TWO organisations responsible for sport and arts provision in north Durham are to merge.

At the moment, Derwentside District Council's leisure services department looks after Consett's Empire Theatre and Stanley's Lamplight Arts Centre.

Derwentside Leisure is responsible for The Louisa Centre, in Stanley, and the Belle Vue leisure and swim centres, in Consett.

Following a period of consultation, they have agreed to become one organisation from June 1 and trade under the name Leisureworks.

The idea is to incorporate sport and arts development under one development remit, and leisure chiefs hope it will improve existing services.

The council's chief executive, Mike Clark, said: "This is a very exciting period for leisure in Derwentside, one where all leisure activity is being given the best possible chance of developing into a reputable, robust, focused, and forward-looking service.

"This isn't a decision that the district council has taken lightly or in isolation, but a decision that has come out of many months of negotiation and research to guarantee the best solution for safeguarding services in Derwentside and ensuring their growth.

"We, as the district council, have every faith in this happening and wish the new company every success."

Over the past year, the council's leisure services and Derwentside Leisure have been steered by an interim board made up of professionals from the public and private sectors, elected members and staff.

The organisation has been registered as the Derwentside Trust For Sport and the Arts but will be known as Leisureworks.

A promotional campaign is being planned to make sure people are aware of the changes.

Sue Fox, acting theatre and arts manager from the leisure services department, said: "Staff from all areas of leisure are committed to helping the continuing development of services in Derwentside and beyond, and are looking forward to joining together as one organisation, getting on with the job of investing in leisure, and making living and working in Derwentside something to be proud of.

"From the public's point of view, the initial changes may be unnoticeable, but as we move into autumn, we mean to celebrate the merger in style."