Babergh And Mid Suffolk District Councils
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-10)

We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

The Armed Forces Covenant

An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

1.1 We Babergh And Mid Suffolk District Councils will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment

2.1 Babergh And Mid Suffolk District Councils recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- UK Cadets
- UK Wounded, Injured And Sick
We also pledge the following:

To recognise the unique obligations of, and sacrifices made by, the UK Armed Forces. That members of the Armed Forces community should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services, We will prompt local employment and training scheme providers to engage the local armed forces community. We will promote veterans focused employment and training opportunities to local veterans’ networks and collaborate with the DWP East Anglia Armed Forces Champion. We will appoint a Babergh District Council Armed Forces Champion Councillor and Officer as a point of contact who can help on issues of disadvantage. Upon request they will attend annual engagement, liaison meetings or events with local armed forces units. They will attend and support the Suffolk Armed Forces Covenant Board. As part of our tendering process, under our Corporate Social Value policy, we will encourage contractors to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and consider engaging the local armed forces community around employment. We will maintain contacts with local Armed Forces Units to highlight Duty to Refer and Housing Solutions Advice for those leaving the armed forces. In August 2022, Babergh District Council updated its lettings policy which reflects the requirements of the Armed Forces Act 2021. Allocations policy for social housing, Homelessness, Disabled Facilities grants and Tenancy strategies. We will directly participate in UK Armed Forces Week by our representatives attending and promoting the civic celebrations for the county and where agreed with our county covenant board partners hosting those celebrations. We will support communities to mark UK Armed Forces Week and initiatives that commemorate Armed Forces remembrance, sacrifice and heritage.

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.