Bradford Council leader Margaret Eaton is to meet ministers over the authority's failings in a major housing project.

Independent inspectors found a £19.5 million scheme to help vulnerable groups live more independently was 'poor' with 'uncertain prospects'.

They awarded the Supporting People programme no stars out of a possible three - only three other local authorities in the country scored so low.

Council chiefs responded with an action plan, but the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, has now summoned them to a meeting.

An ODPM spokesman said: "There was a meeting with Bradford Council due to take place in April. This has been postponed and rearranged for later in the year and that is to discuss how to start moving Bradford's local supporting people programme forward.

"Bradford Council is being treated no differently to the other authorities with similar Audit Commission inspection findings."

January's critical Audit Commission report said service users in Bradford had not been consulted well enough and recommended better preparation and more value for money.

The Council's 11-page draft response goes before members on Thursday and it will inform them that some of the recommendations have already been addressed.

A Council spokesman said: "We hope the Council leader, Councillor Margaret Eaton, will be attending the meeting with the ODPM along with a senior Council officer although a date has yet to be confirmed. We are hoping that the meeting will explore ways which we can work with the ODPM to help us improve the quality of our service."

Councillor Dave Green (Lab, Wibsey), Labour group deputy leader, said: "It reflects very badly on Bradford that we have such a low star rating and that there now has to be national intervention.

"This money, which is supposed to help some of the most deprived people in the district, has not been spent where it was targeted."

Councillor Simon Cooke (Con, Bingley Rural), the Council's executive member with responsibility for the programme, was unavailable for comment.