Agenda item

·         Recognise and Remember Task Group

o   War Memorial Photograph Initiative

·         Community Integration Task Group

·         Successes 2016/17 (attached)

o   Surrey Armed Forces Covenant Conference 2016

o   SCC Gold Employer Recognition Award

o   Case Studies (attached)

·         Draft 2017/18 Priorities (attached)

o   South East Cross Border Bid

·         National Covenant Conference

·         Armed Forces Covenant Fund

Recognise and Remember Task Group

·         The action plan has been updated to focus on key actions to be delivered in 2017 including:

o   Mapping the Great War memorials in the County – the Cadets are being linked in on this

o   Supporting the Armed Forces Champions

o   Auditing progress against the aims of the Covenant in Surrey

o   Supporting and encouraging events during Armed Forces week and Remembrance week and ensuring that events in 2018 are recorded on the website, as well as supporting the two Freedom Parades for ATC Pirbright in Woking on 23 April and Guildford on 24 June and the farewell Service and March in Dorking for Headley Court on 29 September 2017.

o   Supporting Mole Valley DC as appropriate for the VC 100 in Leatherhead in July 2018

Community Integration Task Group

Work is progressing within each of the working groups:

Housing

·         The group has put in place a quarterly Armed Forces report card which highlights current activity and good practice.

·         The website will be updated with information and links to each of the district and borough council housing links.

·         Ex-spouses have been considered as a client group, but the group believe that they are generally catered for so are not proposing to take any further action.

Education

·         Termly bulletins continue to be circulated to schools

·         Continued emphasis on closing the gap in educational attainment for some Service Children

·         Promotion of best practice for the use of Service Pupil Premium

·         Continue to liaise with Admissions to support Army families.

Health

·         The Together for Carers – Memorandum of Understanding agreed by the Board sets out an integrated approach to supporting carers.  

·         Military Carers Support Co-ordinator has been appointed by Action for Carers to support service families.

·         Carers awareness training has been provided at the MoD Pirbright Medical Centre

·         Work is ongoing with the Armed Forces leads within each of the CCGs to provide a co-ordinated response to support the work of the Covenant.

·         Virgin Care, who ran SERVES will no longer run the contract.  The new provider is a London based Trust. Action: to report back at the next meeting on the new provider and services provided.

Employment

·         The Chairman is in the process of reconstituting this group.

Surrey Armed Forces Covenant Successes 2016/17 was agreed by the Board.  This would be circulated and uploaded onto the Armed Forces website.

Surrey Armed Forces Covenant Conference 2016 – The conference had received very positive feedback with a good variety of presentations and workshops.  The highlight for many was the Army Sergeant Major.  Feedback requested that the next conference has less on agenda and more time for workshops. The outcomes have been shared with the Task Groups where appropriate.

Case Study – The case study setting out how the Surrey County Council Contact Centre has supported an Armed Forces Family following training was welcomed. The Board was keen to develop more as a way of sharing learning.  Surrey case studies have been very well received by MoD Comms Team and Covenant Team.  Further ideas for case studies were welcomed.

Draft 2017/18 Priorities – These were agreed with an amendment made to reflect the fact that the proposed University Technical College is no longer going ahead.

South East Cross Border Bid -  The Board received a presentation on the submitted bid which sets out a proposal for training frontline staff and councillors across Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire and Kent.  The outcome of the application is expected at the end of March.

Armed Forces Covenant Fund – Surrey has had further success in the latest round of Covenant Grants:

·         Beech Grove Play Ranger scheme – Guildford Borough Council - £19,933

·         Play area – Deepcut - £20,000

The total awarded to Surrey since new fund was launched nearly two years ago is £161,060 from local grants.  The Board was asked to encourage further applications from across Surrey.  Sarah Goodman is happy to help advise on any potential bids.