Barking and Dagenham residents will get one last chance to have their say on how faith organisations operate in the borough, as the Faith and Belief Forum’s borough-wide questionnaire gets set to close on Friday 1 March. 

The questionnaire forms part of a collaboration with the Barking and Dagenham Faith Forum and the council. All three organisations are working together to develop a new policy, which will help to ensure that the contributions of the faith communities are recognised and celebrated.

This policy will also look at how the relationship between the faith, community and public sectors can be improved. It will include guidelines for best practice within faith organisations, with regards to safeguarding, health and safety, and for wider community engagement and equalities.

The Faith and Belief Forum would like to hear from as many residents and groups as possible. Respondents do not need to have a specific faith or belief, or attend a place of worship in order to contribute.

Residents only have until Friday 1 March 2019 to submit their feedback.

"We want to make sure that the faith, community and public sectors are getting the most out of the way we all work together"

Councillor Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement, is encouraging people to get involved:

“Faith plays a key part in our community and it is important that we recognise the good work that faith organisations do across our borough,” she said.

“We want to make sure that the faith, community and public sectors are getting the most out of the way we all work together, and residents’ feedback plays a big part in that.

“I hope that as many people as possible complete this survey, and help contribute to the policy that we are developing.”