Military and council sign up to new community covenant

The county hase become one of the first in the country to sign up to the Government’s new Armed Forces Community Covenant.

The covenant, published by the Government in May, is a statement of the moral obligation which exists between the nation, politicians and the armed forces and enshrines in law the principle that members of the military are owed a moral obligation when they return from service.

In last year’s strategic defence review, the Government revealed defence spending would fall by eight per cent over four years with the RAF and Navy due to lose 5,000 jobs each, the Army 7,000 and the Ministry of Defence 25,000 civilian staff.

North Yorkshire, home to Europe’s largest army base at Catterick Garrison, is feared to be particularly hard hit with many returning ex-servicemen and women struggling to readjust to civilian life.

Speaking after the signing of the covenant yesterday at Catterick Garrison, Brigadier Greville Bibby commander of 15 (north east) Brigade, said: “This covenant is one of the most important and exciting documents that I have seen in 30 years of military service. We are now in the people’s consciousness and I think that is very much down to the Afghanistan factor.

“There have been some real challenges for us and North Yorkshire County Council has been leading the way with this covenant.

“We are extremely grateful for the lead that the county council and all the districts have taken.”

North Yorkshire is one of just four areas in the country to have signed up to the covenant so far.

When he announced its publication in Parliament, Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said: “The Government has no higher duty than the defence of the realm.

“The ties between the nation, its government and its armed forces are not the product of rules and regulations but are much deeper than that.

“The Armed Forces Covenant does not need to be a long and detailed charter. It should be a simple and timeless statement of the moral obligation that we owe.”