SCHOOLGIRLS across Dumbarton and the Vale could be set to receive free sanitary products.

Councillors will determine whether to offer the items to all primary, secondary and ASN schools across West Dunbartonshire in a bid to end period poverty throughout the area.

The decision, which will be made during tomorrow’s full council meeting, would follow a motion that was approved in October.

The motion stated: “This council recognises the struggles faced by many in our West Dunbartonshire communities as a consequence of continuing austerity and benefit reform. Council further recognises that many women face additional hardship and stigma due to so called period poverty.

“Council notes that sanitary protection is a necessity and not a choice and welcomes Scottish Government’s announcement to provide free sanitary protection in educational establishments from August 2018.

“Council accepts the need to act now to provide access to free sanitary products in our schools to help our young women and girls overcome period poverty and the embarrassment and stigma associated with this situation.”

Currently pupils can receive free sanitary products from a school if a request is made to the school office or pastoral care teacher. But the report before councillors states: “This means that the pupil has to actively seek out assistance leading to possible embarrassment or stigma.”

Should the bid be approved, West Dunbartonshire Council would follow the example of the Welsh Government’s good practice guides for school bathrooms, which would see each set of bathrooms in a secondary school, and at least one in a primary school, equipped with a sanitary product dispenser, with only towels available to primary pupils.

It’s expected it would cost around £96,000 to implement the service next month, with the cash being withdrawn from the general fund reserves portion of the budget.

But council officials have insisted the cost is just an estimate and cannot truly be calculated until implementation is complete.

It is thought the Scottish Government may decide to subsidise some of the project following a consultation on a proposed bill entitled Ending Period Poverty closing on December 8, however the final decision of the consultation won’t be known until the new year – resulting in pricing being the biggest risk factor for the council.

The report states: “The cost of provision will be monitored following the procurement process and variances will be advised through normal budgetary control processes.”