A RESIDENTS' group is backing its local MP in his battle with councillors to clean up the heart of a former mining town.

Earlier this year, North Durham MP Kevan Jones started a war of words with Derwentside District Council, dubbing the authority "about as popular as a dose of the plague".

He said it had failed to properly represent the people of Stanley.

Yesterday, the chairman of Stanley Action Group Enterprise (Sage), Maureen Storey, backed the MP's comments.

"At last we have someone who is prepared to speak up for the residents of this part of Derwentside," she said.

"Kevan Jones has heard of all the problems in the area from his constituents. When he raises concerns about the lack of effective representation at all levels, his information must come from only one source. That is from the people he meets in his constituency.

She said the town had suffered 25 years of neglect, following the abolition of the old system of local government.

"Sage has been trying for three years to persuade Derwentside District Council to improve Stanley town centre," she said. "The council has promised much, but apart from one or two small improvements, little has changed."

Mr Jones welcomed Sage's backing. "What we need now is everyone working together to improve Stanley - myself, the council and groups like Sage," he said.

Alex Watson, the leader of the council, said that the area had received £22m of council cash last year and denied that Stanley had been neglected at all.

"Stanley has had more investment than any other place in Derwentside," he said. "It was needed and more is still needed. But to say Stanley has been neglected is wrong.

"I am totally convinced that within five years we will have turned Stanley around and the people can look forward to that."

The authority will publish a special edition of its newsletter in October, explaining exactly where money has been spent in the district. The council is also arranging a public meeting in Stanley civic hall this autumn, to discuss future plans for the town.