A MAJOR scheme to regenerate part of east Cleveland is taking effect.

The small town of Skelton has more than £1m to spend thanks to the Single Regeneration Budget.

Schemes in the town are mainly targeting young people, and include a training programme for youngsters, confidence-building sessions, and free child care support for young parents.

A learning centre to encourage adults over the age of 16 into employment and further education is also proving a success.

A project is under way to turn empty properties into rented accommodation for young people, and the first of the buildings, in Charlotte Street, has been refurbished.

In another scheme, closed-circuit television cameras are being erected to cut crime levels.

The former Barclays Bank is to be refurbished and turned into an Internet cafe, which will hopefully be open by the end of the year.

The town will also benefit from a £1m investment into its industrial estate, announced last week.

A recreation site in Station Road is being turned into the Hollybush multi-activity centre, which will provide a sports hall, pavilion, changing facilities, cafe and meeting room, as well as a multi-sports floodlit pitch, and an all-weather artificial turf pitch. In a separate move, a £20,000 scheme to improve access for buses has been approved, thanks to a government scheme.

The money will fund alterations to a junction in Station Road leading to a new estate of 600 houses.

Councillor Helen McLuckie, who represents Skelton on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said it was all wonderful news.

She said: "Skelton is getting bigger and bigger all the time.

"There is going to be low-cost housing, but there is also going to be executive-style housing, which Skelton does lack.

"With the industrial estate here, it will attract people to live in Skelton, and also bring money into the town."