Cohesion
It’s our time to step up
Donna Hall asks what local government and other public services can do to ‘glue society back together in our localities’ in the ‘complete absence of national social policy’.
'We've broken the social contract with people'
Former Society of Local Authority Chief Executives president Jo Miller is leaving her chief executive role at Doncaster MBC to take up a new local government post in New Zealand. She talks to Heather Jameson about her legacy.
Uniting communities and promoting equality in Chorley
With her election as mayor of Chorley BC Cllr Hasina Khan has become the first female Asian mayor in Lancashire. She outlines how her previous work and the experiences she gained led to her new role.
Councils to play 'key' role as radicals return
Local authorities will play a ‘key’ role in assessing potentially radicalised individuals and families returning from conflict zones such as Syria, a senior police officer has said.
EXCLUSIVE: Violence could delay EU poll
Polling at the EU elections may be suspended if rioting or open violence breaks out today, returning officers have been told.
Is the Prevent strategy reaching maturity?
The Home Office is positioning its controversial Prevent counter-terror activity alongside town hall safeguarding activities. Mark Conrad speaks to key players involved in a major pilot of the new regime, dubbed ‘Operation Dovetail’
EXCLUSIVE: Concern over councils' ability to cope with polls
Council chiefs have raised concerns with Government about the sector’s capacity to run EU elections so close on the heels of local polls.
EXCLUSIVE: Whitehall warned as Brexit tensions grow
‘Early signs’ of escalating community tensions and hate crime related to Brexit have been reported to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), The MJ has learnt.
EXCLUSIVE: Chiefs' no-deal Brexit capacity warning
Council capacity will be stretched under a no-deal Brexit scenario, local authority chief executives have warned the Government.
Brokenshire announces new integration measures
Communities secretary James Brokenshire has announced new measures to promote integration as the UK moves closer to life outside of the EU.
Controversial Prevent strategy to be reviewed
An independent review of the Prevent anti-radicalisation programme will take place, ministers have announced.
Leaders unite to tackle extremism
Council leaders from across the UK are meeting this week to call for cooperation over tackling extremism and radicalisation within communities.
Tackling the threat of terror together
Mark Conrad recently attended Prevent Strategy Channel Panel training and witnessed the wide range of dilemmas facing frontline staff tackling radicalisation and terror threats.
Frontline staff 'still wary of Prevent'
Frontline local authority staff are still wary of Prevent strategy training amid fears they could be viewed as extensions of the security services, practitioners have told The MJ.
Councils urged to clamp down on radical speakers
Councils will be expected to ensure venues and resources they own do not provide a platform for extremists, a new Prevent strategy toolkit issued by the Home Office has urged.
Immigration benefits lost due to cuts
Government cuts to councils have meant the economic benefits of migration are being lost, new research has found.
Tolerate each other’s freedoms
In the wake of Boris Johnson’s burqa comments, Claire Fox calls for less knee-jerk reaction.
Minister praises councils' Prevent role
Minister Ben Wallace has said he expects ‘natural variations’ in the delivery of local counter-terror strategies as Whitehall hands greater responsibility for Prevent to councils.
Brexit has 'fuelled extremism'
Councils have intensified opposition to far right groups under the Home Office’s Prevent strategy amid indications the Brexit debate has fuelled cases of extremism, an expert has revealed.
Casey: 'Timid' integration green paper delaying action
Action to tackle social segregation and the rise of extremism is not happening quickly enough, a former integration tsar has told MPs.