Huntingdonshire District Council
We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.
The Armed Forces Covenant
An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, His Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families
The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.
Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.
This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.
Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant
1.1 We Huntingdonshire District Council will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment
2.1 Huntingdonshire District Council recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Reservists
- UK Cadets
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
- Additional Leave For Reservists
We also pledge the following:
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We will appoint service area leads to support delivery and ensure the Covenant is considered across relevant Council functions.
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We will advocate for the Armed Forces Covenant through our work with local businesses, employers and commercial partners. Through Economic Development and wider Council networks, we will encourage partners to understand the Covenant and consider how they can support serving personnel, veterans, reservists, service spouses, partners and military families.
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We will provide Armed Forces Covenant and support information through appropriate public-facing spaces, digital platforms and Council communication channels. This includes maintaining and regularly reviewing the Armed Forces Community support page on the Council website, promoting relevant grants and support schemes, and developing targeted communications on services such as revenues and benefits, community grants, Disabled Facilities Grants, environmental services, licensing and local support.
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We will encourage staff to undertake Armed Forces Covenant induction and frontline staff training on a periodic basis. We will promote Forces Connect and other relevant resources through internal communications, team meetings and staff channels so that employees are better equipped to understand the Covenant and signpost residents appropriately.
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We will develop our systems and processes to better identify and understand the Armed Forces Community in Huntingdonshire, where appropriate and proportionate. We will use this information to identify gaps, shape services, inform strategic planning, and consider the Armed Forces Community in relevant Council plans, policies and service reviews.
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We will develop links with local Armed Forces Community groups and stakeholders, including through social media, direct engagement, physical attendance at relevant meetings and events, and potential Armed Forces Community communications. We will seek feedback from the Armed Forces Community about their experiences of living in Huntingdonshire and use this to shape future support.
2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.