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Meeting: 18/02/2021 - Council (Item 349)

Armed Forces (Minute 331 of 3 December 2020)

To receive and consider the recommendations of the Cabinet (Minute 615(a)) as an amendment to the following Notice of Motion submitted previously to the Council by Councillor Asvachin and referred thereto in accordance with Standing Order 8(2), namely:

 

‘We call upon the council to make their armed forces champions and lead officers aware of the difficulties experienced by commonwealth veterans and ensure that those who are currently experiencing problems, whether financial or immigration difficulties, are not disadvantaged whilst their applications are ongoing.

 

We also call upon the leader of the council to write to the Prime Minister, Kevin Forster the Minister of State for Immigration, and Johnny Mercer the Minister of State for Veterans Affairs, outlining this Councils support for all Commonwealth veterans who have served a minimum of 4 years being granted automatic and free of charge right to remain in the UK and that any veteran who completes 12 years of service to be automatically given British Citizenship.

 

Further, we call upon the Leader of the Council to write to our Devon MPs, on behalf of this council, to ask that they continue to press the government for a change in the legislation that affects those that have served diligently and honourably for this Country’

 

Having had regard to the aforementioned, any factual briefing/position statements on the matter as set out in Report (CSO/21/1) and other suggestions or alternatives considered at that meeting the Cabinet subsequently resolved:

 

That Council

(a)  notes the work to date of Officers and the Council’s Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) Lead Member in terms of their involvement in and contribution to the Consultation about the forthcoming legislation to enshrine the Armed Forces Covenant in Law and that Officers and the Council’s AFC lead Member continue to work with “Forces Connect South West” (consortium of SW Councils) on matters concerning AFC including Commonwealth Veterans;

(b)  welcomes this impending legislation and will act upon its requirements as soon as has become enshrined in law;

(c) recognises the situation regarding Commonwealth Veterans and therefore asks the Leader to write to Kevin Foster MP (Minister for Immigration) and Johnny Mercer MP (Minister of State for Veteran Affairs) asking that Commonwealth members of the Armed Forces be given adequate guidance on the steps required to obtain legal immigration status in Britain ahead of leaving their Service, in particular,

(i)  that a longer period for application for leave to stay (12 - 18 months rather than currently the case where this must happen before or immediately upon leaving service);

(ii) during this period, they have the same rights that they had when in Service e.g. register with GP and find work;

(iii) apply for assistance from Local Authorities. (i.e. Housing); and

(iv) that the process of immigration in these cases is sped up with fair and affordable administrative charges.

(d) continues to implement and apply policies that support former Armed Forces personnel and reservists as well as understanding the issues that veterans, reservist and their family members  ...  view the full agenda text for item 349

Additional documents:

Decision:

Councillor Hart MOVED and Councillor McInnes SECONDED that the Cabinet’s advice be accepted and that Notice of Motion be welcomed and the following actions be approved.

 

That Council

(a)  notes the work to date of Officers and the Council’s Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) Lead Member in terms of their involvement in and contribution to the Consultation about the forthcoming legislation to enshrine the Armed Forces Covenant in Law and that Officers and the Council’s AFC lead Member continue to work with “Forces Connect South West” (consortium of SW Councils) on matters concerning AFC including Commonwealth Veterans;

(b)  welcomes this impending legislation and will act upon its requirements as soon as has become enshrined in law;

(c) recognises the situation regarding Commonwealth Veterans and therefore asks the Leader to write to Kevin Foster MP (Minister for Immigration) and Johnny Mercer MP (Minister of State for Veteran Affairs) asking that Commonwealth members of the Armed Forces be given adequate guidance on the steps required to obtain legal immigration status in Britain ahead of leaving their Service, in particular,

(i)  that a longer period for application for leave to stay (12 - 18 months rather than currently the case where this must happen before or immediately upon leaving service);

(ii) during this period, they have the same rights that they had when in Service, e.g. register with GP, find work, apply for assistance from Local Authorities. (i.e. Housing); and

(iii) that the process of immigration in these cases is sped up with fair and affordable administrative charges.

(d) continues to implement and apply policies that support former Armed Forces personnel and reservists as well as understanding the issues that veterans, reservist and their family members face and continue to work towards ‘Gold’ status in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, with improving the provisions of career based and personal support even more; and

(e) ask the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee to consider the issues in more depth, building on its previous task group work relating to the Armed Forces Covenant

The amendment in the name of Councillor Hart was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED and subsequently thereafter also CARRIED as the substantive motion.

 

Minutes:

Pursuant to County Council Minute 331 of 3 December 2020 relating to the Notice of Motion set out below as previously submitted and formally moved and seconded by Councillor Asvachin that:             

                       

‘We call upon the council to make their armed forces champions and lead officers aware of the difficulties experienced by commonwealth veterans and ensure that those who are currently experiencing problems, whether financial or immigration difficulties, are not disadvantaged whilst their applications are ongoing.

 

We also call upon the leader of the council to write to the Prime Minister, Kevin Forster the Minister of State for Immigration, and Johnny Mercer the Minister of State for Veterans Affairs, outlining this Councils support for all Commonwealth veterans who have served a minimum of 4 years being granted automatic and free of charge right to remain in the UK and that any veteran who completes 12 years of service to be automatically given British Citizenship.

 

Further, we call upon the Leader of the Council to write to our Devon MPs, on behalf of this council, to ask that they continue to press the government for a change in the legislation that affects those that have served diligently and honourably for this Country’

 

and having had regard to the advice of the Cabinet set out in Minute 615(a) of 13 January 2021:

 

Councillor Hart MOVED and Councillor McInnes SECONDED that the Cabinet’s advice be accepted and that Notice of Motion be welcomed and the following actions be approved.

 

That Council

(a)  notes the work to date of Officers and the Council’s Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) Lead Member in terms of their involvement in and contribution to the Consultation about the forthcoming legislation to enshrine the Armed Forces Covenant in Law and that Officers and the Council’s AFC lead Member continue to work with “Forces Connect South West” (consortium of SW Councils) on matters concerning AFC including Commonwealth Veterans;

(b)  welcomes this impending legislation and will act upon its requirements as soon as has become enshrined in law;

(c) recognises the situation regarding Commonwealth Veterans and therefore asks the Leader to write to Kevin Foster MP (Minister for Immigration) and Johnny Mercer MP (Minister of State for Veteran Affairs) asking that Commonwealth members of the Armed Forces be given adequate guidance on the steps required to obtain legal immigration status in Britain ahead of leaving their Service, in particular,

(i)  that a longer period for application for leave to stay (12 - 18 months rather than currently the case where this must happen before or immediately upon leaving service);

(ii) during this period, they have the same rights that they had when in Service, e.g. register with GP, find work, apply for assistance from Local Authorities. (i.e. Housing); and

(iii) that the process of immigration in these cases is sped up with fair and affordable administrative charges.

(d) continues to implement and apply policies that support former Armed Forces personnel and reservists as well as understanding the issues that veterans, reservist  ...  view the full minutes text for item 349



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