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Community cohesion should be at the heart of local government services rather than just an "add-on", a minister has said. Skip related content

Launching new guidance for councils, communities minister Shahid Malik said that inclusive communities helped to improve mental and physical health as well as reduce crime.

The government said new figures suggested that increasing 'cohesion' - which includes factors such as "sense of community" and "respect for diversity" - by one per cent across the country could save up to £530m in reduced crime.

The guidance suggest that higher levels of social integration can lead to the community sharing the same values and goals, including keeping the neighbourhood safe and free from crime.

Malik said: "The vast majority of people are happy with the community they live in, and believe that different groups get on well together in their area.

"But we know that challenges to cohesion do exist and there are those who try to undermine our commonality and our shared values.

"We, therefore, need to tackle head-on the sense of unfairness and disaffection that is alienating parts of our community. Promoting cohesion should never be an optional extra."

The guidance also said figures showed that crime was lower in areas which, while disadvantaged, have high levels of social cohesion.

Communities secretary John Denham recently announced that working-class areas would be targeted by the government to counter far-right extremism.

The government wants councils to consider cohesion in all aspects of their work including housing, education, healthcare and planning.

Several councils were commended for their efforts, including Buckinghamshire which was praised for providing cohesion training for new staff as part of their induction.

dated 4th August 2009