Information in other languages

We want to make our services accessible to everyone who lives and works in Charnwood.

We recognise that English is not everyone’s first language and therefore we try to provide a range of interpreting and translation facilities to meet your needs.

On the phone

If you wish to contact us and your first language is not English we can provide an interpreter for you.

To use this service, please telephone our switchboard on 01509 263151 and ask for an interpreter. Once you have connected to a customer service advisor they will ask for your:

• Telephone number
• Your preferred language
• Your name
• and if possible the nature of the enquiry you are making, e.g. housing, planning, benefits etc.

The customer service advisor will advise you that arrangements will be made to call you back with an interpreter as soon as possible. The advisor will then email your details to communications@charnwood.gov.uk, who will in turn contact the relevant service (e.g. housing) so that they can set up a three-way conference call with you, a member of staff and a translator from one of our interpreting and translation providers.

In person

The customer service advisor will aim to deal with your enquiry as fully as possible. However, it may be necessary to arrange a separate appointment with the appropriate member of staff and face-to-face interpreter depending on the complexity of the enquiry.

Document translation

If a customer requires a document translating into a different language – including braille – the customer service advisor will ask you to email communications@charnwood.gov.uk with:

• The document you need translating
• The language you need it translating to
• Your email address or postal address (if you would prefer it to be posted to you)

The communications team will contact our translation provider and give you an estimated delivery time for your translated document(s).

Visiting the council

We have a range of interpreters that are available for on-the-spot translation. When we cannot provide an interpreter for your language, or if the interview is of a complex or lengthy nature we may buy in professional interpreters from other agencies. These are arranged by the officer you have an appointment with. Alternatively, we can access the telephone interpreting facility at the Customer Service Centre at the main reception, for visitors who need an interpreter to help make their enquiry.

Translating Council Documents

Interpreting and Translation Policy

For further information please phone 01509 263151 and have ready your telephone number and the language you wish to speak in for the customer service advisor.