Tower Hamlets Council has announced a new strategy to bolster its relationship with the voluntary and community sector (VCS) and improve services for residents. The Cabinet approved the Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy 2025-2029 and a refreshed Tower Hamlets Compact at a meeting on Wednesday 26 November 2025.

The strategy aims to foster a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable voluntary sector that improves residents' lives through partnership working. The council recognises the vital role the VCS plays in delivering services and activities, often acting as the first point of contact for residents needing support. According to the lead member, the council is supporting smaller groups in particular to access not just council funding, but funding that is available regionally and nationally. This is seen as critical in terms of their feedback.

Councillor Saied Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cost of Living, presented the strategy, emphasising the importance of the sector to residents. He highlighted that the strategy builds on the cabinet's 2023 grants framework and reflects ongoing commitments to increase funding and improve processes for the sector.

The strategy outlines four key objectives:

  • Building strong, trust-based relationships between the VCS and the council.
  • Collaborating effectively across the VCS, council, and partners to meet community needs.
  • Strengthening the capacity, resilience, and voice of the VCS.
  • Supporting the VCS to grow its independence and long-term sustainability.

The refreshed Tower Hamlets Compact, co-produced with the VCS and endorsed in September, sets out the values, principles, and practices for effective partnership working between the council and the VCS. It aligns with the National Civil Society Covenant and builds on the council's strong relationship with the sector overall. It aims to promote effective collaboration, mutual respect, and shared responsibility.

During the meeting, Cabinet members discussed the importance of the voluntary sector and its role in supporting the community. Councillor Maium Talukdar, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning, welcomed the strategy, highlighting the strong partnership and commitment between the council and the third sector. She noted the vital work of these organisations during critical times, such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Steve Reddy, Corporate Director, asked about varying feedback from different VCS groups during consultations. He was told that a consistent concern was a lack of funding, and that smaller groups found it hard to compete with larger organisations. He was told that the council's small grants programme was valued as it was restricted to smaller organisations.

Councillor Sabina Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, asked how the council was reaching out to groups it had not previously engaged well with, such as the Somali community. She was told that the council had targeted a range of groups through interviews, and had funded a number of Somali groups through the Mayor's grants programme.

Mayor Lutfur Rahman emphasised the importance of the community sector and volunteer organisations, stating that the council would continue to support them through the grant-making process. He stated that he delegated the grant-making process to the Chief Executive and to the officers, and that politicians were not involved in the grant-making process at all. He affirmed that it is done independently, without any political involvement from members. He said that the council's grant-making pot was far greater than that of the previous administration, and that the process was officer-led, without any political involvement from members.