AN organisation which brings together a range of services to give the town a united voice has been inspected by a government watchdog body.

The Audit Commission reviewed how the Hartlepool Partnership performs.

The commission's report identified key strengths in terms of being inclusive and meeting challenges but it acknowledged there was room for improvement in the way performance information was reported.

The report said the Hartlepool Partnership had a significant role to play in shaping the future of the town and implementing the Government's Neighbourhood Renewal initiative, which is designed to uplift deprived areas of the town.