Causeway Coast & Glens Council to send reps to Armed Forces Covenant Conference
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has agreed to send council representatives to the upcoming Armed Forces Covenant Conference in England.
Members at January’s Corporate Policy and Resources Committee were asked to recommend that Council’s Veterans’ Champion and Deputy Veterans’ Champion attend the 2026 Armed Forces Covenant Conference, which takes place on June 23 and 24, at the Guildhall in Portsmouth, with an approximate cost of £450 per person.
A Causeway Coast and Glens Council officers’ report noted the Covenant is a “voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces Community”, which council signed in January 2017.
“This Covenant encompasses the moral obligation between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces at a local level,” the report added. “The annual conference is an opportunity for everyone interested in delivery of the Armed Forces Covenant to get together to network, to share best practice, and to learn about the latest Covenant developments.”
The conference in Portsmouth will include a range of keynote speakers and breakout sessions, information stands from third sector organisations, and networking opportunities.
DUP alderman Michelle Knight-McQuillan successfully proposed that council approve the recommendation.
“It’s important that they understand and be fully appraised of the Armed Forces Covenant and any changes or any upcoming things that they should know about,” she added.
“And I would also add that if either couldn’t go, then perhaps a suitable replacement could go in their place.”
The decision will now go forward to full Council for ratification.