Decision details

RESOLVED:

a)     That Cabinet note the current position with regard to the Armed Forces Community Covenant and the initiatives in place to support the Armed Forces community within the District; and

b)     That Cabinet authorise officers to work with HQ Solent Station and where appropriate SSAFA and other armed forces charities, to review the Armed Forces Community Covenant, including the enhancements outlined in section 6 of the Cabinet report. This will be formally signed by the Chairman of the Council as the District’s First Citizen, in recognition of the nation’s commitment to the Armed Forces community at the local level.

KEY DECISION:

No

PORTFOLIO:

All

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:

As set out in report.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

None

DISCUSSION:

The Leader presented the reported and highlighted that an amendment had been proposed to one of the recommendations.  This minor amendment had been suggested by the Armed Forces Member Champion, Cllr Reid and he addressed the meeting on the amendment and the reasons for it.  He reported he wished to recognise all four services across the New Forest and proposed the following amendment to recommendation 1.2:

“That Cabinet authorise officers to work with HQ Solent Station and where appropriate SSAFA and other armed forces charities……”

This amendment was supported by the Cabinet.

A non-Cabinet member expressed his support to this report and the amendment to the recommendation.

The Service Manager for Democratic and Support Services highlighted that although the report referenced the engagement of charities such as SSAFA, the amendment was welcomed as explicit recognition of the role Armed Forces Charities played locally in supporting serving and former members of the forces, and their families. He highlighted section 4 of the report, noting there was a national Armed Forces Covenant which placed a legal duty on the Council, mainly in relation to housing and that the Council fully met its obligations in this regard.  The Community Covenant was the Council’s voluntary commitment to do more in support of the local armed forces community, including initiatives such as the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.