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Military civilian integration programme

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The Big Picture

The significant military presence in Wiltshire is changing. The development of Britain’s first ‘Super Garrison’ in the Salisbury Plain area, closure of RAF Lyneham, and a number of other planned military changes will have far reaching implications for local communities across the county for the foreseeable future.

Why do we need a Military Civilian Integration (MCI) Programme?

Although there is an awareness of these changes taking place in the Defence Community (the impact of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (October 2010), and follow-on studies, on Wiltshire is being assessed), Wiltshire Council working with HQ 43 (Wessex) Brigade and partners needs to quantify what this means in terms of infrastructure, impact on the economy and delivery of services. Therefore, the MCI Programme was set up to shape and positively influence these changes, where possible.

What’s the aim of the programme?


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The aim of the MCI Programme is to optimise the economic and social benefits of the military presence in the county. The programme has 5 main objectives:

  • To identify the changing military ‘footprint’ in the county
  • To quantify the economic contribution of the military to the county, and the South West
  • To assist the realignment of service provision to meet the changing needs of the military, their families (known as dependants) and veterans.
  • To spot opportunities for regeneration and building sustainable communities in the Salisbury Plain area
  • To make sure the county continues to remain an attractive location for long-term investment by the MoD

What’s happening and when?

Salisbury Plain Super Garrison

The Salisbury Plain Super Garrison is the ‘core’ project within the programme and focuses on the plans for the future MoD use of the Salisbury Plain Training Area. There will be significant investment in infrastructure and increases in the numbers of soldiers based in the county. Super Garrisons are also being developed in Aldershot, Catterick and Colchester.

Sustainable Communities Study Project

The purpose of this project is to improve understanding of the dynamics of existing communities (specifically Bulford, Larkhill, Ludgershall, Tidworth and Warminster) including the impacts of the proposed changes to these settlements as a result of the Super Garrison development. The project funded by the Plain Action rural development programme and partners was completed in March 2011.

Joining Things Up Project – a co-ordinated approach to services for military families

The purpose of this project is to audit the provision of services to military families, including veterans, by statutory and voluntary agencies. As part of this work Wiltshire Council is supporting the development of the Personnel Recovery and Assessment Centre (PRAC) at Tedworth House funded by Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion. The project was completed in March 2011. Also, work is underway to develop a Veterans Charter in Wiltshire.

Lyneham and Defence Technical Training

Wiltshire Council and partners welcomed the Defence Secretary’s announcement on 18th July 2011 that Lyneham is the “preferred location” for Defence Technical Training from 2013. The RAF will leave Lyneham at the end of 2012, and it is likely that Defence Technical Training will transfer to the site in a series of phased moves.

The MCI Programme and Lyneham Steering Group will continue to work with MoD to help ensure a smooth transition to Defence Technical Training

For more information see Lyneham Steering Group

Research

The evidence base for the programme was derived from 2 earlier research projects:

Improved support to the Armed Forces Community – Armed Forces Covenant

On 16 May 2011 the government published a new tri-Service Armed Forces Covenant. Also, the government announced that, with an amendment to the Armed Forces Bill, the principles of the covenant will be enshrined in law for the first time. The covenant outlines the government’s aspiration that the Armed Forces Community should face no disadvantage compared with other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services.

Wiltshire’s Armed Forces Community Covenant

In August 2011 Wiltshire launched its Armed Forces Community Covenant. The Covenant is a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces Community. The aim of the Community Covenant is to encourage local communities to support the Service community in their area and nurture understanding and awareness amongst the public of issues affecting the Armed Forces Community. Wiltshire’s Armed Forces Community Covenant cements the relationship between the Council, the Armed Forces, and other service providers across the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Wiltshire’s Veterans’ Charter and Action Plan

In December 2011 Wiltshire launched its Armed Forces Veterans Covenant which confirms support from the broader community and the wide range of organisations delivering services across all sectors to Service Veterans and their families. The Charter is evidenced by actions which are set out in a plan describing what organisations are doing in partnership to meet the needs of Service Veterans across a range of areas.

Community Covenant Grant Scheme

In August 2011 the Ministry of Defence published information about £30 million funding for a new Community Covenant Grant Scheme. The scheme is intended to provide financial support to projects at the local level, which strengthen the ties or the mutual understanding between members of the Armed Forces Community and the wider community in which they live.

All projects must be endorsed by the local Covenant partnership. In Wiltshire this is the Sponsoring Group for the MCI Programme. More information about the criteria and an application form is available at the MOD website Completed applications should be sent to VCS@wiltshire.gov.uk at least 3 weeks before the published MOD deadline.

The deadline date for the next round of the Armed Forces Community Covenant Grant scheme has just been announced and application forms need to be with the Communities and Voluntary Sector Support (CVSS) unit by 1 February 2012 so that we are able to seek any information that we require before it is submitted to the Wiltshire MCI Reference Group for endorsement.  Bids, which are not endorsed, are unlikely to be approved by the Community Covenant panel.

Future dates for submission to the CVSS unit are 1 June 2012 and 1 October 2012.

Who’s doing what?

A consortium led by Wiltshire Council is delivering the MCI Programme. The Sponsoring Group provides strategic direction to the MCI Programme Manager.

Wiltshire Council is the ‘Senior Responsible Owner’ on the Sponsoring Group which includes: Council representatives at Cabinet Member and Chief Executive level, HQ 43 (Wessex) Brigade, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (formerly Defence Estates), and representatives from Community First (voluntary sector) and the Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce (private sector) in Wiltshire.

MCI Programme - Fact File


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  • Currently, around 15,000 military personnel and an estimated 16,000 dependants are based in Wiltshire
  • The military is the biggest employer in Wiltshire
  • Many more jobs are ‘Defence dependent’
  • The spending power of military personnel is worth over £400m per year
  • The development of the Salisbury Plain Super Garrison and other military sites will attract multi-million pound investment into the county
  • The RAF will withdraw from Lyneham by 2012
  • Military changes are most likely to impact on communities in Amesbury, Bulford, Calne, Chippenham, Corsham, Salisbury, Tidworth, Warminster, Wilton, and Wootton Bassett
  • Around 1,000 young people are members of the cadet forces in Wiltshire
  • MoD makes a significant contribution towards conservation and environmental protection in Wiltshire
  • Military civilian integration has been adopted as one of the underlying themes of the Plain Action rural development programme

MCI-related information on the internet

Further Information

For further information, please contact: Ian Cambrook, MCI Programme Manager, Pidela Consulting: ian.cambrook@googlemail.com


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Last updated: 17 January 2012

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