The Oldham Liberal Democrats have appealed to the Home Secretary to change the law to make it lawful and easier for local authorities to conduct enhanced criminal records checks (now called DBS checks) on local councillors.

The Leader of the Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has recently corresponded with the Disclosure and Barring Service, which is responsible for carrying out DBS checks.  They informed him that under the law as it currently stands local authorities are unable to carry out such checks on elected members.

Dismayed at the response, Councillor Sykes yesterday wrote to the Home Secretary, Priti Patel MP, asking her to ‘make Councillors a specifically listed role in the Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (so) local authorities would then be able to conduct regular DBS checks on elected members’.

In his letter, Councillor Sykes also writes:  “Councillors not only serve their constituents, but they also routinely serve as corporate parents, school governors or in other capacities which may bring them into contact with children and vulnerable residents.  I feel sure that you will agree, Home Secretary, that in these circumstances there is an absolute imperative, as there is with staff, to ensure that safeguarding issues are considered paramount.”

‘It is my view that one measure local authorities could adopt to improve public confidence in the propriety of their councillors is to require them to undertake a ‘rolling DBS’ check so any convictions would come to light and be open to public scrutiny as soon as is practically possible rather than years later.  Or in some occasions never come to light at all!”

Commenting Councillor Sykes said:  “I now hope that common-sense will prevail and that the Home Secretary will write back to me with a promise to change the current legislation to make such checks lawful for local authorities and so help maintain the public’s trust in their elected representatives.”