Moray and Highland

Moray and Highland Council have both signed the Armed Forces Covenant to pledge support for their Armed Forces community and to ensure that those who serve, or have served, and their families are treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives.

The Armed Forces Covenant

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation, founded on the unique obligations and sacrifices of those who serve, or have served, in the Armed Forces, that they and their families should be treated fairly.

The Armed Forces Community includes the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Merchant Naval Seafarers (who have been called upon by the MOD to support UK military operations), veterans, families of current service personnel and veterans, as well as bereaved families.

A veteran is a person, who has served one full day in uniform, or a Merchant Naval Seafarer, who has deployed in support of UK military operations. They may have been a regular service person, a reservist or they may have completed National Service.

Armed Forces Covenant Group

Each council has an Armed Forces Covenant Group which meet twice a year to identify and discuss matters relevant to the community. They are chaired by an elected councillor who is your local authority Armed Forces Champion, and membership is made up of representatives from:

• Army and RAF units
• Reserve units
• Local authority
• NHS, DWP
• Military Charities
• Veterans Charities

The role of the local authority Armed Forces Champion is to ensure that the authority achieves its commitments to the Armed Forces community and resolves any issues.

Additional support

Additional support that has been put in place for the local Armed Forces community since signing the Covenant

• Housing policies have been adapted to remove disadvantage resulting from service
• Highland Council has a dedicated group, The Military Liaison Group (Education) led by a key worker who brings together a partnership of support to ensure the equity and equality of Children and Young People from Armed Forces families across Highland.
• Highland Families are encouraged to identify as being from the Armed Forces so the right targeted support can be given to Children at the right time
• Moray Council supports children transitioning into the area through their Education Business Support Manager
• An Action Plan guides the work of the Armed Forces Covenant Groups covering issues and opportunities brought to the Groups

Check Armed Forces Covenant Moray and Armed Forces Covenant Highland for more information.

Highland Council Employer Recognition Scheme

Highland Council is delighted to have been awarded the Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award in 2015 and subsequently to sign its own Armed Forces Covenant in November 2018 recognising the significant value which our Armed Forces Community brings to Highland.