English Heritage’s Blue Plaque scheme, which commemorates notable figures of the past and the buildings in which they lived and worked, is being introduced to the borough.

It is one of several new ideas being incorporated into Barking and Dagenham Council’s Heritage Strategy 2013-2016.

Councillors also propose to promote Dagenham Village and the Barking Abbey ruins along with the main heritage sites.

Volunteering will be increased in museums, archives and historic houses and a “friends of” group will be established.

The new strategy replaces the 2000-2010 one which developed Eastbury Manor House and Valence House, the latter of which has been described as “one of the best local history museums in London” by the Museums Journal.

In his foreword to the report, council leader Liam Smith wrote: “An understanding of our heritage helps to give people a sense of place and increases pride in the borough.”