Interpretation and Translation

Through our commitment to equalities and diversity we use different methods to ensure we can communicate clearly with all our residents here in Pendle.

• We know that English is not a first language for all our residents in Pendle
• From the Census in 2001, we know that 13% of our population are of Pakistani ethnicity
• From National Insurance registrations data, we know that a growing number of Eastern European residents have moved to Pendle
• There are 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK

There are things that we can do to make sure we communicate well with all our residents.

We do recognise that some people will need interpretation and translation services, so we have a 'Just Ask" scheme. People can tell us if they need a document or leaflet in an accessible format to suit their individual needs. This can include different languages; audio tape and large print; Braille, e-text or CD-ROM. We will always try to meet individual requests in the quickest and most helpful way, even if we don't receive many requests.

For written communication we follow guidance from the Department of Communities and Local Government (2007). Their advice is that we shouldn't automatically translate all documents into different languages as it undermines the importance of learning English and integrating people into our community. We only do what we need to do, or are asked to do. We have received recognition in the past for our efficient approach.

Relevant documents:

• Communication with All our Customers
• Communications Strategy and Equality Impact Assessment
• Local Strategic Partnership Diversity and Equality Checklist