DETAILED plans to breathe new life into Stanley town centre have been published.

The three directors of Derwentside District Council, the most powerful officers at the authority, have made a number of recommendations for the town as well as arguing that £250,000 be made available for improvements.

The report acknowledges that the authority has suffered 'a large degree of criticism from the community about perceived inaction.'

The latest in a line of documents about the town, which will be considered by the council's Executive Committee next week, recommends: £150,000 be spent on the town's View Lane Park, £100,000 be spent on improving the general environment of Stanley, a town centre manager be appointed and the newly established Stanley Joint Steering Group be officially recognised.

Other ideas in the report include trying to alleviate the costs of the lease to the now abandoned Tommy Armstrong Centre building, redevelop Stanley Bus Station and reconsider the possibility of developing the Kings Head Playing Fields after recent plans for a £100m development were shelved.

Suggestions include an idea from Patrick Conway, Durham County Council's director of arts libraries and museums, to promote the town's cultural heritage to attract visitors, road improvements to Royal Road and encouraging retail development on Clifford Road.

The report comes after prolonged criticism from the Stanley Action Group Enterprise and new MP for the area Kevan Jones.

Derwentside council will now organise a public meeting in the town and will attempt to glean more favourable press coverage

Mike Clark, director of public services, who wrote the report with Alan Hodgson, director of community development, and Keith Robinson, director of resources, said in the report that the council needed more effective communication with the Stanley public.

He said: "There is a primary need for engagement with the community of Stanley who currently believe that there is a lack of investment and concern being shown by statutory bodies with regard to the future of the town.

"It will be necessary to produce press notices clearly outlining for the community of Stanley and Derwentside the council's approach to the improvement of one of its two major towns."

The report will be discussed at Consett Civic Centre on Monday, May 13, at 4pm.