Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, has agreed to meet some of the organisers of Thursday's public meeting on the Prevent Strategy on Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile this evening the Cabinet approved the Stronger Communities Strategy of which Prevent forms just one part along with domestic violence, female genital mutilation and gangs.
Introducing the document Cllr James Denselow (Lead Member for Stronger Communities) said that diversity was one of Brent's strengths and the Council was instigating a community led approach, based on the Manchester model, where 'Big Question' events were held to involve the public and voluntary organisations.
The approach was aimed at the twin challenges of preventing terrorism and Islamophobia. A version of Prevent had begin in Brent in 2011 but now the state of the world was different and the strategy had become a statutory responsibility of local authorities.
If the Government deemed that Brent Council was failing it its Prevent Duty it could take over implementation of Brent in the borough.
A community led approach would mean that 'we would be doing things our way' and would help mainstream Muslims challenge extremism on their own terms.
Michael Pavey reiterated his opposition to the top down version of Prevent coming from the government but said the Stronger Communities Strategy was about much more than Prevent as it also covered domestic violence, female genital mutilation and gangs.
Cllr Denselow in response to a question from Cllr Roxanne Mashari replied that they would work with young people through schools using a non-traditional approach and that he would discuss with Brent Safer Neighbourhood Teams the recording of hate crime, including those aimed at Muslims.
The Stronger Communities Strategy report is HERE
Meanwhile this evening the Cabinet approved the Stronger Communities Strategy of which Prevent forms just one part along with domestic violence, female genital mutilation and gangs.
Introducing the document Cllr James Denselow (Lead Member for Stronger Communities) said that diversity was one of Brent's strengths and the Council was instigating a community led approach, based on the Manchester model, where 'Big Question' events were held to involve the public and voluntary organisations.
The approach was aimed at the twin challenges of preventing terrorism and Islamophobia. A version of Prevent had begin in Brent in 2011 but now the state of the world was different and the strategy had become a statutory responsibility of local authorities.
If the Government deemed that Brent Council was failing it its Prevent Duty it could take over implementation of Brent in the borough.
A community led approach would mean that 'we would be doing things our way' and would help mainstream Muslims challenge extremism on their own terms.
Michael Pavey reiterated his opposition to the top down version of Prevent coming from the government but said the Stronger Communities Strategy was about much more than Prevent as it also covered domestic violence, female genital mutilation and gangs.
Cllr Denselow in response to a question from Cllr Roxanne Mashari replied that they would work with young people through schools using a non-traditional approach and that he would discuss with Brent Safer Neighbourhood Teams the recording of hate crime, including those aimed at Muslims.
The Stronger Communities Strategy report is HERE
