workshop a gordon partridge
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Community Cohesion and Integration
19 March 2008Taunton
Gordon Partridge BSc(hons) Dip E.H. CMS
Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner
Breckland Council
Large geographical area 506 sq. milesSparsely populated rural area5 market townsPopulation ~125,000 equally split between
towns and villagesAgriculture and food processing main
economic activities
Migration ?
Shortage of home grown workers Gang masters saw opportunies of employing
workers from EU Initially Portuguese 12 years ago First signs - mainly Thetford• Increase in “foreign speaking” population• Increased demand for vaccinations at Doctors
surgeries• Increase in HMOs ( Houses in Multiple
occupation )
Initial response
Meeting with police, doctors, Town CouncilIdentified scaleEmployed Portuguese speaking
community workerAsked for information from other agencies
and Council departmentsDecide approach
Surveys
Employers• Who ?• Where?• How many?• Directly employed or via Gang masters
Use that information to look at accommodation issues
Surveys
Accommodation
• Houses in Multiple Occupation
• 15 – 528 !!
• Gang masters linking accommodation with employment
• Extracting housing costs at source
• Licencing
Relative distribution of HMOs
Making contact
Bottom up approachNeeds – not all communities the sameWork through groupsWorkplace meetingsBuild trustInterpretation or language skills How much or how little ?
Partnerships
Partnerships should be synergistic Usual suspects -• Police, Immigration and Borders, Gang
Master Licencing Authority, Jobcentres, other Council departments.
Also - • Landlords, Citizens Advice Bureaux,
Employers, voluntary sector
Support & Sustain Groups
Bottom up approach means helping communities to help themselves
Help setup, lead and structure groupsHand over but attend and offer guidanceBe a link between groups and agenciesUse influence – e.g. Breckland are
Regional Champions for Homelessness
Community cohesion
Needs constant inputSend positive messages but do not ignore
genuine concernsEncourage interactions between
communitiesAdaptBeware self appointed community leaders
Thank you
Gordon Partridge BSc(hons) Dip E.H. CMSPrincipal EHO
Breckland CouncilElizabeth House
Walpole LokeDerehamNorfolk
NR19 1EE01362 656275 [email protected]