A NEW plan has been approved for sign language users in West Dunbartonshire in a bid to involve them more in the community.

The British Sign Language (BSL) Action Plan 2018-2024 is required from all public authorities in Scotland and council staff worked on it throughout 2018.

West Dunbartonshire Council’s (WDC) corporate services committee heard last week how the plan will ensure there is BSL information on the authority’s website and employees have awareness training.

Customer service staff will get training on the needs of deaf and deafblind residents.

There will also be work in schools, including opportunities to learn BSL and improve accessibility to council and leisure facilities.

Any work on social isolation will also consider BSL users locally under the new plan, video guides will be produced for major leisure centres. These will be spoken in English, sub-titled in English and signed in BSL. Centres will also have induction days for those with specific needs.

Amanda Coulthard, performance and strategy manager with the council, said residents in the focus groups came up up with action plan points themselves.

She said: “We now have access and a relationship with a number of BSL users who have come along to other council events. They feel much more confident to engage with services as a result of what we have done.”

Councillor Danny Lennie said: “I really welcome the report as a whole. It’s extremely important around inclusion. This is a tremendous step forward.”

And Councillor Caroline McAllister added: “I want to commend [staff] for this excellent piece of work. I was delighted to read this report.”

Councillors approved the action plan unanimously.