The government's response to Commission on Integration and Cohesion set out
the following definition of community cohesion:
Community cohesion is what must happen in all communities to enable
different groups of people to get on well together. A key contributor to
community cohesion is integration which is what must happen to enable new
residents and existing residents to adjust to one another.
It also set out a vision of an integrated and cohesive
community based on three foundations:
- people from different backgrounds having similar life opportunities
- people knowing their rights and responsibilities
- people trusting one another and trusting local institutions to act
fairly
There are three key ways of living together:
- a shared future vision and sense of belonging
- a focus on what new and existing communities have in common, alongside
a recognition of the value of diversity
- strong and positive relationships between people from different
backgrounds
GOSE supports and promotes community cohesion in the South
East
The story of community cohesion is different in every area and local
partnerships are best placed to determine what the issues are in their area
and devise actions that will address them. GOSE is well placed to
support CLG Cohesion and Faiths Division to implement the government's
community cohesion agenda at the regional and local level while providing
advice and guidance to local authorities in the South East region.
Regional Network
In the South East we have an active group of Local Authority officers and
key regional and national partners that meet regularly as the
The South East
Regional Community Cohesion Network to support delivery and
learn about emerging issues and best practice. The Government
Office for the South East focuses on regional priority areas, but
welcomes other local authorities.
GOSE facilitates these quarterly meetings by drawing in speakers from
within the network and from external agencies to explore delivery issues
and update members on policy developments.
Tension Monitoring
GOSE supports monthly tension monitoring within the South East region from
our priority areas, and pulls together regional analyses of the information
for central departments and regional partners to get a snapshot of
developments and trends in the region.
Funding
GOSE supports the distribution and use of funds related to cohesion through
the Area Based Grant, the Migration Impact Fund and other ad hoc
initiatives as they arise.
Local Area Agreements
Eight local authorities in the South East have National Indicator 001,
which has a specific focus on cohesion, as a priority target in their Local
Area Agreement.
