Decision details

The Cabinet considered a report of the Assistant Director (Strategy and Performance), which sought approval of an updated Armed Forces Covenant for Oldham Council.

The Council has a statutory duty under the Armed Forces Act 2006, as amended by the Armed Forces Act 2021, to pay due regard to the Armed Forces Covenant principles when exercising certain functions.

Prior to the implementation of the statutory duty under the Armed Forces Act 2021, the Council chose to pledge its commitment to the Armed Forces community by promising to honour the Armed Forces Covenant. This pledge was last made in 2013. In 2017 the Council received the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award, and this was renewed in 2022. Since 2021, the Council has consistently gone beyond its duty to the Armed Forces community, as evidenced in this report.

To further build on its work, this report recommends that the Council shall re-pledge its promise to honour the Armed Forces Covenant, and that the endeavours relating to its support of the Armed Forces community, as detailed in this report, shall be noted. An application for the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award is to be made prior to 12 March 2025. 

Options/alternatives considered:

Option 1: To note the support the Council is already providing to the Armed Forces community along with other workstreams underway and approve that Oldham Council shall make a new pledge that it will honour the appended Armed Forces Covenant. This will allow the Council to display its re-affirmed commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community.

Option 2: Note the support the Council is already providing to the Armed Forces community, along with other workstreams underway, but do not approve a new pledge that Oldham Council will honour the appended Armed Forces Covenant. This will reflect poorly on Oldham Council, with the previous covenant pledge being made 11 years ago.

The preferred Option is Option 1.

Resolved:

1.    To note the support the Council is already providing to the Armed Forces community along with other workstreams underway.

2.    To approve a new pledge that the Council will honour the appended Armed Forces Covenant.