Local Council Spends Over £23,000 on Translators, Amid Criticism Over Community Integration..

The freedom of information request reveals Hartlepool Borough Council spent over £23,000 on translation & interpretation services, as some have come to question the costs having to be shouldered by the local tax payer.

23rd July 2025

Hartlepool Borough Council spent more than £23,000 on translation and interpretation services, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.

A member of the public submitted a request asking for the total cost of all language services for the financial years 2021/22 and 2022/23.

The council revealed that:

• In 2021/22, it spent £23,980

• In 2022/23, it spent £23,484

  
  

While the total figures were disclosed, no breakdown was provided detailing which languages translation services were offered in, or how often they were used.

The council claims these services are part of its legal duties under the Equality Act, which requires local councils to ensure equal access to services for all residents — including those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or those who do not speak English as a first language. This includes both spoken interpreters and written translations for council communications.

However, some have argued that the continued high cost of translation services reflects a wider failure of integration policies, particularly in some communities where there's been little (if any) effort to learn English. They claim this reluctance leaves the local taxpayer footing the bill for services that could be scaled back if greater emphasis was placed on English language acquisition.

The spending revelation comes as political change in Hartlepool looms on the horizon. With Reform UK making consistent gains in local elections in the town, where some residents are now questioning whether such services would be re-evaluated or scaled back under a future Reform-led council — a scenario many believe is likely ahead of the 2026 local elections.

For now, the public remains seemingly in the dark over how these services are used, and whether the council is doing enough to encourage language integration whilst still fulfilling its legal obligations.