West Berkshire has most ex military personnel in Berkshire

West Berkshire Council has signed a new Armed Forces Covenant, sealing the district’s support for military personnel and veterans.

And it has emerged at the council’s executive committee on Thursday, May 23 that West Berkshire has the highest number of ex-regular or reservists living in the area compared to the rest of Berkshire.

There are 4,156 in West Berskshire, compared to 3,443 in Windsor and Maidenhead, 3,440 in Wokingham, 2,939 in Bracknell, 2,711 in Reading and 1,058 in Slough.

This does not account for the number of serving personnel who live in this area.

The covenant is intended as a vehicle for partners across West Berkshire to help enable veterans or reservists to access health services, particularly mental health services, training and employment opportunities.

It also aims to encourage charities, local authorities, businesses and communities and individuals to work together with the military to offer support to service personnel and their families as well as reservist and veterans.

West Berkshire Council signed the Military Community Covenant in 2011, having policies in place for military reservists, and ensuring it does not prejudice against the military whether serving, their families or veterans.

In 2021 the Armed Forces Act 2021 further enshrined the Armed Forces Covenant into legislation to help prevent service personal and veterans being disadvantaged when accessing public services.

The act introduced a duty to have due regard to the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, including the unique obligations of, and sacrifices made by, the armed forces, and the principle that special provision for service people may be justified by the effects on such people of membership, or former membership, of the armed forces.

There are 22 military units in West Berkshire in 12 sites.

These include three regular army units, one US Air Force unit, seven reserve units and 10 cadet units (Combined Cadet Force (CCF), Army, Air Force and Sea Cadets).

In addition to the serving personnel and their families living and working within West Berkshire there are the veterans and their families.

More than £25m central government funding was allocated nationally over four years to 2020/2021.

No bids have been submitted by West Berkshire Council and therefore the council says there is opportunity to submit bids.