A SMALL council team with the difficult task of boosting business in one of the country's most deprived areas has been presented with an award for its efforts.

Wear Valley District Council was voted the Best for Business by the North-East Chamber of Commerce in recognition of the support it offers to new and developing companies.

Councillor Belle Bousfield, who chairs the council's economic development and tourism committee, was presented with the trophy by the chamber's new president, Nigel Sherlock.

A citation read out to the chamber's annual meeting in Durham highlighted the "focused and coordinated support" given by the authority.

The largely rural district, recognised in a national survey as the 15th poorest in England, has about 1,500 firms ranging from one-man bands to large corporations.

With only a meagre budget, the council's four-strong economic development team has found that one of the best way of backing companies is to show them how to help themselves.

Department director Myles Handy said that creating jobs was a major target.

He said: "One of the reasons we have won the award is by working closely with the chambers of trade in Bishop Auckland and Weardale.

"While we welcome outside assistance, we want the way forward to be through self-help as well."

"We have promoted everything from farmers' markets to business exhibitions, with the aim of helping people sell more of what they produce.

"We offer a range of financial support through rural enterprise grants and town and village initiatives to encourage new businesses to start up.

"The prosperity of the district depends on the jobs these companies bring, and by working together we can improve their prospects for the future."

Coun Bousfield said: "We are a small authority competing with many much larger councils, so it is a great honour for me to receive this award, which is reward for the efforts of out entire team in economic development and planning."