Area unites for funding Businesses, organisations and councils from Carterton and the surrounding villages are working together to attract funding to improve the vitality of the area.

Twenty-seven groups have signed up to take part in the Carterton Check.

Carterton Town Council has won funding from the Countryside Agency to employ co-ordinator Catherine Chater.

She will help the town take part in the Market Towns Healthcheck scheme.

Miss Chater said: "I will be working with the community to gather and analyse information about the town and surrounding villages to be used as a basis for an action plan to attract funding."

Mayor Keith Stone, said: "We intend to make the most of this to take a comprehensive look at the needs of the area in the short, medium and long term." "The project comes at an especially good time, as it will be able to take account of all the new housing development taking place in the north east of the town as well as helping to develop closer links with our neighbouring villages."