WORK has started on a plan to tackle unemployment, crime, and transport, health and housing problems in east Cleveland.

Economic and social strategists in the district are appealing to the public to come forward with fresh ideas.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has promised to base its plan on the views of the community, businesses and public services.

An open meeting, described as being of vital importance to the future of rural east Cleveland, will take place at Loftus Town Hall on Tuesday, at 6.30pm.

Public policy consultancy firm GHK has been commissioned to develop the strategy, to be completed in March.

Beth Carss, the council's rural programmes officer, said: "The engagement of the local community in the process is key to the strategy's development.

"This is why a public meeting is being held early in the study to promote discussion about the area's key issues.

"Although the objectives of the current rural strategy, drafted in 1995, are still relevant, the context and delivery measures are outdated. The new strategy will update and replace the existing strategy for the rural area and reflect recent policy developments."

Meanwhile, more than 50 villagers from Kirkleatham have responded to a council report on how to revitalise the village.

The response was mixed but they said there should be no new housing, even though the council hopes to raise cash from selling land to developers to spend elsewhere in the community.

The authority report also suggests selling Kirkleatham Hall Museum to a hotel chain and moving the museum to the old stable block.

The public response to that idea was mixed but more were in favour of it than were against it.