A REGENERATION project has won top marks - for building community relationships besides laying bricks and mortar.

West Middlesbrough New Deals for Communities has won plaudits for its good relationships, its moves to set up a neighbourhood trust, and reducing unemployment from nine to six per cent.

The project, set up to see through a multi-million pound revamp of Whinney Banks, Newport and West Lane has also won plaudits for aiding improvements in education, the delivery of services to the community and developing its monitoring system, with residents kept up to date with progress made.

All the plus points add up to a top Band A performance status by the Government Office for the North-East (Gone) carrying out a second annual review.

Resident Edna Donnelly, chairwoman of the West Middlesbrough People's Forum, said: "This will mean a lot to our residents, as they are so committed to the success of the programme.

"I am sure they will be delighted with the recognition from Gone that we are making such good progress. It gives them that extra reassurance of knowing that everyone involved in NDC is working hard to achieve a brighter future for west Middlesbrough."

Harold Stephenson, chairman of the business forum, said: "Local businesses are continuing to feed in all their views as a valued part of the NDC partnership, so that the programme carried on moving forward. Good progress can only be of benefit to businesses and residents in the New Deal area."

Andy Snowden, who heads the West Middlesbrough NDC Interim Board, said the Band A status was excellent news and a boost for all involved in the project, but could not have been achieved without the hard work and commitment of residents, businesses and partner agencies.

He said: "I am confident that working together we will continue to make good progress to achieve real and lasting change in west Middlesbrough."