COUNCILLORS could be put on performance-related pay to make sure they earn their money.

Mayor Ray Mallon is considering rewarding the workers and punishing the shirkers who represent council tax-payers in Middlesbrough.

The town's 48 councillors receive an annual basic allowance of £5,000, and those with special responsibilities have additional payments.

Mr Mallon is looking to introduce a system where councillors who best represent their constituents benefit and those who fail to are docked part of their allowance.

The move could add to Middlesbrough Council's annual bill of £400,000 but he said it would be money well spent.

He said: "People sometimes shout from the rooftops that councillors should not be getting more money but they don't know what goes on here, I do.

"Most right-minded people believe in fairness and that's exactly what I believe in. This is all about fairness and I think it only right that I should look at this."

Councillors would be assessed on skills and tasks, such as the number of their ward surgeries, how many meetings they attend and how they deal with complaints.

They would be put on a pay scale to reflect performance.

Mr Mallon said: "Some councillors are, effectively, professional councillors who are working more than 40 hours a week.

"Why should they be getting £5,000 a year when others are not even doing an hour a week and getting the same?

"It is an anomaly in the system and it is wrong. I think performance-related pay is something we should be looking at taking forward.

"Everyone else in employment is monitored and they should get the going rate, so why not councillors?

"I see what's going on here and see how hard some people are working and I want to see them rewarded.

"The vast majority of councillors in Middlesbrough are either excellent, very good or good. There are only a couple who are fair and a couple who are poor, but I have hardly met them because they are never here."