A DELEGATION from a Slovakian city council is visiting north Durham to get ideas about working with the community.

Members of the Independent Citizens' Commission from the town of Banska Bystrica, in Slovakia, will visit Lilac House, in Sacriston, as part of their tour today.

The party is on a fact-finding visit to get ideas of how a local authority works with a community.

The Lilac House Tenant and Resident Association in partnership with the Chester-le-Street District Council, the StreetSafe Initiative and various others, has led to greater community participation and improvements to the Sacriston area.

One of the initiatives is the Estate Agreement, which was developed through the StreetSafe Initiative. It is a multi-agency partnership agreement about work on the estate with an action plan developed by working with the Lilac House Tenants and Residents Group.

The Slovakian delegation will have the opportunity to meet members of the residents' association and district council representatives.

They are looking for ideas to take back to their home country to improve relationships between the city council and citizens of the town.