Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement presented a report introducing the draft ‘Faith Builds Community: Working Together in Barking and Dagenham’ policy that had been developed in collaboration with faith communities.

The Cabinet Member commented that people of faith made up a large percentage of the local community and as the demographics of the Borough changed, this was reflected in our faith communities.  The Faith Policy built on the commitments made by the Council in the Borough Manifesto and had an overall vision of “A better connected, faith friendly borough, where people of all backgrounds feel safe, celebrated and included”.  The vision was underpinned by the following key themes and the delivery of the actions aligned to them would assist the Council in meeting its duties under the Equality Act 2010:

·  Celebrating Faith Based Social action

·  Responding to Hate Crime and Prejudice

·  Accessing Spaces and Buildings

·  Safeguarding Vulnerable People

·  Respecting Different Faiths

·  Faiths Working Together

·  Promoting Diverse Voices

The Cabinet Member advised that the Barking and Dagenham Faith Policy would be launched during Interfaith Week in November and would be one of the first of its kind in the country.

Cabinet Members were in unanimous support of the Faith Policy and spoke in particular on the inspiring foreword by Bishop Trevor Mwamba, Chair of the Barking and Dagenham Faith Forum, the shared space proposals and the important role of faith groups in helping to combat serious crime and support the most vulnerable in the community through initiatives such as food banks.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the ‘Faith Builds Community: Working Together in Barking and Dagenham’ policy, as set out at Appendix 1 of the report;

(ii)  Note the proposed approach to faith, collaboratively designed with faith organisations in the Borough, and associated priorities and actions; and

(iii)  Delegate authority to the Director of Policy and Participation, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement, to make minor or routine amendments to the policy as the work with the Faith Forum continues to evolve, so that it continued to be effective in supporting the partnership.