A MULTI-MILLION pound scheme to improve a North-East council's services has been unveiled.

Sunderland City Council believes that Putting Peoplefirst will help it to build on the rating it achieved in the Government's first league tables of local authorities.

Peoplefirst will give the 300,000 residents of the city the chance to decide how, where and when they access council and other public services.

Residents will be able to access a range of services at multi-purpose venues such as the Sandhill Centre, in Grindon Lane, Sunderland, or the soon-to-open Hetton Centre, in Hetton-le-Hole.

These include everything from leisure facilities, housing office and GP surgery to an electronic village hall, library, youth and community services, all under one roof.

People will also be able to access services from home via the telephone, the council's website or digital television.

Self-service access points will also be mounted, similar to bank cash machines, in prominent high street and community centre locations.

Chief executive Colin Sinclair said: "The whole idea is to take the hassle out of contacting your council and get rid of the present system where people often have to visit a number of offices or call several different numbers to sort out a basic problem."