The second public meeting of Tower Hamlets’ Fairness Commission – which aims to help bridge the gap between rich and poor – was held in Canary Wharf last week.

Experts and members of the public discussed issues surrounding the question of whether the borough is rich or poor.

The location was chosen to reflect the subject-matter, as speakers considered inequality, the London Living Wage, and corporate social responsibility.

Director of the Big Lottery Fund Dharmendra Kanami was among the expert speakers who appeared.

“Bankers have good contacts and social capital”, he said. “Imagine if they spent time in an estate in the borough to look at issues from a problem-solving point of view.

“We need to use their skill sets, and not just ask businesses to deliver mentoring programmes.”

The Commission, chaired by former Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral Dr Giles Fraser, is due to publish a report in early summer.

Its final meeting is to be held at Stepney Green Maths Computing and Science College, Ben Jonson Road, on February 26 from 2pm.