Agenda item

Members were provided with a presentation from the Council’s Stronger Communities Officer who outlined her role and the remit of the Strong and Active Communities.

The Committee was informed that in her role as Stronger Communities Officer she provided:

•        Strategic and policy lead on community cohesion and integration 

•        Advice and guidance on community cohesion across the Council

•        Advice, guidance and support to external partners

•        A community engagement and community development role in relation to community cohesion and integration

Reference was made to the activities which the Stronger Communities Officers was involved in, which included:

•        Developing and Managing the Strong and Active Communities partnership and supporting partners in delivering the action plan

•        Supporting partners in the delivery of community cohesion and integration related projects which

Included English for Speakers of other languages (ESOL), Hayes Carnival, Junior Citizens, Hayes and West Drayton and Yiewsley community engagement programmes, Peabody estate multi-agency partnership, Schools community cohesion partnership

•        Supporting Hillingdon’s Inter Faith Network in developing its activities

•        Supporting Women in the Community Network in developing its activities

•        Supporting the Hillingdon Traveller Forum

•        Support local Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community organisations

•        Working in partnership with the police to monitor and co-ordinate appropriate response on matters relating to community tensions and preventing violent extremism in the borough

Carole Jones, Chair of Strong and Active Communities and Head Teacher of Yeading School attended the meeting and provided Members with details of the work which had been carried out within many of the Borough’s schools.

Members were informed that it was important for community cohesion work to take place with schools because:

•        Schools had a duty to promote community cohesion

•        The sharing of best practice in local schools could be shared across the borough

•        Schools and extended schools had the ethos of being  community minded

•        Young people had an important role to play for the future

•        There was the opportunity to engage not only young people but also parents and the wider community

•        Sustainability

•        Partnership working

Members were provided with a short film on the Community Choir which had been formed from 5 schools, which involved 120 children and around 30 parents. This had been a hugely successful initiative and resulted in the integration of many community groups.

The Committee was informed that 23 schools were involved in the Strong and Active Partnerships and discussion took place on how to get even more schools involved in this initiative.

Reference was made to the Yeading Community House, situated next to Yeading School, which parents and residents from different community groups used to build relationships with others, form friendships and celebrate friendships. This scheme had proved very successful and provided an opportunity for people to engage in programmes that built confidence, explored cultures, shared values and encouraged healthy active lifestyles.

The Committee noted the excellent engagement which was taking place and the positive contribution the work with the schools had to community cohesion and integration within the Borough.

Reference was also made to the work which the Women in the Community Network did in establishing a network of women from different community groups and representatives from the diverse communities in the Borough. This was an area which would be covered in the November witness session.  

Discussion took place on the scope of the review and Members agreed that this be amended to focus on how the Council could reach out to more individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those groups and sections of the community who were difficult to engage with. In addition how did Council services communicate its services to the community, beyond the promotion of its services. What steps were taken to break down barriers to engage with groups which would enable them to interact and integrate with the rest of the community? 

The Committee asked that at their next meeting, the review examined how all residents of the Borough accessed Council services, particularly in relation to Adult Education, Libraries and Sports and Leisure facilities. Officers were asked to invite relevant witnesses.                   

RESOLVED –

1.      That the information provided be noted and the Chair of Strong and Active Communities be congratulated for the work which had been carried out in schools, in relation to community cohesion.

2.  That officers be given the authority to invite relevant witnesses to the next meeting of the Committee to help with the review.