to advise on councillors' and mayors' salaries.

"They recommended the original salary scale... which was very low level compared to other mayors'.

"Hartlepool's panel were nearer the mark than ours.

New opinion

"They were wrong six to eight months ago, but I think they are right now.

"The panel formed their new opinion after six months based on Mr Mallon's performance and workload.

"More importantly, they also had the average salary that was set for the 11 or 12 other elected mayors in the country."

He added: "The mayor of Middlesbrough has responsibility for 8,000 employees, a huge capital programme, �160m investment and services and influences on the lives of 150,000 people."