West Lothian Council delivers

Law and Licensing

This category contains information on our registration service, as well as advice for consumers and businesses on trading standards and licensing.   Information in this category is available online and in electronic and paper format.   If you cannot find the information you want online then please contact the Customer Service Centre on 01506 775000, email customer.service@westlothian.gov.uk

Class: Animal regulations and licences

Council advice on animal regulations, including guidance on animal fouling, animal health and welfare, dog warden service, dog waste bins and dog registration. Also information relating to animal licensing, including licences for animal movement, boarding animals, keeping exotic, dangerous and wild animals and performing animals; also dog breeders licences, pet shop licences and licences for zoos.

Class: Birth, marriage and death

Procedures for the registration of births, marriages and deaths (including stillbirths), also obtaining copies of certificates. Also guidance on related subjects, e.g. bereavement advice and support, burials, exhumations, funerals (including civil funerals), graves and memorials, mortuaries, repatriation of bodies, sudden death investigations, marriage ceremonies (registering a place of worship for marriage ceremonies and venue licences for civil ceremonies in West Lothian), renewal of vows, civil partnerships and naming ceremonies.

Class: Information governance

Information describing citizen rights as regards freedom of Information, data protection and environmental information. Also the council’s publication scheme and local guidance on re-use of public sector information. Also information on the council’s records management policy and procedures for handling information requests.

Class: Environment and pollution regulations

Information on environmental regulations and guidance on asbestos pollution, air quality, conservation areas, contaminated land, dangerous pavements, exhaust emission testing, idling vehicles, pollution control and tree preservation. Also guidance on hazardous substances, and on noise pollution.

Class: Environmental health

Information on environmental health regulations and also relating to animal welfare services. Guidance on regulations relating to cooling towers and industrial processes, fire and fireworks, food and food safety, illegal dumping, infectious diseases, pollution and trading standards. Also information relating to environmental health investigations, needles and hazardous waste collection, on how to obtain skin piercing licences, on the smoking ban and on syringe disposal.

Class: Fire safety regulations

Fire safety regulations and related information, including business enforcement of regulations, residential enforcement of regulations, and workplace regulations. Guidance on how to obtain fire certificates for factories, hotels and boarding houses, offices and shops. Also advice on community safety.

For information on local fire and rescue services please contact Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service

Class: Health and safety

Information on council services and advice on all aspects of health and safety, including advice on addictions and details of needle exchange services, food safety, health and safety at work, how to obtain health and safety licences (including eligibility and criteria for applications), information on public health, and trading standards (including advice on product safety).

Class: Legal advice

Information about how to obtain certain legal advice from the council, e.g. advocacy for carers, consumer advice, debt counselling, guidance on child protection orders, housing advice, information relating to external providers of legal advice and legal aid, and advice on wills and testaments. Also information relating to power of attorney, procedures for release of security camera footage, and witness support services.

Additional information is available from Lothian and Borders Police

Class: Licences, permits and permissions

Information on the wide range of licences, permits and permissions available from the council, e.g. accommodation licences (for caravan sites and multiple homes), alcohol licences, boating and watercraft licences, business licences, entertainment licences, fire certificates and regulations, gambling licences, hazardous goods licences, licences for occupation of roads and streets,  transport licences, and weights and measures licences. Including information on how to apply, with guidance on criteria and eligibility.

Class: Police, courts and criminal justice

Information on criminal justice social work (including single shared assessment and throughcare i.e. support and supervision of an offender), information on procedures and policy behind the creation of criminal justice social work reports (including means enquiry reports, parole reports and social enquiry reports), information on procedures and policy relating to criminal justice social work sentences, orders and supervision (including procedures and policy relating to orders such as community reparation orders, diversion from prosecution scheme, drug treatment and testing orders, intensive support and monitoring, parenting orders, probation orders, supervising attendance orders and supervision of payment of court fines), advice on support for witnesses and victims.

For information about local police services contact Lothian and Borders Police

Information on funding community justice activity is available from the Lothian and Borders Community Justice Authority

Class: Trading standards

Advice and support for businesses on matters relating to inspection, testing and enforcement. Advice on licences and registration (including eligibility and criteria for applications). Also advice and information for consumers, including information on how to complain.