Budget slashing Oldham Council have decided on no financial cuts for the Inter-Faith Forum or the Oldham Race Equality Partnership both granted three years funding at £108,000 & £45,000 respectively. It was the last Labour government that championed moving “Preventing Violent Extremism” funding to interfaith groups to prevent religious communities feeling stigmatised. In all honesty nothing about these inter-faith groups funded by public sector cash & charitable grants are really what they seem & sparse public resources in the 21st century should not need to be allocated to tempering bigoted pious beliefs or promoting people’s reliance on religiously motivated collectives. In contrast Oldham Credit Union and Community Transport which serve all Oldham’s communities both received just twelve months additional funding after which time they will have their funding reassessed.
