Slough Borough Council has renewed its commitment to those who serve or have served in the armed forces with the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant.
The covenant was officially signed by Councillor Dexter Smith, leader of the council, Councillor Neel Rana, the council’s Armed Forces Champion and Wing Commander Stephen Fry from the Royal Air Force on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Councillor Neel Rana, Armed Forces Champion, said after signing the covenant: "As Armed Forces Champion, I have long been committed to ensuring service personnel, veterans, and their families receive the recognition and support they deserve.
"My motion to Full Council, which passed unanimously last year, laid the foundation for today’s signing ceremony – reinforcing this council’s commitment to enhancing our support for the armed forces community.
"The pledge we have signed today acknowledges our vital role not only as a public authority serving the community but also as an employer of veterans, reservists, cadets, and service spouses and partners.
"By affirming this covenant, we honour their dedication and sacrifice while taking meaningful steps to improve opportunities, strengthen support networks, and ensure fair treatment.
"I look forward to working both within the council and with our external partners to deliver on these commitments and continue building strong ties between Slough and the armed forces.”
Councillor Dexter Smith, leader of the council, added: “Slough Borough Council is proud to underscore its commitment to the Armed Forces Community through the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant.
"Today’s signing is more than a symbolic gesture – it marks a significant step in strengthening Slough’s role as a welcoming and supportive place for those who serve, have served, and their families.
"I am pleased to have worked alongside my colleague, Councillor Neel Rana, in bringing this important pledge to fruition and commend his continued dedication to championing this vital cause."
The signed covenant states:
Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Covenant
We, Slough Borough 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.
- in some circumstances, special treatment may be appropriate, especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our Commitment
We recognise the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business and to our country. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant by:
- Promoting the Armed Forces: promoting the fact we are an Armed Forces-friendly organisation to our staff, customers, suppliers, contractors and the wider public; applying to join the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme
- Veterans: supporting the employment of veterans, recognising military skills and qualifications in our recruitment and selection process; working with the Career Transition Partnership to support the employment of Service leavers.
- Service Spouses & Partners: supporting the employment of Service spouses and partners; partnering with the Forces Families Jobs Forum.
- Reserves: supporting employees who are Reservists; recognising the benefits of employing Reservists within the organisation; continuing our commitment to additional paid leave for Continuous Training Courses; regularly reviewing our approach to Reserve entitlements.
- Cadet Organisations: supporting staff who volunteer with local military cadet units; supporting local military cadet units; recognising the benefits of employing cadets and ex-cadets within the workforce.
- National Events: supporting Armed Forces Day, Reserves Day, Poppy Appeal Day and Remembrance activities.
- Armed Forces Charities: supporting Armed Forces charities with fundraising and supporting staff who volunteer to assist through Slough Borough Council’s volunteer policy.
- Community Engagement: mapping the Armed Forces Community in Slough and understanding their needs; engaging with the community to understand the issues that matter most to them; holding regular engagement sessions with the council’s Armed Forces Champion.
- Action Plan: providing updates on our progress in implementing this pledge and fulfilling our statutory obligations under the Covenant Duty to the relevant committee or cabinet.
- Partnerships: being active members of the Royal County of Berkshire Civilian Military Partnership Board and contributing to the Board’s initiatives to support the Armed Forces Community across the county; helping to guide members of the Community to support available from Slough’s Voluntary and Community Sector and from other key partners in the borough.
- Training: introducing an e-learning module on for staff on the Armed Forces Community, Armed Forces Covenant and the Covenant Duty, with further training for customer-facing staff to help improve the support we provide the Community as a council.
We will publicise these commitments through our literature, on staff notices, and on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community, our staff and our residents on how we are doing.