Two-year programme to strengthen cohesion and counter hate
Barnet Council is preparing to expand its community safety work under a fresh, two-year programme supported by an additional £500,000 from central government. The funding, confirmed in May, will underpin measures aimed at tackling antisemitism, building social cohesion and improving the monitoring of community tensions across the borough.
The council says the package will prioritise education, targeted engagement with communities, and practical steps to identify and respond to risks. It follows what the authority describes as a difficult period for many local residents. Setting out the approach, the cabinet member for community safety and cohesion said work across the council and the police had progressed in recent months, and acknowledged the contribution of local partners.
“The last few months have been extremely difficult for many local communities in the borough, and I welcome the progress being made across the police and council teams responsible for community safety and building cohesion in Barnet. We have worked extensively to ensure residents’ voices are heard locally and nationally. Barnet is fortunate to be a borough where people generally get on well with their neighbours and where hatred and division have never had the foundations to grow.”
What the plan includes
According to the council, the programme will introduce a series of linked actions designed to promote resilience and allyship, improve access to support, and create clearer pathways for residents to raise concerns. The measures are expected to run over the full two years and will be coordinated across community safety and neighbourhood services.
- An education action plan for schools to counter hate and extremism.
- Development of community leadership programmes to support trusted local voices.
- Continued delivery of the council’s Connecting Communities campaign.
- Targeted workshops with Jewish and Muslim community leaders and wider public engagement.
- Improved systems to monitor community tensions and respond promptly.
To deliver the work, the council will recruit two new officers: one post within the community safety team and another in the communities team. The authority says job adverts will be issued this month, enabling the programme to get underway quickly.
Additional police presence and new hub in Golders Green
The roll-out coincides with the Metropolitan Police’s launch of a Community Protection Team dedicated to the borough. The force plans to assign many extra officers locally and establish a new community hub in Golders Green, providing a focal point for engagement and problem-solving alongside enforcement activity.
Council leaders have framed the combined approach—council-led prevention and support with strengthened policing—as a direct response to attempts to inflame local tensions. The cabinet member for community safety and cohesion added that partnership working would remain central to the next phase.
“In recent months we have seen external factors trying to increase community tensions and bring violence and terror to our borough. Tackling this is a key priority for this council and we recognise and are thankful for our police and fire partners and the many organisations and residents across the borough who are committed to meeting this challenge together.”
Focus on schools, leadership and practical support
The education plan will aim to equip schools with resources to challenge prejudice and extremism, and to promote safe reporting routes for pupils and families. Community leadership programmes are intended to strengthen local networks, enabling residents to access help quickly and to support neighbours who may feel vulnerable. Targeted workshops with Jewish and Muslim leaders will sit alongside broader public sessions so that concerns specific to different communities can be addressed without losing sight of the need for a shared approach.
The council’s Connecting Communities campaign, which continues under the new programme, is set to provide consistent messaging and signposting to advice, while also capturing feedback to inform future decisions. Officials say an enhanced system for monitoring tensions will help the council and police identify emerging issues earlier and deploy support more effectively.
Key elements at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Funding | £500,000 (additional) announced in May |
| Duration | Two years |
| New council roles | Two officers: one in community safety; one in communities |
| Police support | Metropolitan Police Community Protection Team and extra officers |
| Police hub | Golders Green |
What residents can expect
Residents should see a strengthened presence from both council and police teams, with clearer routes to report concerns. As recruitment completes, the new officers will coordinate school-focused initiatives and community programmes, while the police hub in Golders Green provides an accessible base for engagement. The council says public-facing workshops will be scheduled alongside targeted sessions with faith and community leaders to make sure actions reflect local priorities.
While the programme is preventative in design, officials say it will sit alongside enforcement and safeguarding work already undertaken by partners. The emphasis is on early intervention, practical support and sustained collaboration, with a view to minimising the space for hate to take hold and to ensure communities feel confident in reporting issues.
Further details, including how to take part in workshops and leadership programmes, are expected to be confirmed as recruitment gets underway and the Metropolitan Police’s new team becomes fully operational in the borough.
