Residents to oversee Eagle Project

Residents and businesses in the Stafford area are being invited to join a group which will monitor a new housing project to help people get back on their feet.

Eagle House, on the Newport Road in Stafford, will be a 32-bed scheme run on behalf of the Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council. The site has been refurbished and is expected to open in early 2010.

The premises will be run by the award winning Midland Heart - the largest housing and regeneration group in the region. In 2006 they we were awarded the 'Housing Corporation Gold Award' for their work in tackling homelessness.

Eagle House will provide support and advice to help single people using the service get education and training opportunities. People staying at the 'House' will go through a rigorous assessment before being offered accommodation.

The scheme aims to help people gain and maintain the skills needed to move onto independent living whilst offering a safe and secure supported environment in which to live.

Now local people are to get the chance to oversee the work of the new project. A group is being set up, which includes representatives from the police, the two councils and local MP David Kidney, and will monitor the running of the scheme. And now the council is looking for two representatives from the community to take a place on the board.

Councillor Patrick Farrington, cabinet member for community at Stafford Borough Council said: "There is a lot of interest in Eagle House from residents and businesses in the area so we feel it is right that the community has a voice on how things are being run.

"We already have an experienced housing provider in Midland Heart to run the premises but it is important to have input from our community on this strong monitoring group - because Eagle House and its residents are going to be part of that community. "

County Councillor, Matthew Ellis, Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing commented: "This is a real opportunity for the community to be involved in this project. It will also give them the chance to find out more about it and break down some of the barriers and dispel the myths that are often associated with a facility of this kind."