Our Anti-Poverty Strategy focuses on targeted interventions designed to break down the barriers faced by those most impacted by poverty and lay the groundwork for effective, long-term partnerships that deliver real change.

Anti Poverty Strategy (PDF, 1.05 MB)

In development

Our customer promise

Barking and Dagenham Council is committed to delivering excellent customer service.

Our customer promise will ensure our customers receive consistently high standards of customer service and that all sections of our diverse community are able to access our services. It also explains what level of service you can expect from the council when you contact us.

When you contact us we aim to deal with your enquiry and provide you with the right service. We will explain how we will handle your enquiry and when you will receive the service requested. We will ensure you know what is expected of you and encourage feedback on how we deliver services to you.

We are committed to offering these customer standards by:

• making our services accessible
• reducing waiting times
• understanding your needs
• being clear and straightforward in our communications
• keeping information about services up to date, easy to understand and accurate
• treating you with fairness and respect
• protecting your personal information and confidentiality
• proactively offering you services based on your needs
• telling you exactly what you need to do and what information we need
• listening to you about ways of improving our services

We aim to:

• respond to voicemail messages within one working day
• acknowledge emails and faxes within one working day
• respond to emails, faxes and letters within 10 working days
• ensure the website and online facilities are easy to use

We ask you to:

• tell us if your personal circumstances or requirements for a service change
• keep any appointment you have with us, or let us know as soon as possible if you can’t
• treat our staff with courtesy
• tell us if you need to communicate with us in a different way

Our EDI Strategy sets out how Barking and Dagenham Council will work to make the borough fairer and more inclusive by tackling inequality, improving access to services, and ensuring everyone feels safe, valued, and supported.

EDI Strategy 2025-29 (PDF, 8.54 MB)

This draft Compact sets out how the Council and the local voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector will work in partnership to better support residents and build a stronger, more connected community. This document was developed in collaboration with the VCFSE.

VCSFE Compact (PDF, 886.55 KB)

Barking and Dagenham became the first council in the country to adopt a gender equality charter on 10 March 2016. The charter is a commitment on behalf of the council and our partners to create a fair and just society where people are treated equally, discrimination is tackled and the barriers to achieving equality removed. It places a strong emphasis on ensuring that everyone has the same chance to succeed, however they identify in terms of gender.

As we mark the centenary of when some women first got the right to vote and 50 years since the passing of the Equal Pay Act, we acknowledge that the gender pay gap and other inequalities remain. As a council passionate about and committed to equality, we cannot ignore the issue of inequality; that is why we have driven through this charter.

Gender Equality Charter and plan of action (PDF, 181KB)

Progress report

As a part of women’s empowerment month 2019, a short report has been published to highlight the progress made over the past year, in advancing and promoting gender equality.

Gender Equality Charter - progress report 2019 (PDF, 1.4MB)

Our 2021 update is combined within our Statement of Intent (6MB)

Pledge your support to the Gender Equality Charter

We believe that men and women are equal and no man or woman should face discrimination, abuse or hardship however they identify in terms of gender.

Our ambition is for Barking and Dagenham to be a place where people understand, respect and celebrate each other’s differences – where tolerance, understanding and a sense of responsibility can grow and people of all genders can enjoy full equality and fulfil their potential.

In signing the charter we pledge to support everyone in Barking and Dagenham to:

• receive equal pay across all sectors and have equal opportunities to succeed irrespective of their gender
• achieve equal representation in all walks of life including in communities, politics, business and industry
• work with schools and colleges to promote gender equality and raise awareness of gender equality issues
• to stand up against violence against women and girls and ensure everyone understands that such behaviour will not tolerated
• support those with caring responsibilities and promote equal parenting, care giving and shared responsibilities in the home
• strive to promote gender equality and equal treatment of women and ensure our own communications support this

We commit to developing and implementing a plan that takes this agenda forward in a meaningful way and reflects the views of local women.

Support the Gender Equality Charter