Agenda item - Progress Update on British Sign Language Charter

Report of the Executive Director, Neighbourhoods, Communities and Housing (copy attached)

70.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director of Neighbourhoods, Inclusion, Communities and Housing which provided an update on progress made following the Committees’ agreement in March 2017 to sign the British Deaf Association’s British Sign Language Charter. It was noted that the Committees’ decision had been taken following feedback received from Deaf and British Sign Language (BSL) user communities in the city in response to the work carried out by the Fairness Commission in 2016. The Commission’s recommendations had included a recommendation that:

“The access and rights for Deaf people who use British Sign Language, the council should sign up to the British Deaf Association’s (BDA) Charter for British Sign Language and implement the five pledges set out within it.’

70.2    It was on the basis of those recommendations that agreement to sign the BDA’s British Sign Language (BSL) Charter had been made. This report provided an update covering work undertaken over the last twelve months.

70.3    It was explained in answer to questions, that The BSL Charter had been designed as a vehicle to remove direct and indirect discrimination, empower local D/deaf communities and to resolve conflicts between service providers and D/deaf people. The Charter comprised several phases and comprised five pledges although the council had initially undertaken to sign up to three of them within the first stage of the project. The remaining two pledges which were: to ensure access for D/deaf people to information and services and to ensure that staff working with D/deaf people could communicate effectively in BSL, had been included in phase 1 engagement work and progress had been made in those areas.

70.4    The Council had officially signed the BSL Charter on 10 June 2017 at Hamilton Lodge School during their community fete. Ayesha Denny who had signed on behalf of the D/deaf community had already presented her Deputation on this subject and the Chair, Councillor Daniel commended her valuable contribution.

70.5    Councillor West commended the report and gave his own perspective based on his own experiences as a hearing aid wearer. He referred to the difficulties experienced by those who were deaf or had hearing loss notwithstanding the availability of hearing loops in Council buildings and the need for meetings and equipment to be used in such manner that it facilitated involvement by those from the deaf community. For instance the volume and pitch of the microphones in use that day which was such that I could still be difficult for those present to understand/engage fully with what was going on and the need to use a variety of means of communication. If there was the ability to provide a remote transcription service in relation to meetings he considered that would be useful and that, that was worthy of further investigation.

70.7    The Committee commended the report and voted unanimously that the recommendations set out in it be agreed.

70.8    RESOLVED – (1) That the Committee note the progress that has taken place against the pledges contained within the BSL Charter during phase 1 of the project.

            (2) That the Committee approve the action plan (appendix 1) which has been drawn up from feedback received during phase 1 engagement with local D/deaf communities; and

            (3) That the Committee instructs officers to bring a further progress report, on the delivery of the action plan.