The Armed Forces and military veterans have been pledged support through a covenant that will be adopted by the new North Yorkshire Council.

The county was one of the first places in the UK to have an Armed Forces Covenant in place, which is enshrined in law to ensure military personnel and veterans have access to services across both the private and public sector.

The new North Yorkshire Council, which will launch on April 1, is set to adopt the covenant that was first signed in the county in 2011.

There are 10,770 military personnel in the county – one of the largest numbers nationally. North Yorkshire also has among the highest numbers of veterans in the country, with 29,831 former members of the Armed Forces living in North Yorkshire, according to data from the 2021 Census.

One of the key features of the Armed Forces Act 2021 is a new statutory duty to implement the principles of the covenant in the day-to-day delivery of council services, including housing, education and healthcare.

North Yorkshire County Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, who will assume the leadership of the new authority in the spring, said: “This is the ideal time to build on our work with partners and to re-establish a renewed collective commitment to our work with the Armed Forces community.

“The county is proud of its military connections.”

Catterick Garrison is one of the largest military establishments in the UK, and has associated barracks at Dishforth, Ripon and Topcliffe. Other military sites in North Yorkshire also includes the Army Foundation College at Harrogate, while the RAF has stations at Leeming, Fylingdales, Staxton Wold and Menwith Hill.

Almost three-quarters of the Army population in North Yorkshire are based in Richmondshire.

Lieutenant Colonel Jim Turner, Catterick Garrison Commander, said: “The close, cordial and long-standing relationship that we continue to enjoy with the community and local government is genuinely important – it enables us to do our job well, serving our country and county with pride, knowing that what we do, at home and overseas, is understood and appreciated.”

An action plan is due to be established to show how the new council will implement and resource the Armed Forces Covenant’s policy and its key aims and objectives.