Police to check Cannock Chase council tenants

All would-be housing tenants will have to undergo police checks before being allowed the chance of a council home under plans by a Staffordshire authority.

Cannock Chase council is the first authority in the region to introduce the police screening for tenants in a bid to weed out convicted troublemakers.

Anyone in the household with a serious criminal conviction will be banned from renting a property from the council or social landlords in Cannock, Burntwood, Hednesford and Rugeley.

Council leader George Adamson said the idea "may seem Big Brother-ish" but had been welcomed in consultations.

Staffordshire Police will carry out the checks free of charge. The screenings will begin in April if approved by housing chiefs.

Tenancy services manager Nigel Haywood said there would be no blanket exclusions, with each applicant being considered on his or her individual merit.

Convicted shoplifters would not necessarily be kicked off the list but drug dealers and persistent trouble-makers would. There will be a right of appeal.

The checks will be made when the applicants reach the top 10 on the shortlist for vacant properties.

Existing council tenants will be exempt from the investigations. Councillor Adamson said it would be too difficult to eject current tenants from their homes.

"We're doing this because it's clear that not all council tenants disclose their criminal convictions when asked to do so on the housing application forms.

"As the courts are reluctant to take away people's homes from them, we hope to launch these checks to cut down on the likelihood of behaviour."

The police estimate carrying out between 20 to 30 checks a week.

By Marion Brennan