PEOPLE living in Hartlepool's New Deal for Communities (NDC) area are being urged to go to a meeting.

The next meeting of the NDC's Community Forum is on Monday at Belle Vue Community Sports and Youth Centre, in Kendal Road, at 6pm.

As usual, the forum will give people the chance to hear about and discuss the progress being made to revitalise the area under the NDC programme.

However, this meeting is more important as it will include the forum's annual meeting.

People at the meeting will be asked to agree on a consortium for the forum, and on dates for forum meetings.

Immediately after the meeting there will be updates on some NDC projects. These will include presentations on activities to help improve the health of residents in the NDC area and to boost youngsters' educational attainment.

There will also be a discussion on the progress of the community housing plan.

Louise Anderson, NDC community involvement co-ordinator, said: "This is a particularly important forum meeting as it involves setting ground rules for the way in which the forum will operate in future.

"It is vital that as many people as possible come along and take part in the meeting."