A NEW voice for Blackpool's residents is to be officially launched this week.

The new Blackpool Residents Federation, an organisation uniting residents' groups across the town, holds its inaugural meeting on Friday.

The deputy mayor of Blackpool, Cllr Granville Heap, has agreed to attend and both the town's MPs have also been invited to the meeting at the Co-Op Sports and Social Club, Preston New Road. A steering group has spent three months setting up a new constitution for the organisation and organising funding from Muir Group Housing and the Community Chest.

"The Residents Federation is not council-led, it is totally independent and has outside funding to allow it to operate" said Mike Slater, a member of the steering committee.

"A similar organisation is already up and running in the Wirral, in Birkenhead.

"We have visited them and learnt a lot from them.

"We felt the tenants had their voice with the housing department, but residents were left very much on their own.

"Our goal is to unite eveybody and give the community a voice for whatever individuals have grievances about."

A further meeting will be organised shortly at which nominations will be received for officers and the committee.

Membership of the group is free and open to all properly constituted tenants and residents groups in the Blackpool area.

Friday's launch is strictly by invitation only.

Any group which is interested should contact Mr Slater on 01253 403797, 07775 668653 or email seaside@beach78.fsnet.co.uk.