What are Community Tensions?
Community Tensions
describe situations where residents feel concerned, anxious or fearful, either
in response to, or in anticipation of, events at a local, national or
international level. Some examples may include:
- Visit by groups such as the EDL
- International events such as the war in Syria
- Hate Crime (including graffiti and incidents directed
to individuals)
- Planning applications for change of use of community
buildings
- Anti-social behaviour in specific areas
How are Community Tensions monitored?
Public services, including
elected members, have face-to-face contact with the public and the local
environment. This means their “eyes and ears” are of great importance in
keeping an up-to-date picture of what is happening in local communities, particularly
where there are issues that might move from concern to conflict.
To ensure that any possible tensions
are addressed at the earliest possible stage, it is important to trust your
instincts and share your concerns about any activity, behaviour or
conversations which might appear trivial but don’t seem quite right. Some examples of Community Tensions
information might include;
- Extremist
speakers or events taking place in the area
- The
“word on the street” in relation to possible triggers of tension
- Storing
large amounts of chemicals or fertilisers for no obvious reason
- Overseas
travel for long periods of time when the person is vague about where they
are going
All
information is dealt with in the strictest of confidence
and contributes towards the development of a tensions rating for the District
which is used to track threat levels and to help inform any appropriate actions.
Where can I report
Community Tensions information?
By emailing Community.tensions@kirklees.gov.uk
or if you have any questions, by contacting Javier Santana-Acosta on 01484
221000.
