Surrey County Council
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 Surrey County Council 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 Surrey County Council 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:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- UK Reservists
- UK Cadets
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
We also pledge the following:

Providing leadership and advocacy for the Armed Forces community through chairing the Surrey Civilian-Military Partnership Board and holding and annual conference. Regularly linking and informing key Armed Forces leads in partner organisations through networking events and newsletters. Providing regular Armed Forces awareness training to staff, councillors and partners to enable them to directly support those serving in the Armed Forces, their families and ex-service/veterans within the community. Enabling key access to relevant help and support through promoting the Forces Connect app and Armed Forces pages on the Surrey County Council website. Continuing to support the network of veteran hubs across the county through regular attendance and promotion. Promoting Armed Forces events and communicating key messages with residents and the Armed Forces community through social media, websites, Armed Forces magazines and press releases. Maintaining excellent relations with the regular and reserve units in Surrey including regular meetings with the Unit Welfare Officers and briefings at The Soldier Academy. Encouraging our suppliers and commissioned services to demonstrate their commitment to the Armed Forces by signing the Armed Forces Covenant and progressing through the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. Ensuring local authority delivered Public Health services take into account the needs of the Armed Forces community as set out in the Armed Forces Act 2021 Statutory Guidance and highlights within the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. Supporting Service children around admissions, attendance, school transport, educational achievement and Special Education Needs as set out in the Armed Forces Act 2021 Statutory Guidance and highlighted within the JSNA.

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.