What we do: Haleem Ghafoor, strategic lead for Fairer Stockton-on-Tees and Community Engagement
Tell us about a typical working day at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
As Strategic Lead for Fairer Stockton-on-Tees and Community Engagement, my role centres around strong partnership working and driving forward initiatives that make a tangible difference to the lives of local communities.
Each day is different as I work with my own team, other teams across the authority and partner organisations to deliver the Fairer Stockton Tees framework, also meeting the communities mission objectives of the Council’s Powering Our Future transformation programme.
Collaboration is at the heart of what we do, whether it’s attending meetings, shaping policy, or developing innovative solutions that respond to community needs.
Listening to and working with our communities is key to helping those directly affected by big issues such as the cost of living, poverty and loneliness. Part of my team’s role is to engage with our communities, planning what they wish to do in their areas, offering opportunities, support, advice, and information.
What projects are you most enthusiastic about right now?
The Powering Our Future programme is a new and ambitious, long-term vision for the future of Stockton-on-Tees and is changing the way we work with our communities and partners.
This new approach, which puts communities at the heart of everything we do, sees us strengthen community networks and help those most affected by poverty.
We have a range of initiatives designed to empower residents, giving them a voice in shaping local decisions and creating sustainable frameworks that foster resilience and inclusion. Seeing these projects progress and knowing they will have a lasting impact is incredibly rewarding.
What are the key opportunities for you this year?
There is a significant opportunity to modernise and co-design services with partner organisations and communities, ensuring they reflect local aspirations and deliver meaningful outcomes. However, resource constraints, increasing demand, and the need for equitable engagement across diverse populations remain pressing challenges.
To meet these challenges, we must innovate, always ensuring that our strategies are both inclusive and forward-thinking.
Our work is about more than delivering services – it’s about creating stronger, more engaged and better- connected communities.
Join our mailing list