A FORMER council house in Acton Dene, East Stanley, is being transformed into a community centre thanks to a £20,000 grant.

Derwentside District Council is leasing one of its bungalows to the Stanley Hall Community Partnership to turn into a small community centre with the grant from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Partnership committee member Rosemary Robson, of Burns Close, said: "We found out there was £20,000 available for our community, but there was no organisation in place to run a project, so we had to create the partnership.

"Stanley itself has plenty of good facilities like this, but there was nothing in the Acton Dene area and we felt this was where the money should go."

Council leader Alex Watson said: "We are finding throughout Derwentside that communities are taking some of the responsibility onto themselves to look after their neighbourhood. This hard work and commitment is laudable and something we want to foster."

Workers have spent the past five months transforming the house into a one-stop shop for community services, with access for people with disabilities.

Residents will be able to meet local police, council housing officers and staff from the local credit union.

It will also include computer facilities for the blind and visually impaired and a cultural information point, offering details of events and sites of interest in the area.

The centre will be available to people in the East Stanley area, from Wear Road to the Burnside Estate.

The group is also looking for more members to join its committee. "There are only a few of us and we need more bodies - especially the young," said Mrs Robson.

Anyone interested in joining the Stanley Hall Community Partnership should contact the secretary, Claire Vasey, on (01207) 280325.