Faithworks was consulted by the LGA about what should go into the guidelines and is pleased that;

• Faithworks secured the recommendation that each council appoint a ‘faith liaison officer’ and a cabinet member who will pro-actively foster effective partnerships between faith groups and the council.
• Faithworks secured inclusion within the guidelines of the fact that, although there is widespread acceptance of the fact that councils should not fund ‘worship’ activities, councils should examine applications for funding from faith groups pragmatically and not automatically reject applications that have a ‘religious’ nature. The Guidelines also state that there is a case for treating funding applications from faith groups whose beliefs prevent them applying for Lottery funding more sympathetically.
• Faithworks secured an important emphasis within the guidelines on the inclusion of case studies, which demonstrate how barriers can be overcome to enable faith groups and local councils to tackle the needs of local people.
• Faithworks helped to ensure the guidelines were as practical as possible by securing the inclusion of an appendix of practical ‘next steps’ for local authorities that wish to engage with faith groups.

Faithworks National Co-ordinator Nathan Oley comments, “Faithworks welcomes these unprecedented guidelines which provide a good starting point for closer co-operation between councils and churches.  These guidelines could make a big difference to churches and Christian community projects who should now enjoy a better relationship with their local authority.”

The ‘Faith and Community’ guidelines were also warmly welcomed by the Prime Minister, who stated:

“I am sure that local authorities, other public agencies and faith communities themselves will find this practical guide an invaluable resource. It will help to capture the distinctive contribution that faith communities can make to the drive for better places for everyone in our richly diverse society.” 

The consultation with the LGA is part of the on-going work of the Faithworks Movement, which is built around ten leading organisations that have committed to Faithworks and each other to provide expertise and leadership in the many components of effective community action.  The Faithworks Movement grew out of the highly successful Faithworks Campaign, which lobbied both local and national Government for a fair deal for faith communities in the run up to the last election. In addition to these new Guidelines for Local authorities, Faithworks secured easier access for churches to government funding, and improved communication between the government and churches.

The new Faithworks Movement seeks to empower and inspire every local church to rediscover its role at the hub of the community and challenge and change the public perception of the Church by engaging with government and the media.