9:08am Tuesday 13th May 2008
By Michael Black
Bradford Council was last night urged to better map their communities and "monitor tensions" in a bid to stop any repeat of the riots in 2001.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears published new guidance encouraging local authorities to work towards more integrated communities.
She wants councils to map the racial, ethnic and faith communities in their areas in order to identify potential "tension hotspots" and improve cohesion.
Mrs Blears said: "The overwhelming majority of people in this country live successfully side by side but we cannot take this for granted. Challenges to cohesion do exist, but things can be done to address problems at the earliest opportunity and stop things escalating.
"We have made £50 million available to local authorities to support them in responding to these specific challenges and placed a much greater focus on integration - including an end to automatic translation and more emphasis on English language learning."
The Council should make better use of data from police, neighbourhood wardens and community leaders.
Bradford Council leader Kris Hopkins said: "There is a degree of stating the obvious. We take responsibility for our part in making sure we have a peaceful and cohesive approach."
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