Agenda item

This Council

(a)                notes that there are expected redundancies among military personnel in Oxfordshire, .  These military personnel and their dependents will need to adjust to civilian life and many will need to access a wide range of Council Services including Benefits advice, Adult and Children Services and Housing..

(b)               is concerned that military personnel coming to the end of their period of service can experience real difficulty in securing appropriate accommodation and employment  causing considerable stress to them and to their dependents and place strain on county council social care and school provision.

(c)                recognises that:

(i)                  the nature of military life makes it hard  to navigate the complex system of housing provision;

(ii)                the lack of a consistent policy of prioritisation for housing military personnel  across our five district councils adds to their difficulty.

(iii)               Support dries up rapidly after a service person has left military service..

(d)               believes military personnel coming to the end of their period of service deserve better support in returning to civilian life.

Instructs the Leader of the Council to:

(a)                Write to District Council leaders, urging them to give consideration to a unified policy for prioritisation for service personnel requiring housing and other services.;

(b)               Write to the MoD stressing the need for improved support from the military in this area;

(c)                Refer the issue to the Oxfordshire Military Partnership for the new Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to take forward. 

Councillor Mitchell moved and Councillor Mallon seconded the following motion as amended by Councillor Goddard in strikethrough and bold italics:

 

This Council

 

(a)                notes that there are expected redundancies among military personnel in Oxfordshire. These military personnel and their dependents will need to adjust to civilian life and many will need to access a wide range of Council Services including Benefits advice, Adult and Children Services and Housing.

(b)               is concerned that military personnel coming to the end of their period of service can experience real difficulty in securing appropriate accommodation and employment  causing considerable stress to them and to their dependents and place strain on county council social care and school provision.

(c)                recognises that:

(i)                  the nature of military life makes it hard  to navigate the complex system of housing provision;

(ii)                the lack of a consistent policy of prioritisation for housing military personnel  across our five district councils adds to their difficulty;

(iii)               Support dries up rapidly after a service person has left military service.

 

(d)               believes military personnel coming to the end of their period of service deserve better support in returning to civilian life.

 

Instructs the Leader of the Council to:

 

(a)                Write to District Council leaders, urging them to give consideration to a unified policy for prioritisation for service personnel requiring housing and other services;

(a)                Write to District Council leaders urging them to join the leader of the Council to give consideration to a unified policy for meeting the full range of needs of service personnel, and their dependents, following their discharge from service;

(b)               Write to the MoD stressing the need for improved support from the military in this area;

(c)                Refer the issue to the Oxfordshire Military Partnership for the new Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to take forward. 

 

Following debate, the motion as amended was carried unanimously.

 

RESOLVED:

 

This Council

 

(a)                notes that there are expected redundancies among military personnel in Oxfordshire. These military personnel and their dependents will need to adjust to civilian life and many will need to access a wide range of Council Services including Benefits advice, Adult and Children Services and Housing.

(b)               is concerned that military personnel coming to the end of their period of service can experience real difficulty in securing appropriate accommodation and employment  causing considerable stress to them and to their dependents and place strain on county council social care and school provision.

 

(c)                recognises that:

(i)                  the nature of military life makes it hard  to navigate the complex system of housing provision;

(ii)                the lack of a consistent policy of prioritisation for housing military personnel  across our five district councils adds to their difficulty.

(iii)               Support dries up rapidly after a service person has left military service;

(d)               believes military personnel coming to the end of their period of service deserve better support in returning to civilian life.

 

Instructs the Leader of the Council to:

 

(a)                Write to District Council leaders urging them to join the leader of the Council to give consideration to a unified policy for meeting the full range of needs of service personnel, and their dependents, following their discharge from service;

(b)               Write to the MoD stressing the need for improved support from the military in this area;

(c)                Refer the issue to the Oxfordshire Military Partnership for the new Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to take forward.