Council to appoint new LGBT+ ambassador and armed forces champion

Council members have served as the authority’s Armed Forces Champion and LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) Ambassador for the past year – and new candidates have now been sought to succeed them.

Deputy leader Josh Newbury called for the council to “look outwards” when seeking a new LGBT+ Ambassador. Speaking at Wednesday’s full council meeting he said: “The council has had an LGBT+ Ambassador since September 2022 and this role has been held by a councillor.

“The Chase Pride festival held in September 2022 was a great success with over 5,000 attendees, and plans are underway for an even larger event on 2nd September. There is a need for an ambassador to drive forward projects and initiatives by and for the district’s LGBT+ community.

“More work is needed to achieve the objectives set out in the motion put to full council in September 2022, such as training for councillors, officers and community groups and additions to the Cannock Chase Can app. The council should deepen its partnerships with community groups by working with them on defining and promoting the LGBT+ Ambassador position.”

Councillor Josh Bancroft, who has been the LGBT+ Ambassador for the past year, said it had been an “absolute pleasure” to represent the council and backed the proposal to open up the position to others outside the authority. Fellow members agreed to renew the position for another year, offer it out externally and write to community groups including Chase Pride to seek their support in promoting the role to the public.

But a proposal to open the Armed Forces Champion role to a candidate outside the council, put forward by opposition group leader Olivia Lyons, did not gain enough support to be carried. Councillor David Williams has been appointed as the new Armed Forces Champion and will succeed fellow councillor Martyn Buttery, who said it had been an honour and a privilege to serve in the role.

Council leader Tony Johnson, who presented the motion to reappoint an Armed Forces Champion for the next year, said: “There is a clear need for an Armed Forces Champion which acts as a bridge between the council and our armed forces community on issues which this council has responsibility for, such as housing, benefits, employment support and signposting to partner organisations, whilst also advocating for the armed forces to residents, local businesses, community groups and partner organisations. We must continue to work closely with all of the organisations which support our armed forces community, such as charities, ex-servicemen’s clubs and community groups, work which is led by the Armed Forces Champion.

“We have committed to the Armed Forces Community Covenant for Staffordshire for over a decade, having signed up to it during the 2012/13 municipal year. The aims of the Covenant are to encourage local communities to support the armed forces community in their areas and to nurture public understanding and awareness among the public of issues affecting the armed forces community, to recognise and remember the sacrifices faced by the armed forces community, to encourage activities which help to integrate the armed forces community into local life and to encourage the armed forces community to help and support the wider community, whether through participation in events and joint projects, or other forms of engagement.

“We also take part in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, supporting our armed forces community and inspiring other employers to do the same. The council holds a Silver Award for its commitment to the armed forces community.”