Stoke-on-Trent City Council is inviting the public to have its say on a vision for a more cohesive and united city.  

The city council has explained that its Community Cohesion Strategy has been updated following a major listening exercise, which aimed to understand the views and feelings of different communities. 

The public are being asked to have their say by completing a survey before the document is finalised later this year.  

The new draft strategy contains a number of priorities including helping more people take part in community life, giving people a real say in their futures, celebrating the city's identity and responding early to any community tensions. 

Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "When it comes to building united communities, we know this city has great strengths.  

"Stoke-on-Trent is the friendliest place in the UK, and our culture – including our sporting and industrial heritage – is a major unifying force.  

"But we also face real challenges. Economic hardship and the cost-of-living crisis have hit hard, and too many people feel their voices – and their legitimate concerns - simply aren't heard.  

"We need to change that. This new draft strategy can only work if it delivers results - and if people feel they are included every step of the way. 

"I encourage everyone to take part in the consultation and to help us build a thriving, united Stoke-on-Trent." 

The council hopes that the strategy will build on the One Stoke-on-Trent campaign, which was launched in February.   

One Stoke-on-Trent is a broad coalition made up of leaders from the council, police, fire service, NHS, schools and colleges, local football teams, the media, faith and voluntary sectors, and community groups. 

The council explained that the campaign is backed by £600,000 of government funding and has distributed grants to amplify initiatives that promote cohesion. It has also worked with schools and community groups to provide training and education, and run a joint awareness campaign spearheaded by the city's football clubs.  

The One Stoke-on-Trent board also commissioned a listening exercise which gathered views from more than 1,000 residents from across the city to help develop the updated Community Cohesion Strategy. 

The council explained that those responses identified a number of strengths and challenges.  

Strengths identified in the listening exercise included the fact Stoke-on-Trent has strong community spirit, community organisations are trusted, there is a lot of pride in the city's cultural heritage, and residents are keen to get involved in making decisions that affect their lives.  

The survey also raised challenges including low trust in institutions, a feeling of powerlessness, and a feeling that Stoke-on-Trent's sense of pride is too "stuck in the past".  

Economic hardship was a common theme, with people describing their struggles with food insecurity and rising bills. These pressures drain people's time, energy and confidence to engage in wider society.  

In addition to consulting on the draft strategy, the council aims to build on Centenary celebrations to leave a more lasting legacy of unity and civic pride.  

The council hopes to put together a Citizens Assembly to give people a more direct say on how the strategy is delivered and draw up a workplan for one of the Future 100 Mission Boards overseeing work to strengthen communities, education and skills across Stoke-on-Trent.  

The draft community cohesion strategy can be read on the Stoke-on-Trent City Council website here.

Anyone wanting to have their say can complete a survey found here.