Plymouth City 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 Plymouth City 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 Plymouth City 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
- Discounts
We also pledge the following:
Section 2: Demonstrating our Commitment 2.1 Plymouth City Council recognise and remember the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces community. The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise made by Plymouth City Council to support in-service personnel, ex- service personnel and their families to receive fair and consistent service. We seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant by: Removing disadvantage from our Armed Forces Community with regards to accommodation, employment and school provision. Raising awareness through engagement, celebration and commemoration. Encourage business community engagement with the Armed Forces community. Improve Healthcare provision to the Armed Forces Community . Section 3: Plymouth City Council support to the Covenant 3.1 Supporting servicemen/women and ex-servicemen/women to secure suitable accommodation: The Council will offer suitable advice to Armed Forces applicants who present in Plymouth so they are able to access affordable housing in the City. Accepting the UK Armed Forces Veteran ID Cards as proof of status. The Council will offer preference for those requiring social housing who are currently in the Armed Forces or leaving the forces. The Council will allocate a proportion of stock through local lettings plans for Armed Forces applicants. Develop appropriate housing schemes to meet veterans needs. 3.2 Assisting with requests for adapted homes for wounded soldiers: Those living in Plymouth Social Housing can be directly matched to a suitable property where there is a medical need. The Council will offer relevant advice and support to injured veterans to help them access home adaptations. 3.3 Seeking to support the employment of veterans young and old: Welcoming applications from, and guaranteeing interviews with, veterans who meet the criteria in the job specification. Recognising military skills and qualifications in our recruitment and selection process. 3.4 Striving to support the employment of Service spouses and partners: Welcoming applications from spouses/partners who meet the criteria in the job specification. Endeavouring to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner’s deployment. 3.5 Seeking to support our employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces, including accommodating their training and deployment where possible: Up to 2 weeks per year of special paid leave is available to attend annual training camps. Fully supporting and accommodating mobilised deployment of Reservist employees if required. 3.6 Offering support to our local cadet units, either in our local community or in local schools, where possible: Up to 2 weeks per year of special paid leave may be available to attend annual training camps and courses. Accommodation of Cadet training commitments where possible. Considering sponsorship bids to support worthwhile Cadet projects. 3.7 Champion the needs of service and veterans’ children and their families in Plymouth Provide support and assistance to service families requiring school placements for their children. Support Children’s Education across the Armed Forces Community. Changing perceptions - Educating providers at local level to broaden understanding of the service context. Incorporate the ‘families strategy’ core workstreams, family life, service life, family home and children’s education into Plymouth’s education policies. 4 Actively participate in Armed Forces Day (AFD); By becoming the lead AFD partner: In advance; promoting AFD through the web, social media, membership and other networks. Encouraging employees to take part in Reserve Forces Day, Uniform to Work Day and any Flag Raising Ceremonies; assisting with case studies and stories and working with the Wessex Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (RFCA) to get them to press. Publishing stories of the day on the web, social media, through our own membership and other networks as well as working with the RFCA Communications lead & the press. 5 Encourage business community engagement with the Armed Forces Covenant Promote the Armed Forces community in Council dealings with the business community. Encourage businesses to sign the Armed Forces Covenant. Support businesses in relation to skills and employment. 6 Help improve Healthcare provision to the Armed Forces Community We will seek to strengthen our military covenant with the Armed Forces by looking at our veterans’ ongoing needs especially around medical support and mental health provision. We want Plymouth to be recognised as a centre of excellence for veteran support. Promote the Armed Forces Community in commissioning arrangements with ONE Devon and the relevant Local Care Partnership (LCP). Following assessment provide support and assistance to meet Veterans eligible needs; including those needs that relate to their service. Also, providing advice, information and signposting onto other services where eligibility criteria is not met. To ensure Veterans and their families with caring responsibilities are able to access timely carer support within the City. Public Health will promote the AFC when we are helping to shape new policies or services, both as a commissioner and a health and care system partner. 7 Offering a discount to members of the Armed Forces Community Proactively work with the local business community offering bespoke and/or limited time offers to Defence personnel 8 Promoting that we are an armed forces-friendly organisation Promoting our work, activities and events through our own digital and social media channels as well as working with the press. Publishing our Covenant pledge on a dedicated Covenant section/page on our web site
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.