TRAINING to help people start their own community businesses are being planned as part of the regeneration of run-down areas of Durham.

Durham City Council's economic development committee will be recommended tomorrow to launch Ideas into Action workshops and training courses for would-be entrepreneurs.

The council would run them with the Durham Co-operative Development Association.

It believes the workshops and courses will help its efforts to breathe new life into run-down areas, particularly former pit villages, through Single Regeneration Budget schemes.

The council has helped the association promote workshops for women returners to work and people with special needs.

The workshops will look at ideas for businesses, while the training courses will help people learn the skills they need to run their own business.

Environmental services corporate director Neil Smith says in a report: "An ideal way of encouraging more activity would appear to be a combination of Ideas into Action workshops and in-depth training.

"During the workshops, the needs of local communities will be examined in order to generate business ideas.

"Training courses of ten to 14 days will be offered to people who do not immediately have the confidence, skills or solid business ideas to make a decision on setting up in business.

"They will have the opportunity to learn and practice essential business skills, for example, planning, market research, production management and quality control.''

The sessions, which would be held at Esh Winning, Ushaw Moor and Sherburn Hill, would cost £600 each. There would be extra costs to provide travel, childcare and refreshments for participants.