PRAISE has been heaped on a North-East local authority helping to create new additions to the region's skyline.

Gateshead Borough Council's latest accolade came from Stephen Byers, the Minister whose brief includes local government.

He held up the borough and, in particular, the work on the Gateshead Quays, as forward-thinking and he praised the council for its brave decision-making to help make the development possible.

The council leader, Councillor George Gill, said he was delighted to earn the latest accolade.

It follows praise for work in the borough from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (Cabe) and Time Magazine, which judged the new Millennium Bridge as one of the innovations of 2001.

Cabe also highlighted the "blinking eye" bridge, as it has become known, plus work on the Quays, where a new arts centre is taking shape in the former Baltic Corn Exchange, alongside a regional music centre designed by Sir Norman Foster.

Coun Gill said: "We're delighted Stephen Byers is impressed at what we're doing.

"He realises the massive benefits it will bring to local people, in terms of jobs, training and new housing, which in turn brings more money into our community.

"He can see first hand how wise investment of lottery and public money in some key projects on Gateshead Quays has attracted massive new investment from the private sector, such as in projects like the new Tyne Bridge Hilton International Hotel, now being built."

Mr Byers, MP for nearby North Tyneside, spoke during a recent Commons debate.

He said the work in Gateshead, particularly the cross-Tyne partnerships with neighbouring Newcastle, were "excellent examples of local authorities supporting innovation, being adventurous and being ambitious for their communities.

"What has been achieved on the banks of the Tyne, and particularly on the south bank and in Gateshead, has made a real difference.

"The authorities are to be congratulated on what they have been able to do," said Mr Byers, speaking in his role as Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Architectural experts at Cabe recently named Gates-head as one of "the most forward-thinking local authorities, public sector organ- isations, developers and architectural champions".

It won praise for its "commitment to excellence" and its efforts, along with Newcastle City Council, in attempting to win the title of European City of Culture in 2008