Inequality Taskforce recommendations

Meeting the challenge

Download and read the full report in the 'useful' documents section at the bottom of the page. 

The taskforce proposes that an alternative focus for the council is to greatly increase the sense of personal and community power in the borough, particularly for those facing poverty and deprivation.

Community power is the idea that local communities should have much greater influence and control over the plans, decisions, and public services that affect their lives.

• At the heart of a community powered approach is the idea of letting communities themselves and those with lived experience shape the decisions that affect their lives.
• Though the council has limited means to directly improve the conditions of the least well-off, a focus on community power could, over time, boost how residents view themselves, their lives and hope for change. This may help build greater effectiveness of council and other efforts to support residents,
• The council workforce could take on the role of encouraging purposeful action by people and communities facing poverty.

Recommendations

Based on the considerations in their report, the taskforce suggests the council takes the following practical steps.

• Identify the full range of communities the council want to work in partnership to address inequality and poverty.
• Start open conversations with residents in these communities.
• Deal with immediate community issues.
• Build trust, confidence and capabilities of everyone over the long term.
• Build a dedicated team, and the capabilities of council and communities, to lead this work. 
• Bring communities together to support each other and collaborate at the right time.
• Start measuring and evaluating early.

The goal must be to make strengthening the idea of personal and community power a recognised responsibility across the whole system within the borough.