Councillors should be criminally checked

Councillor Caroline White says local politicians should undergo criminal disclosure checks and any serious convictions should be made public.

The Cradley Heath and Old Hill ward member has said it is wrong local politicians don’t undergo the same vetting procedures as council employees or people working with vulnerable groups.

Councillor White, who is one of only two opposition councillors on the Labour controlled authority, has said she now wants to change the rules so all elected members and candidates undergo checks.

At present, only criminal convictions for offences under the Representation of the People Act or a prison sentence of three months or more in the past five years, bar someone from standing at an election.

But Councillor White has said local politicians should be treated in the same way as applicants for council jobs or those who apply for taxi or pub licences.

She said: “The public expect people of trust should go through those checks. Councillors are people of trust, why don’t they?

“When I first became a councillor I was surprised that we didn’t have to undergo criminal checks. When I volunteered to work at my child’s school I was required to undergo a check."

Councillor Yvonne Davies, council leader, said: “The council absolutely meets all of the legal requirements placed upon us.

“However, we are to have a review of all our governance arrangements and will be adopting best practice recommendations in the future that will not only meet, but exceed expectations.

“Councillor White can be assured that the council takes these matters very seriously."

Councillor White has said will now put motion to a meeting of the full council calling for criminal checks to be made mandatory.