IT'S THE job that nobody seems to want.

With just two days to go before Southampton's mayor-making ceremony, party council leaders are still tackling the question of who will take over from Parvin Damani as the city's first citizen.

Over the weekend, leaders of the city's ruling Liberal Democrat group and the opposition Labour and Tory groups have been engaged in tense discussions about who will be the mayor and sheriff of Southampton for this year.

But, so far, no new names have emerged which the three parties can agree on.

The trouble arose following city Sheriff Harry Mitchell's defeat in the recent local elections.

Normally, the sheriff is automatically elected as mayor to serve the following year.

Now, with Mr Mitchell due to bow out from his post on Wednesday, city chiefs are faced with a dilemma - who to elect as mayor?

Leaders of all three political groups are keeping tight-lipped about possible contenders for the role.

They are due to meet with their groups this evening to see if a candidate can emerge who is agreeable to all three parties.

The dilemma is compounded by the fact that when Mr Mitchell was elected as sheriff, he was an independent councillor having previously been both a Liberal Democrat and a member of the breakaway Liberal group.

He later joined the council's opposition Labour group and stood as a Labour councillor before his defeat on June 14.

One thing all party leaders are agreed on is the need to avoid the clashes two years ago when Liberal Democrat Norah Goss was denied her expected post as city mayor by the combined votes of Labour and Tory councillors.

Labour group leader Councillor June Bridle: "Harry was a sad loss. He would have made a very good mayor."