GOVERNMENT officials have been asked to back moves to improve life for more than 11,000 people in rural east Cleveland.

A bid is being submitted to the Government for £2.6m from the Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder Programme, which would be invested to develop community services.

The application is being made by the Coast and Country Housing housing association, which wants to establish the partnership.

It would bring together local agencies, including Redcar and Cleveland Council, Cleveland Police, the Rural Community Council, parish councils, the Countryside Agency and community groups.

They would work together to improve services for rural communities, focusing on people living in Loftus, Lockwood and Skinningrove.

If the plan is approved, Coast and Country Housing would be the first registered social landlord in the country to initiate a Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder.

Coast and Country Housing chief executive Iain Sim said: "Like many rural areas, Loftus suffers from problems of inaccessible services and a lack of co-ordination between the agencies that provide them.

"The purpose of the Pathfinder is to turn this problem around for the benefit of the wider community."

Mr Sim said that community involvement would be central to the initiative, which aims to restructure services to meet local needs.

A neighbourhood manager would be appointed and report directly to a partnership board, which would be made up of people with an interest in the area.

Mr Sim said: "Coast and Country Housing is delighted to be playing such an integral part in the submission of the bid, the results of which will be given in a ministerial announcement in December.''

A Cleveland Police spokesman last night said: "We put people first and, working in partnership, we explore every opportunity to create better conditions and lifestyles for people in the community.''

Councillor Chris Abbott, Redcar and Cleveland Council cabinet member for housing, said: "The council is very excited about this proposal and will do everything it can to support the people of east Cleveland.''