Agenda and draft minutes
PDF 158 KBVenue: Council Chamber, Woodhatch Place, Cockshot Hill, Reigate, RH2 8EF
Contact: Sarah Goodman
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Welcome and Apologies
Minutes: Chair Saj Hussain welcomed all to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above. Introductions and a warm welcome extended to those contributing to the meeting.
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Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising
Minutes:
Verbal update given by Canon Peter Bruinvels The school signed Armed Forces Covenant on Armistice Day 2024. Peer support group for service children continues to work positively. A number of pupils from the school will be attending a Passing Out Parade at Pirbright on 29 November 2024. The school are considering hosting a service pupil conference. Challenge will be transporting children who are widely dispersed. Discussions are continuing and an update will be provided at the next meeting.
All other matters arising covered within the Agenda.
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Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
Draft JSNA for discussion and sign off: · Introduction – Sarah Goodman/Peter Bruinvels · Healthcare – Tony Shipley · Housing – Marta Imig/Steph Green · Education – Jim Nunns/Jane Dufton · Employment – Pip Darby Minutes: Draft JSNA had been circulated ahead of the meeting.
- It is a statutory duty for the Surrey Health and Wellbeing board to publish and keep up to date a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) as a way of understanding what our Surrey population looks like, how many people live where, what the health conditions are, what services they use, and where they are. - For the first time, SCChave published a chapter on the Armed Forces community based and living in Surrey and their specific needs covering education, employment, healthcare and housing provision. This community includes serving members, reservists, ex-service and veterans and their families - Produced in partnership with colleagues from County Council, District and Boroughs, Surrey Heartlands ICB, Frimley ICB, DWP, SSAFA, RBL, HQSE, Kings International School, SERFCA
• 4,640 Service Personnel with a home address in Surrey • 32,597 veterans • 1,224 Service Children • 3,500 Cadets • 750 Cadet Force Adult Volunteers • Navy and RAF presence strong in Surrey.
The hard work of the JSNA will help when strengthening connections between healthcare providers to improve continuity of care. There is a lot of commitment on paper, but ensuring all parties understand the armed forces community is vital to ensure this is delivered. He expressed thanks for the hard work of all parties that went in to the report, including from James Palmer who had originally co-ordinated it.
Formal thanks from the Board to Tony Shipley for all he has contributed while part of the SCMPB. Wishing him every success as he moves on to a new role.
Housing overview:
National • Expectations - lack of knowledge about housing options, welfare benefits and budgeting for post-service life. • Complexities – early service leavers, under 35s, non-UK personnel, separated/divorced partners, mental health, multiple and complex needs, suitably adapted properties, local connection challenges for social housing. • Support offer and assistance – Armed Forces Covenant Duty, Homelessness Act 2002, Defence Transition Service, Veterans Welfare Service, Op FORTITUDE, charity groups, supported accommodation.
Local 2019-2024 across Surrey where applicant had an Armed Forces connection: • 88 homeless approaches (32% made to Reigate & Banstead). • 17 rough sleepers recorded • Social Housing – 102 registered and 10 lets made. • Variation in Housing Allocations Policies across the Surrey LAs – including local connection and disregarding compensation from income assessments. • Variation in assessing Means Tested Benefits
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping • Advice on housing options needs to be provided at the earliest opportunity to prevent homelessness. • Additional needs should be identified during the early assessment stages of a homeless application – local authorities need to ask if the applicant has a current or previous connection to the Armed Forces Housing Register Allocations • Discretion should be considered where a service commitment means an applicant cannot meet local eligibility criteria but in fact is entitled under the Armed Forces Act 2021 to be ... view the full minutes text for item 3. |
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HQSE and Task Forces Commander Updates
· HQSE · The Soldier Academy · Irish Guards Minutes: As planned HQSE has now stopped being regional point of command and is now Joint Military Command (‘JMC’) supporting NATO Article 3 around Resilience. Works to ensure the army can function properly and to provide support to the cadets and engage with next generation of talent. Continuing long standing tradition of helping people be their best. Currently 34 regular sites and 40 reserve sites across the south east under HQ SE. Current operations include supporting the re-location of Afghan people and training Ukrainian forces. Army Experience and Leadership Challenge – successful event held once more. Currently working to expand and improve what this offers and achieves - working with DWP and educators.
Re-location of troops from Winchester - planned for April 2026, but currently awaiting the implantation order which will finalise details. As things stand the first arrivals of personnel would be December 2025. It is likely there will be housing demands and an increase in doctor registrations. Plans continue long term to create a new nursery outside the wire which will be open to military and civilian children.
Alexander Barracks – new infrastructure ongoing. New Soldier Centre is now open. Welfare facilities upstairs for families and recruits to use. New gym and pool to be built.
Community engagement – ongoing support of Veterans Hubs in Guildford and Woking as well as local schools. The camp has good relationship with Gordons School and the Royal Alexandra and Albert School and pleased to have re-established contact with Winston Churchill School. Formal thanks were given by Canon Bruinvels for the regular presence of serving personnel at the Guildford and Woking hubs which has worked really well.
The crossing under the bridge for school children is expected to be built this year which the Board was pleased to hear.
Planning schedule for next year such as AFC Conference, the month of the military child and joint event with the Parish Council in June for Armed Forces Day.
On 4 December there is Unit Health Fare for permanent staff and recruits to access support. The Forces Connect app will be featured there with Canon Bruinvels manning the stand..
Action: SD to consider inviting Winston Churchill and Gordons Schools to health fair.
Apologies given.
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Recognise and Remember
· Remembrance 2024 · Awareness training Minutes: · Recognise and Remember meeting in September was very well attended. Armed Forces Champions from Boroughs and Districts outlined plans for Remembrance week. Best practice was shared regarding including a need for suppliers to confirm their Armed Forces Covenant Status in their tender documents.
· Plans being made to mark VE Day in May and VJ Day 80 Aug – Cessation of hostilities in Europe in September.
County events:
- 11 May VE County Service at Cathedral at 15:00 ATC Pirbright taking a leading role. Details to follow. - 22 June Joint Services Charities and Cadet Service Choral Mattins and Parade at 11.30. - 10 or 17 August VJ Day and end of WW2 Evensong to be held at Guildford Cathedral 15:00 (TBC).
· Meetings with District and Borough Council including procurement Peter Bruinvels has had positive meetings with Districts and Boroughs (10 so far) to touch base and listen to their key issues. Hopeful these meeting will help and refresh awareness of the support offered. A number of areas are now looking to set up local Armed Forces panels including Epsom. Work ongoing to encourage the inclusion of a question regarding AFC status in procurement documents from those who will sign the covenant.
· Veteran Hubs Formal thanks to ATC Pirbright for their ongoing support of local hubs. The presence of serving personnel is hugely valued. Thanks also to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service for the three hubs they host in Surrey. Camberley Hub not currently running. Suggestion to link with Camberley Mens’ Shed which opened recently. Action: Investigate possibility of Camberley Mens’ Shed linking with veterans. Action: Ask Armed Forces Champions to link in with care homes in their local areas and potentially support residents to attend local hubs.
· Armed Forces Awareness Training Canon Peter Bruinvels continuing to offer Armed Forces Awareness Training online and uptake and feedback remains very positive. (6,125 trained in Surrey to date). New dates have been set for 2025.
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SERFCA Update
· Lord-Lieutenant Awards Ceremony Minutes: Hugely successful event held in October at Sandhurst. Next years’ event planned for 14 October 2025 and will be held at Sandhurst again. Included in the awards this year were two presented to Reservists from 4PWRR and 135 Geo (RE) and two to Adult Cadet Force Volunteers.
· SERFCA Armed Forces Briefings Strategic Defence Review due April / May 2025. Key outcomes will be included in the SERFCA Armed Forces Briefings.
· Employer Recognition Scheme After latest awards Surrey stands as follows: 73 Bronze, 20 Silver and 23 Gold Award Holders
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General Update
· National Armed Forces Covenant Conference · Forces Connect app and online · Surrey Annual Armed Forces Conference 6 March 2025 · SCMPB Annual report 24/25 · Forcer Protocol · Covenant Fund Trust https://covenantfund.org.uk/programmes/ · SCC Covenant re-signing – 10 December 2024 at Woodhatch
Minutes: CPB updated the conference was a positive event with great speakers and a Ministerial Announcement that the Armed Forces Covenant would have teeth by 2026’
CPB took to opportunity to suggest to Veterans’ Minister that remit of legislation should be expanded to include military spousal employment.
Had a stand at the Armed Forces Covenant Conference which was very well attended. New regions set to come on board. App is now available online at www.forcesconnect.co.uk . Armed Forces personnel can now access on The Defence Gateway via MODNeT, which is a major achievement.
Action All: If you would like any promotional material to raise awareness of the app – digital or printed – please email fcse@surreycc.gov.uk
Date set for 6 March 2025 at ATC Pirbright. Currently exploring themes – to include understanding the Armed Forces in Surrey and VE Day. Action: Please let Sarah or Peter know if you have thoughts about or links to potential speakers. Those mentioned in the meeting have been noted, thank you.
Action: please share news stories about what your organisation has done, preferably with a photo (min 1mb) over the past year. Email to armedforces@surreycc.gov.uk
CPB reported on a new suicide prevention initiative orifinally launched by Greater Manchester Police to ensure key information is available to them when they are informed an armed forces veteran, reservist or serving member is lost, missing or in need of support – helping to find them more quickly. The protocol gives police access to veterans' details such as any key vulnerabilities or any known-risk factors, and where they have been found if they went missing before. Surrey Police are aware of this scheme and are looking into it.
Action All: take a look at the funding streams that are open. Sarah Goodman happy to support with any applications. Currently awaiting the outcome of an application to Early Years Programme.
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AOB
Minutes: It was noted that three of the new MPs in Surrey are ex-military
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Date of next meeting
10am-12pm Thursday 24 April 2025 Minutes: 10am-12pm Thursday 24 April 2025 at Surrey Police HQ, Mount Browne – Many thanks to Ellie Vesey-Thompson for hosting.
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