Go beyond public sector equality duty to strengthen community cohesion, LGA tells councils

In a briefing, Strengthening community cohesion, the LGA said: “Cohesive communities are also resilient communities. In the face of climate change, terrorism, pandemics, economic uncertainty and an increasingly volatile world, that resilience is more important than ever.”

The briefing covers:

• Key messages
• Background
• The case for investing in social cohesion
• Common Ground: Building Cohesive Communities
• Mis and Disinformation
• Special Interest Group on Countering Extremism

Key messages in the briefing include that councils have a vital role to play in building community cohesion “and local government must be central to the national cohesion agenda”.

It highlighted guidance on social cohesion authored by the Belong Network and endorsed by the Association, Common Ground: Building Cohesive Communities, which provides local authorities with the tools to address the challenges they face and share good practice.

This guide, which was issued in January this year, “helpfully sets out the relationships and partnership models that can be drawn upon to build and sustain social cohesion at a local level”, the LGA said.

It added: “In many respects, everything councils do is relevant to social cohesion. Council services contribute towards a shared sense of belonging, of communities at ease with themselves - an aspiration we all share. Councils recognise, social cohesion is not self-sustaining; it must be actively nurtured to endure. Too often, social cohesion is only noticed by its absence, slipping between policy priorities and falling through the gaps between services.

“Social cohesion is about place-making - creating communities where people live, work and spend time. We know that cohesive and socially connected communities are more likely to attract investment, support innovation and retain the talent that local economies need.”

The LGA stressed that building cohesive communities is not solely the responsibility of local authorities. “Despite their role as place leaders, councils do not control all the factors required to address these challenges.”