Is faith enough?

Tower Hamlets Council is working with faith groups to protect and preserve places of worship in the borough. The Historic Places of Worship Support Scheme, due to run till 2016, builds on English Heritage’s annual update of its “heritage at risk” register, which is conducted with Councils. The authorities offer specialist advice, training and information on the funding streams available to buildings identified as being at risk. Faith buildings may be at risk because of the building’s age or because its immediate custodians do not have the resources for its upkeep – particularly where congregations are falling.

Mayor Lutfur Rahman said, “this scheme will help ensure the future of the historic places of worship considered most at risk, so that later generations can continue to enjoy them.” The Council is working with Tower Hamlets Inter-Faith Forum – chaired by The Reverend Prebendary Alan Green – to make sure all faith communities in the Borough are aware of the scheme. Goodness knows what those who expressed such horror at Mayor Rahman’s election in 2010 will make of that: they told us Rahman was a muslim extremist, about to introduce Sharia law in the borough – and here’s the man working with the Inter-Faith Forum.

Faith buildings are not the only ones in need of attention in Tower Hamlets. Investment from the last Labour Government has, by and large, taken care of most school buildings.  That Government’s Decent Homes Standard is being achieved on the Borough’s social housing estates – perhaps more slowly than we would like, but there is progress. However, there are a number of community buildings in the borough which need financial support. They are used for a variety of purposes, by TRAs and other community groups, in ways which keep our communities going and upkeep of the fabric of these buildings must come from central resources.

For more information about the Historic Places of Worship Support Scheme contact Allison Borden on 020-7364 6451 or allison.borden@towerhamlets.gov.uk or  Abdul Wajid on 020-7364 5749 or abdul.wajid@towerhamlets.gov.uk. General information about the scheme can also be found on the conservation section of the council’s website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk.