Community Engagement
Councils are expanding community engagement in projects, improving participation in forums, and considering community input for local decisions.
The City of London's City Belonging Project is expanding, actively seeking business engagement to foster inclusivity, as updated in September 2026. Hackney Council is also set to appoint a dedicated Volunteering Officer to enhance community engagement and diversity within its parks and green spaces, a key commitment of its Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 2021-2031, discussed in September 2026.
Merton Council is exploring new strategies to increase public participation in its community forums, following concerns about low attendance in October and November 2025. Separately, Barnet Council decided in October 2025 to keep hostage posters displayed, requiring further community engagement before their removal. Southwark Council was scheduled to appoint a neighbourhood champion in November 2025 to strengthen local engagement.
Community engagement involves local communities and stakeholders in discussions and decision-making, as highlighted by Ealing's Economy and Sustainability Scrutiny Panel in July 2026 when it discussed the Pride in Place programme's approach to engaging communities in high streets and town centres. Redbridge Council also launched its 'Modernising Redbridge' initiative in March 2026, aiming for more resident-centred services.
Key facts
- The City of London's City Belonging Project provided an update on its expansion and ongoing initiatives in September 2026. Source
- Hackney Council is set to appoint a dedicated Volunteering Officer to enhance community engagement in its parks, as discussed in September 2026. Source
- Merton Council discussed new strategies to increase public participation in its community forums in October and November 2025. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3
- Barnet Council decided in October 2025 to keep hostage posters displayed, requiring further community engagement before removal. Source
- Southwark Council was scheduled to appoint a neighbourhood champion in November 2025 to strengthen community engagement. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on, with background from Wikipedia. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 19 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.