Agenda item

9.12pm – Councillor Alan De’Ath moved, seconded by Councillor Colin Aherne, the special motion in their names:

“This Council places on record its gratitude for the courage, service and sacrifice of members of Her Majesty’s armed forces, past and present, during military conflicts, in countering terrorism and in carrying out peacekeeping and humanitarian duties.

Council notes:

·         The obligations it owes to the Armed Forces community within the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham as enshrined in the Armed Forces Covenant; that the Armed Forces community should not face disadvantage in the provision of services and that special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given the most.

·         The absence of definitive and comprehensive statistics on the size or demographics of the Armed Forces community in Hammersmith & Fulham. This includes serving Regular and Reserve personnel, veterans, and their families.

·         That the availability of such data would greatly assist the Council, local partner agencies, the voluntary sector, and national Government in the planning and provision of services to address the unique needs of the Armed Forces community in Hammersmith & Fulham.

In light of the above, this council moves to support and promote The Royal British Legion’s call to include a new topic in the 2021 census that concerns military service and membership of the Armed Forces community. We further call upon the UK Parliament, which will approve the final census questionnaire through legislation in 2019, to ensure that the 2021 census includes questions concerning our Armed Forces community.

Council therefore resolves to:

·         Support and promote The Royal British Legion’s campaign ‘Count Me In’ to include a new topic in the 2021 census that concerns military service and membership of the Armed Forces community.

·         Urge Hammersmith & Fulham's elected members to sign up as individual supporters to the ‘Count Me In’ campaign.

·         Ask the Leader of the Council write to the Secretary of State for Defence, setting out the Council’s position that we wish to see the UK Parliament approve a final census questionnaire in 2019, which includes questions concerning our Armed Forces community, for use in the 2021 Census.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillor Alan De’Ath and Ali Hashem (for the Administration) – and Councillors Alex Karmel and Frances Stainton (for the Opposition).

Councillor Alan De’Ath then made a speech winding up the debate before the special motion was put to the vote:

FOR                            UNANIMOUS

AGAINST                   0

NOT VOTING            0

The special motion was declared CARRIED.

9.24pm – RESOLVED

This Council places on record its gratitude for the courage, service and sacrifice of members of Her Majesty’s armed forces, past and present, during military conflicts, in countering terrorism and in carrying out peacekeeping and humanitarian duties.

Council notes:

·         The obligations it owes to the Armed Forces community within the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham as enshrined in the Armed Forces Covenant; that the Armed Forces community should not face disadvantage in the provision of services and that special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given the most.

·         The absence of definitive and comprehensive statistics on the size or demographics of the Armed Forces community in Hammersmith & Fulham. This includes serving Regular and Reserve personnel, veterans, and their families.

·         That the availability of such data would greatly assist the Council, local partner agencies, the voluntary sector, and national Government in the planning and provision of services to address the unique needs of the Armed Forces community in Hammersmith & Fulham.

In light of the above, this council moves to support and promote The Royal British Legion’s call to include a new topic in the 2021 census that concerns military service and membership of the Armed Forces community. We further call upon the UK Parliament, which will approve the final census questionnaire through legislation in 2019, to ensure that the 2021 census includes questions concerning our Armed Forces community.

Council therefore resolves to:

·         Support and promote The Royal British Legion’s campaign ‘Count Me In’ to include a new topic in the 2021 census that concerns military service and membership of the Armed Forces community.

·         Urge Hammersmith & Fulham's elected members to sign up as individual supporters to the ‘Count Me In’ campaign.

·         Ask the Leader of the Council write to the Secretary of State for Defence, setting out the Council’s position that we wish to see the UK Parliament approve a final census questionnaire in 2019, which includes questions concerning our Armed Forces community, for use in the 2021 Census.