The Community Planning Partnership (CPP) in West Dunbartonshire has demonstrated its commitment to LGBT equality locally by supporting a multi agency network of officers to raise awareness of issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people living and working in the area. Between 2008 and 2011 the CPP has continued to support and fund LGBT development initiatives.

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The progressive nature of the local authority, and other agencies, as active partners in the West Dunbartonshire LGBT (Officers) Network is highlighted when compared with the Scottish Government’s sexual orientation research (phase three) (2006) which suggests that LGBT equality is the lowest strand priority for many local authorities.

Visibility raising events carried out by West Dunbartonshire LGBT (Officers) Network are an important starting point for LGBT equality in West Dunbartonshire and this was recognised by many participants who took part in this research. In order to build on this work, the West Dunbartonshire LGBT Equalities (Officers) Network has emphasised its desire to engage more fully with the LGBT community and further local knowledge of LGBT experiences and use of services in the area.

However, it can be difficult to obtain hard evidence on which to base future decisions. This work aims to further current understandings of the lives of LGBT individuals in West Dunbartonshire, identify the needs of the LGBT community and provide recommendations for how West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC), various partners and the LGBT community can successfully continue to work together in the future to build a safer, stronger and better supported LGBT community.

Recent reports suggest that there is a general misconception that LGBT people do not exist outside of large cities in Scotland (Equality Network 2008, 2011). This contrasts with even the most conservative estimates which suggest that approximately 5% of the population identify as LGB or T in our towns and cities. In West Dunbartonshire alone this would constitute over 4,500 LGBT people. In spite of this, previous reports have highlighted a lack of LGBT specific groups, organisations, LGBT bars, clubs and services directed at the LGBT community outside of Scotland’s main cities (Equality Network, 2011). This report considers the experience of LGBT people living in the West Dunbartonshire area, just outside of Glasgow, and, more specifically, the use and experience of local services, groups and support. In doing so, it aims to produce findings that will help ensure that the LGBT community is adequately supported by WDC, partner organisations and services, and that it is well integrated into the wider local community.