CHERWELL councillors will be asked to support introducing a scheme in which veterans will be given an interview to promote better access to civilian jobs.

Kieron Mallon will propose the council investigates and prepares a report for its executive to ‘consider the introduction of a guaranteed interview scheme for veterans’.

That would also include a review of the current advertising arrangements for external vacancies to promote better access.

Mr Mallon’s motion will ask the council to consider that where this the approach has been adopted in other councils across the country, including Durham and Cumbria, veterans ‘are defined as those who are about to leave the regular armed forces or who have done so in the last three years’.

Mr Mallon’s motion continues: “Those leaving the armed forces face may challenges and sometimes discrimination in the job market.

“This policy will demonstrate our commitment to the armed forces covenant that we as a council were proud to be amongst the first to sign up to.

“We acknowledge that veterans have many of the skills, experience and qualities that councils could use and utilise and as such, suitable employment within our council could aid the applicants, our organisation and the residents we serve.”

Mr Mallon’s motion has been backed by the council’s leader, Barry Wood.

According to the Royal British Legion most veterans have a successful career after leaving service.

But a survey it conducted in 2014 found that veterans were nearly twice as likely to be unemployed as other people across the country.

It found 11 per cent of former veterans were unemployed in comparison to six per cent of the general population.