A CONFERENCE has discussed how best to spend £12m set aside to tackle social exclusion.

Durham County Council has £12m in European funding to improve social inclusion and has identified helping people into work as a key priority.

More than 180 people attended a conference to discuss the issue.

Councillor Neil Foster, the council’s cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “By working together we give ourselves the best chance of breaking down barriers to social inclusion and making sure that no-one in County Durham is left out.

“It was great to see so many different organisations come together to discuss ways of making support and training available to give people the best chance of finding work.”

The cash is part of a £135m award running to 2020 from the European Structural Fund.