Issue - meetings

Armed Forces Community Covenant Update

Meeting: 13/10/2021 - Cabinet (Item 40)

40 Armed Forces Community Covenant Update pdf icon PDF 269 KB

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods providing an update to Members on the support offered to current and former members of the armed forces, reservists and their families as part of our commitment to the Gloucestershire Armed Forces Community Covenant.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED that work undertaken to support current and ex-service personnel as part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to the Covenant is endorsed.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods that provided an update to Members on the support offered to current and former members of the armed forces, reservists and their families as part of our commitment to the Gloucestershire Armed Forces Community Covenant.

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources presented the report on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods who had been engaged at an LGA course and unable to attend the meeting.

 

The report summarised the commitment of the authority towards the Gloucester Armed Forces community covenant.  Gloucester City Council were a member of this covenant and voluntarily pledged the mutual support between the people of Gloucester and the local Armed Forces community.

 

The sole purpose of the Armed Forces Covenant  was to encourage organisations and local  communities to support the Armed Forces community, promoting understanding and increasing awareness among the public of issues affecting the Armed Forces, and to recognise and remember the sacrifices that members of the forces had made.

 

The covenant was part of the UK wide Armed Forces Covenant which set out the principles that veterans and those serving be treated with respect, supported and ensure fair treatment.

 

Among the Gloucester based covenant commitments, was a pledge to provide support for ex-armed forces members who become homeless and ensure their war disablement pensions were not taken into account if they had been receiving benefits.

 

Cabinet noted that Gloucester City Council had been working in a county partnership to create a ‘SERVICE LINE’.  This would be a dedicated telephone line for any serving military personnel or veterans, where assistance would be provided relating to housing, justice or benefits, whist cutting through the red tape of certain mental health issues, which many veterans could suffer from.

It was highlighted that during the Autumn, Gloucester City Council would apply for the Bronze Defence Employer Recognition that would encourage employers to support members of the forces and would see the Council commit to a range of requirements which included providing support to those with links to the forces applying for jobs.

 

The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure commented on the proactive approach and referred to paragraph 7.4 of the report and asked if Gloucester City Council front line staff would be offered online training.

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources advised that the Customer Services team had regular training sessions on Wednesday mornings.  Discussions would take place with HR to have this included in the training programme.

 

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy, commented that in his capacity as the Armed Forces County Council Champion, he had been approached by the LGA to participate in the Community Covenant which would work closely with the City Council. He added that an Armed Forces Bill was due to be presented to Parliament .

 

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy expressed his thanks to the Community  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40