Building cohesive communities

Cohesive communities are about more than just preventing or addressing unacceptable behaviour and hate crime.

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No one can impose cohesion on a community, but councils want to do all that they can to create the conditions in which local communities can flourish. We have a strong track record of responding to community cohesion challenges, whether it is the arrival of new communities, acts of terrorism or tensions linked to serious crime incidents. Critically, the knowledge of local councillors about their areas provides a firm foundation for understanding problems and offering clear leadership in addressing them.

The issues that undermine cohesiveness can be deep rooted and systemic, and councils do not control all the levers that can help address them. This guide does not by any stretch claim to have all the answers, but as we continue to make the case for the resources and powers we need to drive forward the cohesion agenda at a local level, it is intended to be a useful starting point for councils in promoting cohesion and working through their own local challenges.