Waverley Borough 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 Waverley Borough 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 Waverley Borough 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 Reservists
- Armed Forces Day
We also pledge the following:
Promoting the Armed Forces: We pledge to use the Armed Forces Covenant logo on our website. We will include the Armed Forces Covenant logo on our recruitment adverts and documentation. Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community: We offer a guaranteed interview scheme to Veterans seeking employment. This means that candidates who are a serving or ex-member of the armed forces, or the partner of a serving or exmember of the armed forces will be shortlisted for an interview if they meet the essential criteria for a role. Our Special Leave Policy grants reservists 2 weeks additional leave to their normal annual entitlement for attendance at camp to facilitate their annual training requirement. We promote Forces Families Jobs, through our Armed Forces Community Covenant page on our website. This gives information on employment and training opportunities for spouses, partners, and family members of serving and reserve UK military personnel. Communications, engagement, and outreach: We offer Armed Forces Awareness Training for all staff and support and promote Armed Forces events. We send communications through our website and all staff emails, about Remembrance activities and the Poppy Appeal annually. We also promote Army Leadership Challenge Days. We have an Armed Forces Community Covenant page on our website, containing lots of information and advice for those in the Armed Forces Community. The leader of the Council, Paul Follows, is our Armed Forces Champion, as a focal point for organising and promoting support for the Armed Forced Community. e We will continue to take an active part in the Surrey Civilian-Military Partnership Board events and engagement activities with local Armed Forces such as training and leadership days. e Housing: e For many years our Housing Allocations Scheme includes, as one of the priority groups, former members of the Armed Forces who have left the forces through no fault of their own in the last 5 years with an urgent need for housing. An exception is also made under the local connection criteria for those serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the Armed Forces within 5 years of the date of their application. Exceptions may also be made for bereaved spouses/partners of Armed Forces personnel who are required to leave accommodation provided by the Armed Forces. e There is a statutory exemption from local connection criteria for all member of the Armed Forces who wish to apply for first homes. e Asa local authority it is a national requirement to give eligible MOD personnel high priority in shared ownership applications. e Waverley will undertake necessary disabled adaptations to a Council property for any disabled armed forces applicant whose service to the Country has resulted in disability. e Waverley offer a council tax discount on war pensions and armed forces pensions for ex-service personnel, which is calculated by the benefits team. e Leisure: @ Members of the Armed Forces are eligible for an Access to Leisure card which gives discounts on many leisure centre activities throughout the Borough.
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.