The Muslim Council of Britain in conjunction with Mayor of London's Office organised a joint seminar at City Hall yesterday for the benefit of London's large and growing Muslim community.

"This seminar provided a valuable forum for the Greater London Authority to gain a better understanding of some of the key service needs of London's 700,000-strong Muslim population and for the Muslim community to become better acquainted with the various functional bodies of the GLA," said Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General of the MCB.

The seminar was addressed by senior representatives of the GLA, the London Fire and Emergency Planning Association, Transport for London, London Development Agency and the Metropolitan Police Service.

In sending a welcoming message Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: "I welcome this opportunity for a dialogue with Muslim organisations to improve the delivery of services to their communities in London. I am determined that London government should be representative of all communities in the city. That means listening to communities, improving services to meet their concerns and ensuring that the management of London's public services reflects the diversity of London. I would like to thank the Muslim Council of Britain for their contribution to this work.'

The wide range of issues discussed by the participants during the day included Race and Faith hate crimes (Islamophobia), community consultation and collaboration, tackling poverty, car parking near mosques, terrorism, and under-representation in employment.

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