Interim Veterans’ Champion appointed

Members of The Highland Council have agreed the interim appointment of Councillor Leslie-Anne Niven as Armed Forces and Veterans’ Champion.

At a meeting of The Highland Council today (8 December 2022) a report informed Councillors of the considerable progress being made by the local authority with partners across a range of activities which support the Armed Forces Community Covenant.

The report Informed Councillors or the Covenant’s progress for the Armed Forces community in several areas including housing, health, education, partnership activities; covenant and community planning and the future priorities of the covenant.

Since October 2012 The Highland Council has been a co-signatory of the Armed Forces Community Covenant with 12 partners including; the Armed Forces Community; Highlands and Islands Enterprise;  Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (Scottish Fire and Rescue Service); Highland Reserve Forces and Cadets Association; Highland Third Sector Interface; Job Centre Plus; NHS Highland; Northern Constabulary (Police Scotland); Royal British Legion Scotland; Scottish Natural Heritage; SSAFA (Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association) Forces Help; and the University of the Highlands and Islands.

The aim of the covenant is to encourage support for the service community in a local area and raise awareness of issues affecting service personnel. A copy of the Highland Covenant is at this link.