Cash released to help communities fight extremism
By Bristol is to share in £12 million worth of funding which the government hopes will help communities at risk of being exploited by extremists.
The city will receive more than £150,000 through the Connecting Communities fund which will support work within ‘at-risk’ areas, with minority groups and tackle anti-social behaviour.
Announcing the funding, Communities Secretary John Denham said the programme was tackling “head on” issues – real and perceived – which left neglected could prove fertile territory for extremism and “those who would divide our communities”.
The areas Mr Denham referred to include, in Bristol, St George East & West, Hillfields, Brislington East, Southmead and Whitchurch Park – areas which will receive a £55,000 ‘Intensive Engagement Fund’.
He added that every local area should, where necessary, have a comprehensive strategy for tackling all forms of extremism to identify those at risk from those groups and to put plans in place to ensure vulnerable people were not susceptible to those messages.
Deputy Chief Executive Jon House said: “I welcome the announcement of this funding which will enable local communities to improve their environment by helping them to tackle some of the issues that are most important to them.
“The key element to ensuring this funding does make a difference is making sure residents themselves in the targeted areas are involved in deciding what issues the funding needed to be directed at and how best to achieve results.”
The first wave of areas involved in the Connecting Communities programme was announced in October. Bristol is among those in the second wave announced yesterday. The community work being supported will be led through the Bristol Partnership.
A steering group, to be set up in the new year, will oversee the Connecting Communities Programme. The group will include community representatives (from diverse backgrounds) and relevant stakeholders from their statutory and voluntary sectors.
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