Published: Wednesday 01st March 2023 | 1.18pm
Staffordshire’s council leaders have joined together to reaffirm their commitment to the county’s Armed Forces community and to encourage other organisations to pledge their support.
Leader of Staffordshire County Council, Alan White, along with other council leaders, together with the military, met in Stafford to re-sign the Armed Forces Covenant.
The Covenant is a promise by the nation ensuring those who serve/have served and their families, are treated fairly ensuring all members of the Armed Forces community have the same access to public and commercial services as any other citizen does. The declaration builds upon already strong relationships between partners to ensure the principles of the Covenant are upheld locally.
Speaking at the event, Alan White said: “As a former serving member of the armed forces, I know how important it is that the community is well supported and recognised as a valued part of Staffordshire’s communities.
“We continue to work with our partners to support our armed forces community, to help explain what they do, the significant role they play, and to recognise the valuable skills and experience they bring to Staffordshire. This benefits not only local businesses and communities but allows them to enjoy full and rewarding careers and lives in our great county.
“We hope the re-signing will encourage other organisations across the County to pledge their support.”
Philip Sinclair, the Ministry of Defence’s Regional Employer Engagement Director for the West Midlands said: “It was an absolute pleasure to have worked closely with Staffordshire County Council to support this significant event.
“This now sees all nine local authorities in the region with an Armed Forces Covenant registered and visible in the public domain. Defence is very appreciative of the support that our local authorities lend to the Armed Forces community, both as employers and as providers of services accessed by the community.
“This initiative taken by the Leader’s Board underpins that supportive behaviour and I look forward to working alongside each authority in fostering a strong partnering relationship, and to help them to encourage other organisations across the county to pledge their support. My thanks as well to the exemplar leadership taken by Councillor Alan White and the Armed Forces Covenant team at Staffordshire County Council that illustrates their continued advocacy for the covenant, and the community it seeks to support.”
Welcoming the re-signing, Cannock Chase Council’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Bryan Jones said: “We would echo the progress made since 2012 and are fully behind re-affirming the covenant. This builds on our own appointment of a new Armed Forces Champion last March - Councillor Martyn Buttery, our work with a local veterans group, and the support we give to the armed forces community including offering concessions at our leisure centres.”
Staffordshire has large bases in Stafford and Lichfield, along with many veterans, reservists, cadets, and armed forces families across the county. According to the 2021 Census, 30,758 Staffordshire residents reported previously serving in the UK armed forces, 4.2% of the local population. This is above the average for both England and the West Midlands.
The Staffordshire Armed Forces Covenant was signed in Stafford on 16 February.
Further details on how organisations can pledge their support for the Armed Forces community is available at https://www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk/
Photograph:
(Back row left to right) John Henderson, Chief Executive, Staffordshire County Council, Regimental Sergeant Major Steve Hicks of 22 Signal Regiment, Stafford , Alan White, Leader Staffordshire County Council. Sitting down left to right, Lt Col Lewis Matthews of 22 Signal Regiment, Stafford, Cllr Bryan Jones, Deputy Leader at Cannock Chase Council.