Black Country Churches Engaged

the sub-region’s ecumenical intermediate body

Faith Cabinet

The government has increasingly devolved decision making and public spending on key issues such as education, housing and health to agencies based in the region and is about to further devolve funding to local authorities. It is critical that faiths have points of contact with these decision makers and influence how money is spent. The Black Country Faith Cabinet will work closely with West Midlands Faiths Forum, Regional Action West Midlands and local interfaith groups and their respective boroughs and Local Strategic Partnerships on social inclusion development to provide intelligence on the positive and distinctive perspectives of faiths, enable a contribution to neighbourhood renewal and the support and development for faith involvement in all work. The Black Country offers a unique blend of resources, cultures, opportunities and expertise. However, it also faces some serious problems and challenges around cohesion, inequality of health and skills attainment. Faith communities have the opportunity to become more involved through the sub-region. The distinct and expert contribution of faiths can provide the region with more opportunities to improve the quality of life in the region.

The Black Country Faith Cabinet aims to:
• Advance the contribution of faith communities in the Black Country sub-region;
• Encourage and educate faith communities to work together in matters of policy, strategy and action
• Challenge all forms of discrimination and injustice against persons or groups of people, particularly in the grounds of religious belief

Faith impacts on all aspects of our daily lives. It is important that faith groups are involved when making policy and delivering services locally. By creating a forum for faiths in the sub-region, more people representing our diverse communities can affect how decisions are made that affect our lives. With more decisions being made at local level on issues such as jobs, housing and transport, the opportunity is there to ensure that we are closer to the decision makers and that our voice is heard.

A Council of members representing the world faiths in the sub-region will meet quarterly to provide expertise and guidance, with a smaller Executive Group led by the Chair, meeting more regularly to manage everyday business. A project worker will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Forum. Harun Rashid is the current holder of the Faith Seat on the Black Country Consortium’s board providing a direct link to the regeneration of the sub-region.The BCFC has a Youth Council because young people are our future leaders and can have the opportunity to influence relations and events in their local communities.

Office Address:

18 Selman’s Hill

Bloxwich

Walsall

West Midlands

WS3 3RJ