Agenda item - Brighton and Hove Armed Forces Community

Report of the Director Sussex Collaborative, Lead, Sussex Armed Forces Network (copy attached).

43.1         The Director Sussex Collaborative, Lead, Sussex Armed Forces Network introduced the report which concerned the obligation to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces Covenant.  She thanked the Chair and Board for the opportunity to attend the meeting and to outline the work of the Armed Forces Network and the Civil Military Partnership Board that had been established by the Council.  She noted that the armed forces community was a hard to reach sector and that there was a genuine need to provide help and assistance to that community in order to enable veterans, families, reservists and regulars to integrate into society and the local community.

43.2         She noted that both groups worked together to avoid duplication and that the Civil Military Partnership Board was held in high regard nationally as an example of how things should work at a local level.  She hoped that the Board would support the efforts of both groups and would be happy to receive regular updates.

43.3         The Chair thanked the Director for attending the meeting and outlining the report.

43.4         Councillor Mac Cafferty welcomed the report and the work of both groups.  He then referred to the issue of mental health and any correlation with the available support from disability groups such as the FED and others.

43.5         The Director stated that this matter had been raised and was one that the groups intended to take forward.  However, they were still at an early stage and needed to build relations and publicise their roles, hence the report to the Board.

43.6         The Chair of the Children’s Safeguarding Board queried whether any provision had been made in relation to street homelessness and children in the area.  He was happy to have further discussions with the Armed Forces Network and to look at how matters could be taken forward.

43.7         The Director welcomed the offer and noted that a small number of trained champions had been established within the organisation to help in this area, but felt that better relations with the Local Safeguarding Board and Children’s Services would be beneficial.

43.8         The Director of Adult Services referred to paragraph 4.44 of the report and suggested that more work could be done as the rate was higher than expected.

43.9         The Director welcomed the proposal and noted that the data on the number of veterans going through areas was only just being collected; and any help would be welcome.

43.10      Councillor Penn referred to paragraph 3.39 in the report and asked if action was being taken to help in terms of housing.

43.11      The Director stated that Brighton was ahead of most other councils in this respect, but noted that there were others within the armed forces community who required assistance with housing matters.

43.12      Councillor K. Norman noted that his wife, Councillor Ann Norman had been involved with the Network and the Civil Military Partnership Board since its inception.  There had been some real progress made but the key point that kept coming up was integration of services to meet the needs.  He hoped this would develop and applauded everyone involved in the work to date.

43.13      The Chair thanked everyone for their comments and put the recommendations to the Board.

43.14      RESOLVED:

(1)       That the progress made to date by the Civil Partnership Board, Sussex Armed Forces Network and services and partners within Health and Social Care be noted; .

(2)       That Board’s support for the continuation of the way the groups and systems are working to deliver the needs for this community be agreed;

(3)       That the recommendations from the local JSNA 2015 be noted and agreed:

(i)           To continue joint working across Sussex through the Sussex Armed Forces Network; and

(ii)         Where possible, implement recommendations from the Sussex needs assessment.