Agenda item

Report by Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director

The Leader presented a report for Cabinet’s information and sought Cabinet’s continued support for the Military Civilian Integration (MCI) Partnership and its programme of work.  The report explained how the programme would continue with existing initiatives to improve the integration of military personnel and their families into the communities of Wiltshire, and how it would respond to the opportunities and challenges brought by the Army Rebasing Programme.

The report also updated Cabinet on the important milestones that had been reached through partnership working and the support of the MCI Partnership since the last update report to Cabinet in May 2011.  Key achievements had included Wiltshire’s Armed Forces Community Covenant, the progress made on the delivery of a Defence Technical Training College at the former RAF Lyneham site and the official opening of Tedworth House Personnel and Recovery Centre in May 2013. It was noted that military personnel were  being kept informed of SEN and educational places.

Since its establishment in 2007 the MCI Partnership and its programme of work had seen the success of a number of initiatives which had significantly benefited not only the military community comprising of military personnel, leavers and their families, but also of the civilian community whose lives are in many ways connected with Wiltshire’s strong military heritage.  This success was due to the strength of the partnership in working together to develop new initiatives and face the new challenges brought about by the Regular Army Basing Plan.  By continuing to support the MCI Partnership, Wiltshire Council would benefit from the cross cutting and co-operative approach the MCI Delivery Group embodied, so that the opportunity to unlock the economic potential of the military and provide better services to Wiltshire’s communities would be enhanced.

Cllr Christine Crisp, Chairman of Council took the opportunity to remind Members that a ceremony would be held on Friday 26 September at County Hall to present the Arctic Convoy medal to 25 veterans of the Arctic Convoys and of Bomber Command.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

(a)       confirms its support for the MCI Programme, and endorses the approach being taken to delivering the Army Rebasing Workstream and

(b)       notes the progress of the:

              i.                Wiltshire’s Armed Forces Community Covenant (agreed in August 2011) and our success in drawing down over £585,000 of grant funding to support local integration projects

            ii.                Personnel Recovery and Assessment Centre at Tedworth House, Tidworth, which officially opened on 20 May and

                   iii.        development of a Defence Technical Training College at the former RAF Lyneham site.

Reason for decision

The Military has a significant presence in Wiltshire, and the nature of this presence will change dramatically over the coming years.  It is important that the Council recognises the impacts that the Regular Army Basing Plan will bring to Wiltshire, both in terms of the opportunities that this will offer in terms of growth and diversity, and the preparations that the Council will need to make to ensure that the needs of everyone in Wiltshire are met.  Cabinet is invited to recognise the achievements that have already been made with the support of the MCI Partnership, such as the progress on a Defence Technical Training College at the former RAF Lyneham Site, the opening of Tedworth House, and the Community Covenant, while acknowledging that there will be difficult challenges ahead, whose successful resolution will require the support of the Council working closely with 43 Wessex Brigade and partners.