Agenda Item No: 6 Draft Final Report 1 Front cover image: 2 Contents Chair‟s Introduction 5 Focus and Approach of the Scrutiny Review 7 Background and Context: National and Local Perspectives 8 Sources of Evidence 9 The Scrutiny Review‟s Key Findings and Conclusions 11 Summary of Recommendations 21 Appendix 1 Scrutiny Review Project Brief 23 Appendix 2 Map of military bases in the East Midlands 27 3 4 1. Support for Ex-Service Personnel Scrutiny Review - Chair’s Introduction Northamptonshire County Council‟s Scrutiny Management Committee has chosen to look at the support provided to ex-service personnel in the county as one of its scrutiny topics for 2010/11. This scrutiny review was intended to consider how different public and voluntary organisations work together to support people in Northamptonshire after leaving the Armed Forces. This topic was of particular interest to me as I have a family member serving with the Royal Air Force Nursing Service. Other councillors who have been recruited to join the working group have had their own personal and family connections with our Armed Forces. We are all aware of the dedication and service that all members of the Armed Forces give to our country, most visibly in current action in Afghanistan and now in Libya. The regrettably familiar sight of those who have paid the ultimate price returning home via the town of Wootton Bassett is imprinted on our memories. The current financial situation at home has led to proposed reductions within the Armed Forces, which will mean an increased flow of ex-service personnel returning to civilian life. Most will experience no difficulties making this transition; some may, and will benefit from outside support. The support provided to members of the Armed Forces is a recurring topic of national discussion. This focuses on the more specialised services, such as care for injured service personnel, which I consider to be second to none worldwide. The scrutiny review has sought to play its part by looking at how national initiatives and requirements are applied in Northamptonshire, and looking for opportunities to take action to improve mainstream public services. I would like to thank Councillors Graham Lawman, Alan Pote, Ron Sawbridge, Judy Shephard and John McGhee for their interest in and input to the scrutiny review. We welcomed to the scrutiny review Colonel John Royle, the Chair of the Northamptonshire branch of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces Help, who has made an invaluable contribution. I would like to thank all those who provided information and assistance to the scrutiny review. My thanks would also be incomplete without thanking James Edmunds for his help in supporting the scrutiny review. Councillor Marion Minney Chair, Support for Ex-Service Personnel Scrutiny Review 5 6 2. Focus and Approach of the Scrutiny Review 2.1 The needs and challenges experienced by ex-service personnel returning to civilian life, and how well they are supported by public and voluntary services in Northamptonshire, was selected as a potential topic for scrutiny by the Scrutiny Management Committee as part of its 2010/11 work programme. This stemmed from the renewed prominence of the Armed Forces in national life as a result of the military commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the accompanying debate about the duty of care to Armed Forces personnel referred to as the „military covenant‟. 2.2 The original project brief for the scrutiny review is included with this report (at Appendix 1). The timescale for the review was extended by the Scrutiny Management Committee whilst it was in progress in light of other commitments on the Overview & Scrutiny Function. The scrutiny review was carried out by a working group consisting of Councillors Marion Minney (Chair), Graham Lawman, Alan Pote, Ron Sawbridge, Judy Shephard and John McGhee. Colonel John Royle, the Chair of the Northamptonshire branch of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association - Forces Help (SSAFA Forces Help), joined the working group as a co-opted member after giving evidence at one of its initial meetings. 2.3 The scrutiny review has divided the topic of support for ex-service personnel into the following themes, which represent priority areas identified by SSAFA Forces Help: . Health . Employment, education and training . Engagement with the Criminal Justice System . Housing 2.4 In accordance with the project brief the scrutiny review has focussed on the support available for individuals immediately after leaving the Armed Forces, rather than on that for older veterans who may have served earlier in the 20th Century. It has also concentrated on ex-service personnel themselves, rather than broadening its focus to look directly at issues affecting families or other dependants. However, many of the issues raised during the scrutiny review do have an indirect effect on the wider „ex-service community‟ as a whole. 7 3. Background and Context The National Perspective 3.1 The size of the British Armed Forces currently stands at 177,600 personnel, divided between 101,840 in the Army; 35,460 in the Royal Navy; and 40,300 in the Royal Air Force. 3.2 According to the latest UK Armed Forces Quarterly Manning Report the intake into the Regular Armed Forces in the 12 months to 31 December 2010 was 14,470. The outflow of trained personnel during the same period was 13,380. This represents a small increase (of 400 people or 3.1 per cent) compared with the outflow for the preceding 12 months. The scrutiny review has been advised that average age of soldiers leaving the Army is currently 26 years old, which contrasts with the perception that individuals stay in the Armed Forces for the long term. 3.3 The Strategic Defence and Security Review presented by the government in October 2010 proposes a reduction in the size of the Armed Forces over the next 5 years of 17,000 personnel (7,000 from the Army and 5,000 each from the Royal Navy and RAF). The Northamptonshire Perspective 3.4 The scrutiny review has not been able to obtain information that would enable it to identify the number of recent ex-service personnel living in Northamptonshire. However, it anticipates that the number would be limited, given that Northamptonshire is not one of the parts of the country that would customarily be identified as a „military area‟ and that the Armed Forces only have a comparatively small presence in the county. 3.5 There are no major military facilities within Northamptonshire and, as a result, no regular military units based in the county (a map of the military bases in the region is included with this report at Appendix 2). There are two Territorial Army units based in Northamptonshire: 118 Recovery Company, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers based at Northampton and Corby and a platoon of the Third Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment at Northampton. 14 soldiers from 118 Recovery Company were the most recent local Territorial Army personnel to undertake frontline service. (The need for Territorial Army and other reserve personnel to make a more rapid transition from frontline service back to civilian life was remarked upon by councillors during evidence-gathering. The scrutiny review has been advised that Territorial Army personnel from Northamptonshire should have a period of „decompression training‟ on an individual basis following active service, but it considers that this particular aspect of its topic should still be highlighted). 8 3.6 The fact that there are no regular units based in Northamptonshire means that individuals leaving the Armed Forces are not discharged locally. The size of the military presence in the county is also reflected in other ways: a recent Department for Education report The Educational Performance of Children of Service Personnel indicates that in 2009 there were no children with parent(s) who are regular service personnel in Northamptonshire schools at Key Stages 2 or 4. This compares with a total of just under 37,000 pupils identified as service children in 2009 (representing 0.5 per cent of all pupils in England). 4. Sources of Evidence 4.1 The scrutiny review has been informed by evidence-gathering meetings with the following people: Sharon Firmin Northamptonshire Local Medical Committee Manager Sergeant Chris Mounteney Soldiers Off The Streets Charity Family Welfare Officer for 118 Recovery Company, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Lucy Nickson Head of Planning & Delivery - Performance & Operations Directorate, NHS East Midlands Major William O‟Driscoll Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Area Secretary, Royal Anglian Regiment Association Colonel John Royle National Trustee and Chair of the Northamptonshire branch of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association - Forces Help Peter Siddons Governor, HMP Wellingborough 4.2 The scrutiny review has been informed by further written comments and information received from the following people: Ian Hanton Service Manager- Housing Related Support, Health & Adult Social Services, Northamptonshire County Council David Holmes Acting Commissioning Manager, Supporting People Team, Northamptonshire County Council David Moore Customer Service Centre Manager, Northamptonshire County Council 9 Group Captain Carol Smith Ministry of Defence Andrew Wilson Justice Crime Manager, Northamptonshire Police Representatives of Housing services at Corby Borough Council, Daventry District Council, East Northamptonshire Council, Kettering Borough Council and Northampton Borough Council. 4.3 The following documents have also informed the review: . Future Profile and Welfare Needs of the Ex-Service Community report for the Royal British Legion (2006) . Ministry of Defence - Leaving the Services National Audit Office report (2007) . Ministry of Defence - Leaving the Services House of Commons Public Accounts Committee report (2008) . The Experience of Homeless Ex-Service Personnel in London Centre for Housing Policy, University of York (2008). Meeting the Healthcare needs of Armed Forces Personnel, their Families and Veterans Department of Health Guide (2008) .