Inside News

Insidenews
December 2024 - Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk
WinterReady
Operational Services Staff have been working hard
to ensure West Lothian is able to deal with the
worst of the winter conditions.
Read more on page 5
P3
CSC spreading a little
joy this Christmas
P4
Save on your
Christmas shopping
through Employee Benefits
P7
Meet our
Graduates

Chief Executive, Graham Hope introduces
the final edition of Inside News for 2024.
Welcome to the final edition of Inside News for the year.
I
would like to begin by thanking each
and every one of you for your work
throughout the year.
Despite challenging situations, you
have continued to serve local people and
families and deliver vital services. This
is deeply appreciated and recognised by
myself and the Executive Management
Team.
This edition of Inside News takes a closer
look at our Roads Service who during the
winter months operate 24 hours a day to
keep West Lothian moving.
In the previous edition of Inside News we
looked at our Apprenticeship programme.
This time we’re highlighting our equally
successful Graduate Work Experience
Programme and our eight graduates
currently with us across the council. The
programme’s success lies in providing
meaningful experiences for graduates to
take with them on their career journey.
I hope our current cohort have enjoyed
their time with the council and this period
benefits their future careers.
You can also read about some excellent
work from colleagues in Social Policy who
have delivered significant progress in adult
protection services in West Lothian and
have once again supported the rights of
women and children through the annual 16
Days of Action campaign.
Finally, I know there will be plenty people
working over Christmas and New Year to
ensure service continuity and that our most
vulnerable people in society are looked
after. Many thanks for your continued
efforts.
I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a
happy and healthy New Year.
Graham Hope
Chief Executive
Remembering
Andrew Sharkey
Tribute to Scotland’s first Black MP
A special plaque has been put up in memory of Scotland’s
first Black Member of Parliament, Peter McLagan
P
eter McLagan was first elected to
represent Linlithgowshire in 1865
and served until 1893, making him West
Lothian’s second longest serving MP after
Tam Dalyell.
The plaque will be permanently
mounted in Council Chambers at West
Lothian Civic Centre, and was recently
unveiled along with special interpretation
panels put together by the council’s
Museums and Archives Service telling
McLagan’s fascinating life story.
Peter McLagan was born in Demerara
in 1823 to a white plantation owner and
merchant father and black mother, about
whom few details are known. The family
returned to Scotland where Peter’s father
received compensation for freeing slaves
from their plantations in Demerara, which
enabled him to buy a country house in
Calderbank and the adjoining estate of
Pumpherston.
The distinctive McLagan Fountain has
stood in Bathgate town centre since 1878,
after being gifted to Bathgate residents by
Peter’s wife, Elizabeth McLagan, to provide
easy access to clean drinking water for the
town.
Although no longer used as a fountain,
the landmark still remains in Bathgate’s
Steelyard, and was recently renovated by
the council.
I
t is with great sadness that we have to
share the sad passing of former St
Kentigern’s Academy Headteacher, Andrew
Sharkey.
Mr Sharkey was Headteacher at St
Kentigerns Academy from April 2014.
Prior to his time at St Kentigern’s,
Andrew previously taught at Whitburn
Academy, Armadale Academy, Inveralmond
Community High School and St Margaret’s
Academy.
He had a number of interests outside of
education and was heavily involved in the
Scouts, latterly holding the position of Vice
President as well as being the former Chief
Commissioner of Scotland.
Head of Education Siobhan McGarty said:
“A dear colleague and friend over many
years, Andrew will be dearly missed by all
he worked alongside not least everyone
connected to St Kentigern’s Academy. Our
thoughts remain with Andrew’s family and
friends at this incredibly sad time.”
2 insidenews / Winter 2024 Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 282006

Pupils are Career Ready
A new cohort of secondary school pupils recently signed up to the Career Ready Programme.
A
total of 55 pupils from 11 of West
Lothian’s Secondary Schools attended
the programme launch event at the Sport &
Wellbeing Centre in Winchburgh.
During the event pupils met their mentors
for the first time. The employer mentors, from
organisations across West Lothian and beyond,
signed up to the programme to support young
people as they make important decisions about
their future.
Organisations supporting the programme
include; The Clancy Group, The Independent
Living Fund, Mitsubishi, Maxi Construction, The
Larder and West Lothian Council
Career Ready is an 18-month programme,
designed to empower young people in S5/
S6 to kick-start their chosen career through
a series of authentic workplace experiences,
masterclasses and a 4-week paid internship.
Racheal Park recently benefited from the
programme, undertaking an internship at Ooni
where she was hosted by Duncan Welsh and his
colleagues.
Speaking enthusiastically when talking about
her internship at Ooni: “I was scared about
adapting to a new place, but now I can go to a
new job without feeling nervous”
She took part in a mock interview, learned
about the company’s values and about the
psychology of making an app and of course
practiced how to make the perfect Pizza!
Rachel Donald, a West Lothian Council
mentor, praised the programme, saying
“It has been a great experience. I’ve gained
confidence in leadership and I have watched
my student grow in self-belief, confidence
and determination to strive for greatness.
Being a mentor has been a huge privilege
and opportunity to help someone achieve
something they may have never thought was
possible.”
Celebrating Sustainability rooted in
Cedarbank School
R
epresentatives from Education Scotland came
to visit Cedarbank school to film the different
approaches that young people and staff employ each
day to be sustainable.
Over the last five years, pupils at Cedarbank have
been working with various partners and staff with
both Outdoor learning and Sustainability a key focus,
achieving many awards, for themselves and the
School.
Depute Head Teacher, Alison Lindsay said: “They
came in to see what we do in action and highlight
our practice to share across Scotland. This was
really exciting for all of us as it really showed us how
committed and embedded Learning for sustainability
is within our daily lessons.
“We feel this is an excellent way to prepare our
young people for their lives beyond school, for them to
live and thrive sustainably.”
This is exemplified by
an illustration designed by
one of the young people
currently at Cedarbank
(pictured), depicting how
sustainability is embedded
into the school’s Culture,
Curriculum, Campus and
Community.
View the Cederbank film
CSC spreading a little joy this Christmas
The Customer Service Centre (CSC) Team have been
in the Christmas spirit, organising a local appeal for the
Delivering Joy at Christmas Campaign 2024 that is run by
Dunelm.
T
his Dunelm campaign allows
individuals to donate a gift for a
vulnerable person in the community,
this Christmas.
Thanks to the efforts of the CSC team
over 100 gift bags are going to those
most in need this Christmas.
Customer Service Centre Coordinator,
Anna Brash said: “Thank you to all
colleagues who have very kindly
participated in this effort. It is always
important to remember there will be
those less fortunate this Christmas who
might have nothing to share or no one
to share anything with. Hopefully our
efforts will help bring a smile to their face
on Christmas morning.”
Well done to the CSC Team!
3 insidenews / Winter 2024 Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 282006

Help with costs this winter
If your service interacts
with vulnerable customers
who are in need of financial
advice and support this
winter then the Advice
Shop’s ‘Help With Costs
hub’ could be of use.
Help With Costs hub
Don’t forget discounts via Employee
Benefits this Christmas
If you have some last-minute Christmas shopping, don’t forget there are some
Save on your Christmas shopping
through Employee Benefits
excellent discounts available via your employee benefits.
Here are some of the best discounts currently available:
SAVE
4%
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6.5%
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6.7%
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6% SAVE
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For more christmas savings visit our employee benefits website

Winter
Ready
Winter is well and truly here and
Roads staff have been working hard
to ensure they are ready to deal with
winter conditions.
In the winter months, West Lothian Council has to treat
over 1,000 km of roads and around 1,300 km of footways
to combat the effects of bad weather which represents a
significant challenge.
One new crew member this
winter is Andrew Cormack
W
est Lothian Council procures and
stocks salt supplies for use on the
whole of the public carriageway and
footway network during the winter period
and a stock level of 30,000 tonnes of salt is
available for the winter period.
The average gritting distance of a
Primary Carriageway route is 35 km with
drivers generally treating two routes per
shift, which takes in the region of four
hours to complete. At a 20 gramme per
square metre spread rate, we require
approximately 75 tonnes of salt to treat all
Primary routes.
Roads Operations Manager, David
Wilson said: “It is important to recognise
that it is not possible to treat all routes
simultaneously therefore all carriageways
and footways within West Lothian are
classified as either Primary or Secondary
and gritting routes have been established
to deliver the Winter Service on a priority
basis, which in turn ensures that the
service is delivered in a consistent and
effective manner. The efforts of our
workforce are very much appreciated as
we recognise that participating in this
service, particularly during periods of
prolonged adverse weather, not only puts
a strain on them personally but can also
affect their families too”.
Over the course of winter, two dedicated
crews are in place to help replenish
over 2,000 grit bins across the council.
Furthermore, 25 self-help strategic salt
pick-up points are provided to supplement
the existing grit bin service during periods
of high demand. Whilst it is not practicable
to provide and maintain salt piles in
every town and village, they are placed at
strategic locations to ensure that salt is
available to residents to collect within a
reasonable distance from their home.
Andrew, has recently taken on a full-time
position as a Roads Operative within the
team after he completed a four-year Roads
Maintenance Apprenticeship with the
council.
He said: “After completing my Roads
Maintenance apprenticeship with the
council I was very keen to find a role in this
area so I am very happy to have joined the
Roads Service in a full-time position.
“I don’t think many people will probably
appreciate the time and effort that is put
in on a daily basis to ensure we are able
to handle the winter period. It’s still early
days for me when it comes to being a part
of the winter response but each day has
brought new experiences and I’d like to
thank the rest of the team for their help
and support.”
More information
Community Leisure - What would you like to see in West Lothian?
The West Lothian Adult Learning Team have been delivering community leisure courses
within West Lothian for over 40 years, offering a wealth of choice and a diverse range of
classes. With big changes in working practices through COVID-19 and interest in Climate
Change, more people are taking up hobbies and interests outside work hours.
Could you please help us shape our future programme by completing a short survey to
find out what interests and hobbies you would like to see being delivered by our service.
5 insidenews / Winter 2024 Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 282006

Staff support 16 Days campaign
to end gender-based violence
Staff across the council joined together to support efforts to end gender-based
violence as part of the annual 16 Days of Action campaign.
T
he local campaign was coordinated by
the West Lothian Gender Based
Violence Committee (GBVC) supported by
Claire Marr, West Lothian Councils GBV Lead
Officer and the Domestic and Sexual Assault
Team (DASAT). The aim was to improve
outcomes for all, raise awareness of the
harm and volume of incidents and ensure
supports are visible and accessible.
A community march marked the launch
of the local campaign on Monday 25
November, starting at West Lothian College
and finishing at the Civic Centre, where a
one-minute silence was observed to honour
women and children across the world
who have lost their lives to gender-based
violence.
A number of other events were held over
the course of 16 days, providing numerous
learning opportunities for all. The campaign
culminated in a vigil at West Lothian Civic
Centre where the local community was
invited to think about those who have sadly
experienced domestic abuse while also
celebrating their incredible strength and
courage.
Senior Manager of Children and Justice
Services, Pauline Cochrane chairs the West
Lothian Gender Based Violence Committee
and she thanked everyone who engaged
with the campaign:
We all have an important role to play in ending
Gender Based Violence and the support from
colleagues, the community and all our partners for
this years campaign has been incredible. I would
like to thank each and every member of staff who
got involved”. A special thank you to DASAT, Claire
Marr, and the staff members who form the 16 days
working group for all the efforts they put in, not only
around the 16 Days campaign but all year round in
supporting the survivors of domestic abuse.”
6 insidenews / Winter 2024 Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 282006

Meet our
Graduates
The council’s Graduate Work Experience
Programme provides a six-month paid,
work experience placement within a West
Lothian Council service offering recent
university graduates valuable insights
into the workings of a large and complex
organisation.
The programme is run by colleagues from Access2Employment with the ultimate aim of helping graduates
to develop skills that will serve them well for the rest of their working careers. This programme is funded by
the Scottish Government’s No One Left Behind initiative and administered by West Lothian Council for the
Local Employability Partnership.
There are eight graduates currently working across the
council, let’s get to know them
Name - Sarah Lyall
Team - Development Planning and
Environment Team
This is an office-based role where I contribute
to the work of the Development Planning
and Environment Team. This has so far been
focused on the preparation of documents
for the evidence report of the next local
development plan.
It’s been really interesting to learn about the
field of development planning, along with a lot
about the history and current challenges faced
in West Lothian. My colleagues have been
welcoming and supportive and it’s been useful
to be able to ask questions and learn directly
from their expertise. One thing I have really
appreciated is being trusted to handle my
workload and complete tasks independently.
It can be challenging to start a career after
graduating, especially without relevant
experience, so this programme helps to build
some real-world knowledge that can be
missed during college or university.
Name - Suzanne McDowall
Team - Economic Development
My Role as a graduate is to help support the
establishment of West Lothian’s Economic
Investment Plan 2025 to 2035.
Since starting my placement, I’ve felt incredibly
supported, not just by my immediate team
but also by colleagues across the organisation.
I’ve been given opportunities to get involved
in tasks outside my main role, which has
not only provided more exposure to learn
and develop new skills but it has made my
experience even more rewarding. My manager
and team have always encouraged me to ask
questions, creating a welcoming environment
where I feel comfortable seeking guidance.
The feedback I’ve received from my manager
has been especially helpful, giving me a clear
understanding of what I’m doing well and
areas where I can continue to improve.
Name - Caitlin Sutherland
Team - Museums & Archives
I have been working on a project digitising and
cataloguing photo slides from the LDC archives
to make them digitally accessible.
The Museums & Archives team is small, so
I’ve had the opportunity to help out with a
number of other projects – I’ve helped with
two exhibitions in Livingston and Broxburn,
delivered school sessions on WW2, and
created a display for West Calder Library’s
120th anniversary. The Heritage Manager,
Emma Peattie, has been fantastic at providing
opportunities to gain experience, and has
encouraged me to bring my own expertise
to the role. I have been able to take on an
additional project funded by Museums
Galleries Scotland to deliver school sessions on
archaeology and curation to a Primary 5 class
who will be curating their own exhibition for
Whitburn Community Museum.
I’ve been enjoying this role immensely. I have
had the opportunity to gain experience with
a range of different tasks relating to heritage
and have been able to see my contributions as
part of exhibitions. It’s been really rewarding
to engage with the community and expand
my experience in social history and archival
practices.
Name - Chloe McMaster
Team - Family Based Care Service
My role involves supporting the family-based
care team with the marketing of their service
and recruitment of carers. So far, I have
completed a range of things such as extensive
research on the service, organising pop up
events with local communities and creating
social media posts in collaboration with the
communications team!
The experience has been interesting so far! The
team I’m working with, have been lovely and
very welcoming which makes it easier coming
into a role with little experience! I’m enjoying
learning new things about a service I wasn’t
fully aware of prior to starting at this job, and
it’s been really inspiring to see the hard work
this team puts in to help children and families
in West Lothian.
Pictured alongside our graduates are
Employment Adviser, Lauren Barbour (front,
left) and Employability Manager, George Scott
(back, centre)
7 insidenews / Winter 2024 Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 282006

Name – Lucas Barbour
Team – Planning and Economic
Development
I’m working within Planning and Economic
Development to map out employability
provision services available in the region. I’m
then registering all of those services in a central
database, and building a web app to make all of
the information easily accessible.
I’ve enjoyed stepping outside of my comfort
zone and trying something new, and everybody
within the team has been very helpful. I feel I’m
constantly learning new things and picking up
new skills.
The flexible nature of the programme really
allows you to adjust what you’re doing so you
can set and focus on your own professional
development. Beyond that, it would serve as an
excellent starting point for a career in the public
sector.
Name- Ross Doig
Team- Performance and
Improvement Service
I am part of the team bringing back the Citizen
Led Inspection (CLI), helping my colleagues on
the team complete the work needed to do the
CLI. The CLI is a council initiative that gets the
citizens of West Lothian review council services
and have their say.
I have found my experience on the programme
very insightful in both how an office setting
and how my local council works behind the
scenes. Understanding this has helped me gain
skills and experience which I believe will be
valuable for me in the future. This has been a
great experience for me and I hope to continue
learning while in this position.
To anyone who has just finished their course
and trying to figure out what next, I feel this
programme can help graduates get some work
experience for a few months while deciding
what to do next, even if the job they do doesn’t
relate much to their degree it is still a useful and
insightful experience that could benefit you
in future employment. It is especially useful
if like me you had limited work experience
before hand as that doesn’t matter on this
programme so it’s good for those with limited
work experience.
Name – Julia Moor
Job title – Performance and
Improvement Service
My main responsibility is to develop a high-level
Information Governance online training.
It has been great so far and I am gaining a lot
from the experience.
I would recommend the programme, because
I think it’s an amazing opportunity for recent
graduates to get some experience.
Name - Ailis Semple
Team - Reviewing Officers and
Children’s Rights Team
In the role of Participation and Engagement
Graduate for Social Policy I have been working
with Social Work colleagues to encourage the
participation of young people and families in
statutory meetings.
It’s been a great learning experience, working
within an organisation as large as West Lothian
Council and with a range of diverse and
developing social care services.
The programme is a great way to put your
academic interests into their real-life settings.
You get as much out of your project as you
choose to put into it, which can be very
rewarding.
Case Study
Graduate scheme helps Claire
shine in communications
A former West Lothian Council graduate
has forged a successful career in national
government communications, including mixing
with world leaders at international summits.
Former St. Margaret’s Academy pupil
Claire Welsh joined the council’s Graduate
scheme in 2017, spending eight months as
a communications assistant, honing her
essential communications skills in areas
such as drafting press releases, briefing
media and content creation for social
channels.
This enabled her to secure a sought-after
job with the UK Government’s Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in
London.
Her career has since seen her move
to the Department of Industry and
Trade (DIT), and she is currently a Chief
Communications Officer at the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office.
Claire’s experience in national government
has taken her to a number of high-profile
events, from ministerial visits to Africa
and India to international conferences
including the G7 Leaders’ Summit in
Cornwall in 2021.
Claire said: “I would highly recommend
West Lothian Council’s Graduate scheme
to any young person looking to develop
their skill set and kick-start their career.
“The graduate programme provided a
supportive environment for me to gain
valuable experience working in corporate
communications.
This knowledge has provided a great
platform for the rest of my career, and I’m
sure many other young people across West
Lothian would hugely benefit from the
experience.
8 insidenews / Winter 2024 Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 282006

Staff News
Ultra-test of endurance
On Saturday 3rd November, six members of staff –
Laura Ross, Rebecca Gordon, Beverley Akinlami,
Richard Pacey, Clare Stewart and Dawn Roden took
on the challenge of the Glen Ogle 33 Ultra Marathon
The Glen Ogle 33 Ultra Marathon is a 33 mile / 53km race from Killin to
Strathyre in Perthshire and back following part of cycle route No 7 and
the Rob Roy Way. The course is 10km longer than a standard marathon
and features nearly 3,000 feet of ascent. Prior to this event, only two of
the six employees had run over a half marathon distance of 13 miles,
with a few of them going from couch to 5km to Ultra Marathon in just
three years. An incredible effort from everyone involved!
Colleagues across the council have been getting into the
festive spirit in the build up to Christmas! Pictured in their
best Christmas jumpers are staff from FMU (top) and the
Families Together team at Strathbrock (bottom)
A belated happy birthday to Jackie Black
(Education) and Scott Hughes (Property Services)
who both recently celebrated their 50th birthdays.
Well done to CSC staff who made a great effort to mark
Halloween with some great costumes on display!
A huge well done to Estates Officer, Tony
Gordon took part in the Kilt Walk Wee Wander
in support of Ladywell Neighbourhood
Network helping to raise a total of £1659.50
Tony joined charity staff in taking part in the 5 mile walk
which is one of the partner events to the Edinburgh
Kiltwalk
Tony and his dog ‘Jimbo’ with staff from Ladywell
Neighbourhood Network marking their fundraising efforts.
Financial Management
Unit (FMU) staff brave
the snow for Movember
fundraiser
Staff from the Financial
Management Unit (FMU)
braved the snowy conditions
and driving winds of Storm
Bert as they took part in the MoRun in Edinburgh raising £1,261 for charity.
Running were Esma Brownlee, Fiona Russell, Niall Blair, Sandie Welsh and
Tracy Gardner.
Well done to all and a special shout out to Sandie Welsh who was the driving
force behind the organisation of the fund-raising effort.
9 insidenews / Winter 2024 Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 282006

Dedridge Primary School achieves
ADHD Friendly School status.
Dedridge Primary School in Livingston has been awarded
the prestigious ADHD Friendly School Award by the ADHD
Foundation for their work with children with ADHD and
other neurodevelopmental conditions.
The staff at Dedridge Primary School
have really considered the needs of their
children with ADHD and have created an
environment which is both supportive and
inclusive.
The school has considered all the main
barriers to learning for children with ADHD
and has sought to address them in their
everyday practice. In particular, the whole
staff team have accessed training around
understanding and supporting ADHD.
Supporting the movement needs of
young people with ADHD was a key feature
of the submission for the award. Daily
movement opportunities and Movement
packs are provided to each teacher
containing a range of resources for every
classroom to encourage movementbased
learning. This is structured into the
timetable of each day and combined with
opportunities for self-calm and reflection.
A key feature of the school’s submission
for the award was the establishment of an
Inclusion Group of pupil champions in the
school. Children with a range of learning
differences are encouraged to talk about
their experience in school and to inform
and educate their peers, through planned
assemblies, on the diversity of different
minds within the school.
The school has also done an incredible
job of celebrating neurodiversity through
their displays, which showcase and
promote the positives of ADHD and other
conditions.
Parents and carers of children with ADHD
and other neurodivergent conditions have
also been well supported within the ADHD
Support Group established by the school.
Support for learning teacher, Mrs Krievs
said “As a school we have observed the
improvement in engagement and focus of
all pupils, when adopting the movement
breaks and strategies we have embedded
into our practice. Our inclusion group have
led changes within the school and are
developing practices and supports for all
neurodiversity”.
Share your views on our equality outcomes
The Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies to develop and publish an
equality outcomes and mainstreaming report every four years.
The general equality duty is intended
to accelerate progress towards equality
for all, by placing a responsibility on
bodies subject to the duty to consider
how they can work to tackle systemic
discrimination and disadvantage
affecting people with particular protected
characteristics.
Working together the local councils,
health services and health and social
care partnerships in Lothian have
identified ways to improve our services,
improve people’s life chances, eliminate
discrimination and foster good relations.
Your views will help us know if these
are what we should focus on for the next
4 years. You can share your views on all
areas or just the ones you are interested
in.
This survey is anonymous so please
don’t tell us anything that could identify
you or anyone you care for.
The link to the right will take you to the
engagement hub at Mid Lothian Council
where you will need to say which area
you come from.
SHARE YOUR
VIEWS ON
OUR EQUALITY
OUTCOMES
10 insidenews / Winter 2024 Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 282006

West Lothian partnership
scoops national award
A joint submission from West Lothian
Council’s Anti-Poverty Service and The
Improvement Service recently picked up
a prize at the LARIA (Local Area Research
+ Intelligence Association) Research
Impact Awards.
The project won the award for ‘Best use of
data to address unmet need’.
The Improvement Service and West
Lothian Council have worked together to
develop an approach to identifying unmet
need using a combination of publicly
available and council held data take up of
Education Benefits. By bringing together
these datasets, analytical insights, and
local knowledge a Child Poverty Index
model was created to show the places
where support entitlement is not reaching
those in need. This is incredibly powerful
information available at granular level, as
it goes beyond single datasets that tend to
only show current uptake.
The judges liked the simplicity of the
approach, use of the council’s own data,
and the impact that it has already had
locally.
The LARIA Research Impact Awards are
the only awards specifically designed to
showcase the work of those researching
local areas and recognise the impact of
research at a local level and showcase the
very best work of our members.
West Lothian Council’s Anti-Poverty
Manager Nahid Hanif said: “Working in
partnership with the Improvement Service,
we now have a better understanding of
how to most appropriately analyse the
data at our disposal to provide the most
appropriate support for our customers.
It is pleasing to see this work has been
recognised but the most important thing
is that we are now in a better to target
resources directly to areas that are in most
need to try and alleviate poverty at a local
level.
The Child Poverty Index model
allows identification of unmet need in
communities with high levels of poverty
but low levels of benefit uptake, this model
will help identify households with children
in poverty, particularly those with unmet
need not identified in other datasets. This
has given us a strong place to start and as
we add more data sets we will be able to
understand the scale and local need that
other data sets are not able to tell us.”
Progress made on
Adult Support and Protection
The West Lothian Adult Protection Committee holds
a key strategic role in working to ensure continuous
improvement of adult protection services.
The Care Inspectorate, Healthcare
Improvement Scotland and His Majesty’s
Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland
carried out a joint progress review of
Adult Support and Protection within West
Lothian.
Inspectors recognised that following
the last inspection in 2022 staff across the
the partnership had implemented and
embedded changes in practice that led to
substantial improvement to key process as
well as improvements to initial inquiries
and investigations with staff having
contributed towards significant progress
being made by services in West Lothian
towards ensuring adults at risk of harm are
safe, protected and supported.
Inspectors also noted key improvements
In management oversight of Adult Support
and Protection activity and strategic
governance in support key changes had
been made to front line processes that
drove up the consistency and quality of
work.
The inspection also identified areas for
improvements which will be addressed
as part of the wider work of the Adult
Protection Committee.
Senior Manager, Adult Services, Karen
Love said: “We are very pleased that the
Care Inspectorate and partners have
recognised the significant progress that has
been made and continues to be made.
"Staff deserve a huge amount of credit
for these improvements. Together we’ll
continue to work alongside our partners to
drive further progress.”
Staff deserve a huge
amount of credit for
these improvements.
Together we’ll continue
to work alongside our
partners to drive further
progress.”
11 insidenews / Winter 2024 Email your news to media@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 282006

A stunning venue for your special day
Watch Video
The Housing Strategy & Development
team are having a bake sale in Civic
Centre today (Tuesday 17 December)
and Wednesday as part of a Christmas
fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Scotland.
All colleagues are invited to pop along for some
fantastic home baked goodies while raising
money for an excellent cause. You will find us at
ground floor south – along at the east end.
Cash and online payments welcome and thanks
in advance for your support
STAFF DISCOUNT WITH XCITE WL
West Lothian Council staff receive exclusive discounted membership rates at
Xcite West Lothian Leisure.
WLC employees can benefit from a cheaper price at only £29.95 per month - that’s over 20% off the
cost of the equivalent full-priced membership.
WLC employees can visit any Xcite reception and present their
ID and a payslip to join at the reduced price.
Membership includes: Gym • Swimming • Sauna & Steam Room Access • Access to Fitness Classes
Xcite Online • Racquet Sports • Access to the Golf Courses @ Xcite Bathgate & Polkemmet Country Park
Exert HIIT Studio @ Xcite Bathgate • NEW – BOX12 Studio @ Xcite Craigswood
www.westlothianleisure.com