Putting a few myths to rest

Visit the Communities and Local Government site and you will find a document which seeks to debunk various myths about public funds going to faith groups. One section of the document states:

Myth:

"If you engage with one faith community you will have always to engage with all the others in the same way, and all together."

Fact

Not true. Whilst public authorities must not discriminate against religion and belief organisations in matters of engagement and the letting of contracts, there are great differences in scale, capacity and skills between faith communities in different parts of the country, just as there are across the wider third sector. Faith communities should be engaged with as appropriate to this context. For example, in some regions or sectors a faith community or religious organisation may be able to take on a large service contract while another community in the same area, or the same community or organisation in another region, may not yet be ready to do so.

Now some of us representing Christian organisations in Tunbridge Wells have been saying this to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for years, as has our excellent MP, Greg Clark. But would the Council agree? Of course not, the Council claimed spuriously that equality legislation demanded a faiths forum even though non-Christian faiths have very small numbers and lack the capacity, skills and track record of Christian groups.

In Tunbridge Wells, despite the immense amount of work it undertakes in the community, there is no faith representation on the local strategic partnership as faith groups are lumped in with the voluntary sector.

Think I'll start stirring it up!