I DON'T believe that a week is a long time in politics. By deciding to seek a second term as elected Mayor of Middlesbrough, I have acknowledged that five years is too short a time.

It is too short a time to complete the regeneration of the town and the renewal of its communities; too short a time to help our young people fulfil their potential; above all, too short a time to repay the trust that people placed in me in 2002.

I believe that the council and the town have improved substantially in the past five years. The council's organisation and finances are in better shape. It is a better employer. That is a critical factor as without the cooperation and commitment of the people who do the everyday jobs that keep the town ticking, we can achieve nothing. There is a greater consensus on our responsibilities towards the people who elect us.

Last year, more new homes were built than at any time since 1999. The town's shopping malls and open spaces, particularly the new Centre Square look better. mima is no longer just an artist's impression, it is an art gallery as good as any in the UK. School results have improved. The streets are cleaner and safer.

These changes have helped Middlesbrough people achieve greater levels of self-belief and self-confidence and pride in themselves and the town. There is a growing awareness that we can compete and win.

But it is only a start. Middlesbrough contains some of the most materially disadvantaged communities in the UK. The legacy of poor health, bad housing, under-achievement in schools and under-investment in the infrastructure essential for wealth-creation and entrepreneurship won't go away overnight.

We will need to expend a lot of money and energy to tackle them. We will have to continue to dare to be different. The next four years will not be an easy ride. For anyone. I know for some people, particularly those affected by housing regeneration, change has been painful. I know that some are apprehensive of new developments, particularly the casino. These people need to know they will be treated fairly and their concerns dealt with.

And at the end of that time, we will still be hanging up the "Work in Progress" sign. We will only know whether the £90m we are investing in schools, and the expansion of childcare was money well spent when the main recipients, the young people of the town, take their place in society.

If I do return as elected Mayor, I will be focusing on these young people.

Last week, Unicef described the children of Britain as a lost generation, the most troubled, the least happy young people in Europe. I don't agree with every word of that report, but it made clear that we need to alter radically how we engage with young people. We need to articulate to them what society can offer them and what we expect from them in return.

We need to find them again. That search will begin in Middlesbrough.

These are some of the factors behind my decision to stand. Whether people support my decision, I will know soon enough. My main hope is that, whatever their views, people in Middlesbrough and in every other place that has local elections do take the time to vote. In that way we can all make our mark.