Plan to monitor community tensions

The government has set out new guidance calling on councils to monitor communities and do more to prevent local tensions.

Communities secretary Hazel Blears called on councils to keep track of who is living in their area and be aware of potential "hot spots".

The guidance also says local authorities should be aware of what "triggers" local tensions and urges they work with the local press to ensure reporting "does not exacerbate tensions".

It stressed the importance of working with a wide range of people to monitor trends, making better use of local intelligence where possible.

And it said that local officials should develop greater awareness of how international issues have the potential to threaten cohesion.

"The overwhelming majority of people in this country live successfully side by side but we cannot take this for granted," Blears said.

"Challenges to cohesion do exist - this might be between different ethnic or faith groups or new migrants and longer-term residents - but things can be done to address problems at the earliest opportunity and stop things escalating."

She announced £50m of funding to support local authorities in "responding to these specific challenges".

This would include focusing on integration and ending "automatic translation" services, putting "more emphasis on English language learning, a move away from the funding of single groups and strengthening of our shared values".