A SCHEME to help improve local communities is heading to east Durham and people are being encouraged to get involved.

Durham County Council’s Community Action Team (CAT) will be working with residents and local organisations between Seventh and Twelfth Street in Horden for the next ten weeks to help people improve housing, environmental and health issues.

The CAT will be meeting with residents to identify the main things the community would like to change and how they can work together to do this.

Residents are invited to talk to the team at the Horden Social Welfare Centre, in Seventh Street, between 10am and 1pm on Tuesday.

It is led by the county council’s environment, health and consumer protection team, working with other departments within the council and the police, fire and rescue, the NHS and environmental regeneration charity Groundwork.

County council environment protection manager Gary Hutchinson said: “Working together and focusing resources on the right issues will make this programme a success.”

The programme which runs from Monday will spend the first two weeks setting its priorities and talking to residents.

It will then spend six weeks implementing the changes and putting ideas into action, before dedicating the final two weeks to reviewing the scheme and setting future objectives.

For more information about the scheme and drop-in sessions contact 03000 261 016, e-mail communityactionteam@durham.gov.uk or visit www.durham.gov.uk/CAT.