A video link that will enable people to come face to face with council officials without having to travel is being put on trial.

The scheme has been put together by the County Durham E-Government Partnership, which includes Durham County Council, Derwentside, Teesdale and Wear Valley district councils and Sedgefield Borough Council.

It involves video equipment being installed at community centres, enabling residents, many of whom now find it too difficult to travel to district offices, to "meet" council officers.

The five centres chosen to lead the way are the Resource Centre in Willington, West Cornforth Community Centre, the Voluntary One Stop Shop in Stanley, Evenwood Community Centre and Craghead Village Hall.

Talks have been held with the individual centres that are now working towards the final arrangements in hope that that the system will be in place next month.

The new technology could open the doors of communication to members of the community who may find travelling to their local district offices too difficult, such as people with young children, the elderly and the disabled.