Two thirds of council chiefs and police commanders involved in the Government's £86 million scheme to tackle violent extremism are not being given key terrorism information, according to a leaked report.
The report, commissioned by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, suggests this failure to share intelligence is hampering the Government's pathfinder programme, which gives local authorities money to allocate to projects aimed at steering young people away from violent extremism, the Guardian reported.
Seventy councils have received £6 million in pathfinder funding in the last two years, with £45 million to be spent on expanding the programme in the next three years.
The joint report by the Audit Commission and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, due to be released on Monday, looks at the progress of the scheme in 14 areas, including several that have experienced the impact of violent extremism first hand.
According to the newspaper, the report showed one-third of chief executives and local police commanders interviewed did not have access to, or were not briefed on, terrorism data in their area, while two thirds were not entrusted with security information.
The report states: "Whilst it is vital assurances are sought about who has access to restricted information, councils already routinely handle sensitive information on a range of areas and the same trusting, business-like relationships need to be developed on this agenda as others."
