New Forest 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, Her 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 New Forest 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 New Forest 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
- UK Reservists
- Armed Forces Day
- Discounts
- Armed Forces Charities
We also pledge the following:
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The principle that it is desirable to remove disadvantages arising for service people from membership, or former membership, of the armed forces.
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The principle that special provision for service people may be justified by the effects on such people of membership, or former membership, of the armed forces.
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We aim to ensure that the level of access a member Of the Armed Forces Community has to goods and services, or the support they receive is not comparatively lower than that of someone in a similar position who is not a member of the Armed Forces Community, and that any difference does not arise from one (or more) of the unique Obligations and sacrifices of Service life.
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New Forest District Council recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our communities.
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We will strive to deliver our Armed Forces Covenant principles through working collaboratively with partners including military representatives, charities, third sector, businesses and other public bodies to promote the wider armed forces agenda, covenant and covenant legislation.
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Recruitment: recognising equivalent military skills and qualifications and/or experience in our recruitment and selection process, including advertising on the Ministry of Defence’s Career Transition Partnership website. The Council also holds the Bronze award for the Defence Employer Scheme, as we pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to Defence and the armed forces community.
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Supporting Service Spouses & Partners, before, during and after a partner’s deployment in accordance with our leave policies where we can.
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Supporting Reservists with a clear Reservist Policy, which grants additional paid/unpaid leave for annual Reserve Forces training and helps managers to support mobilisations and deployment, as well as raising awareness amongst members of staff of the opportunities to become a Reservist.
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Commemorating significant events and celebrating our Armed Forces: such as Remembrance activities.
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Facilitating and providing advice and support within our Armed Forces communities.
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.