Making it Harder for Gurkhas to Serve Our Country

In a debate at Kent County Council 5th November Full Council meeting on a motion from Reform to attempt to cut expenditure on translation services (despite it being acknowledged the current spend in both relatively tiny, and at least half currently spent on BSL and braille translation), I flagged one key group at risk from the change.

That key group is our friends and neighbours the Gurkha's. The specific challenge they face is the triennial rotation between Brunei and Kent, which is part of their service in the British Army, and forces relocation each time.

Sadly, the motion was passed with the votes of all Reform members present, despite the representations of myself and others.

"I would like to take you back Chair to a good day in this county's history.

 "That was the 17th September meeting of this Council. You presided.

"This Council voted almost unanimously to grant the Freedom of Kent to the Brigade of Gurhkas.

"I was able to speak of my pride that the Royal Gurkha Rifles have been based in Sandgate and Cheriton in my division for 25 years.

"Sandgate, Cheriton, and Folkestone & Hythe are delighted that the Royal Gurkha Rifles make our area home, both with their families during their service, and then many staying and contributing to our area after leaving the army.

"Members opposite have even given support to the Folkestone Nepalese Centre in my division, enabling their work around making supporting Gurkha veterans and their families to live well.

"The Freedom is a fitting acknowledgement of their contribution to our county and country for over 200 years.

"I also spoke of the challenges that the Royal Gurhka Rifles have around the three yearly battalion rotation between Kent and Brunei, when RGR1 and RGR2 swap station.

"That's a huge logistical task for the Army and for our County.

"Moving from Kent from Brunei takes support to ensure that happens well. Take schools alone: you need to ensure children get into the right schools, have the right support, their academic assessments are understood, their needs known, and they have a place ideally with their siblings.

 "The Padre said earlier that the Army consider his role an important investment in the mental health and wellbeing of our soldiers. It might not feel essential expenditure, but it allows them the mental space and reflection they need when we putting a rifle in their hands and asking them to shoot on our behalf.

"Ensuring that they and their family are correctly supported through battalion changes is an equally essential investment. And sometimes those questions and responses will be best made in Nepalese. They will be most clearly understood. There is the least opportunity for confusion.

"This motion seeks to “cease paying for interpretation and translation for non-English speaking members of the public”.

"As worded even if speaking to a parent, or pupil, in Nepalese is deemed by county education services as the best and most effective way to support the right placement, this motion would rule that out. Or social care. Or even referring onto specialist health services.

"I’m sure that’s not the intention of the movers of the motion. But it would be the effect.

"I’m sure that those who voted for the Freedom of Kent in September would be hoffied to vote to make that service more difficult in November.

“Given the motion cannot be amended on the day, I’d ask it was withdrawn and reconsidered. No-one in this chamber wants to make it harder for Gurkhas to serve our country. This motion could do so. Please withdraw.”