A TOWN'S quest to form a community partnership has moved a step closer with the help of a £3,500 grant.

People living in Shildon are being urged to attend a public meeting at the end of this month to find out how such a community partnership might be able to help enhance the town.

The idea has already attracted the support of the town's chamber of trade and its Pub Watch group.

It is hoped it will also capture the imagination of local people and voluntary groups in Shildon.

Mike Stott, from Shildon Project Initiation of Community Enterprise Limited (Spice), in Church Street, said he had been looking at the idea of a partnership for some time but that the timing had not been right for such an enterprise before.

Shildon is the only major town in the area which does not have a clearly defined community partnership to help with improvements and progress.

Mr Stott said: "Other towns and villages such as West Cornforth have community partnerships, and they have been very successful.

"This will give the people of Shildon a voice and we would be able to access more funding.''

Spice has been given a grant to help set up a community partnership and is now urging the town's residents to support it.

A public meeting will be held to discuss the issue in Shildon Civic Hall on Thursday, April 29, at 7pm.

Individuals, representatives of community groups, voluntary organisations, residents' associations, businesses, pubs and clubs are being urged to attend to discuss the proposal.

Mr Stott said: "Volunteers at Spice and other organisations in the town have gained a lot of experience over the past four years in identifying pots of money and going for funding.

"We have a lot of knowledge about what is available and we should now come together to use this for the benefit of Shildon.''

The chairman of Shildon's Chamber of Trade, Brian Stoker, said he would back a partnership.

He said: "With the opening of the railway museum in September, we need to take this opportunity to breathe new life into the town.

"We are all going to get something out of this, so we cannot just sit back and just let it happen. It would be a missed opportunity.'