Agenda item

Armed Forces Community

14.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Steve Wilson, and formally seconded by Councillor Julie Dore, that this Council:-

(a)       wishes to pay tribute to all those serving, or who have served, in our armed forces, and places on record our enormous gratitude to them for keeping us all safe;

(b)       notes that Armed Forces Day took place on Saturday 24^th June; an occasion giving support to the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community, from currently serving troops to Service families, veterans and cadets;

(c)        reaffirms the importance of such events and notes the success of recent events held in Sheffield in support of Armed Forces Day, including a veterans parade and a short ceremony led by the Lord Mayor;

(d)       notes that this year’s event marks the 35th anniversary of the Falklands War and the sinking of HMS Sheffield;

(e)       regrets the loss of life caused by the sinking of HMS Sheffield and places on record our sympathies to the friends and families of the 20 crew members who were killed in the missile attack of 4^th May 1982;

(f)        notes work undertaken by this Council to improve support of our armed forces communities, including a grant of £180,695 which Sheffield City Council successfully led a bid for from the Ministry of Defence’s Covenant Fund, in partnership with Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley Councils, and Sheffield Hallam University; and

(g)       notes that this grant, awarded in April, will help South Yorkshire gain a better understanding of the local Armed Forces community and strengthen the delivery of the Community Covenant; the grant money is being spent on research and training at Sheffield Hallam University and was officially launched to coincide with national Armed Forces Day in June.

14.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Ian Saunders, and formally seconded by Councillor Tony Damms, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of the following words at the end of paragraph (e) - “and recognises all who survived that, and other, attacks during all wars, and that support must be given to all those who suffered mental health related issues (such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as result of conflict, some of whom live in Sheffield”.

14.3

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

14.4

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       wishes to pay tribute to all those serving, or who have served, in our armed forces, and places on record our enormous gratitude to them for keeping us all safe;

(b)       notes that Armed Forces Day took place on Saturday 24^th June; an occasion giving support to the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community, from currently serving troops to Service families, veterans and cadets;

(c)        reaffirms the importance of such events and notes the success of recent events held in Sheffield in support of Armed Forces Day, including a veterans parade and a short ceremony led by the Lord Mayor;

(d)       notes that this year’s event marks the 35th anniversary of the Falklands War and the sinking of HMS Sheffield;

(e)       regrets the loss of life caused by the sinking of HMS Sheffield and places on record our sympathies to the friends and families of the 20 crew members who were killed in the missile attack of 4^th May 1982, and recognises all who survived that, and other, attacks during all wars, and that support must be given to all those who suffered mental health related issues (such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as result of conflict, some of whom live in Sheffield;

(f)        notes work undertaken by this Council to improve support of our armed forces communities, including a grant of £180,695 which Sheffield City Council successfully led a bid for from the Ministry of Defence’s Covenant Fund, in partnership with Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley Councils, and Sheffield Hallam University; and

(g)       notes that this grant, awarded in April, will help South Yorkshire gain a better understanding of the local Armed Forces community and strengthen the delivery of the Community Covenant; the grant money is being spent on research and training at Sheffield Hallam University and was officially launched to coincide with national Armed Forces Day in June.