West Northants Council re-signs Armed Forces Covenant

On Tuesday 7 February 2023, West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) Leader Cllr Jonathan Nunn and Chief Executive Anna Earnshaw were joined by Maj Jess Marengo of 103 Battalion REME for a special event to re-sign the Armed Forces Covenant.

The event, which took place at the Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, was an opportunity for the Council to reaffirm its commitment to the Armed Forces community by introducing some new pledges under the Armed Forces Covenant.

Under these new pledges, the Council has now established a guaranteed apprenticeship interview scheme for Cadets and has introduced additional paid leave to support staff members who are Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.

WNC is currently a Silver award holder of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and these renewed pledges form part of the ongoing work that the Council is doing to improve its internal offer for colleagues who have links to the Armed Forces.

The Council is also committed to supporting the Armed Forces community more widely through the Armed Forces Covenant. The Covenant is a promise by the nation that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, should be treated fairly.

The Covenant Duty, which came into effect on 22 November 2022, places a legal obligation on all local authorities to demonstrate due regard through the functions of Healthcare, Education, and Housing, and the Council is working hard to ensure that appropriate training and services are in place to deliver this. 

Read the Council’s renewed Armed Forces Covenant pledges on the AFC page of the website.

Read the statutory Armed Forces Covenant duty guidance on Gov.UK.

Watch a video explaining why the Armed Forces Covenant is important to West Northants Council.

If you are a business or organisation who is interested in signing the Covenant, visit the Armed Forces Northants website for more details. The website also has lots of information on the support services available to members of the Armed Forces community, including upcoming events in the local area.