DBS checks for councillors in Sandwell to be discussed at committee

Papers revealed online recommend Sandwell council to approve basic DBS checks to be undertaken for all elected members.

The government’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is part of the Home Office, which aims to help employers and organisations make safer recruitment decisions. A DBS check will reveal whether an individual has a criminal record.

Enhanced DBS checks are also recommended for elected members including the leader, deputy leader, cabinet members for children and adults, and on scrutiny roles relating to children – children's service and education scrutiny board and health and adults social care scrutiny board members, those on the corporate parenting board or health and wellbeing board, and any other members who may regularly come into contact with children or vulnerable adults as part of their council role.

DBS checks were first raised in Sandwell council in December 2020, before a motion was submitted in December last year, and then deferred until April this year.

In that motion set up by the Sandwell Conservatives was deferred the council at its full meeting to consider enhanced DBS checks for certain elected members in the committee’s work programme. Various councillors, both current and historic, have had numerous scandals revealed about them.

At the time, Labour councillor Bob Piper asked for a deferment on the decision, suggesting it should be obligatory for all members.

He said: “I’ve got some concerns about this really to be honest. This asks for consent to announce DBS checks for a specific number of members predominantly around the leadership and scrutiny positions

“I think every elected member potentially comes into contact with vulnerable adults. If I have received a phone call at home asking to make a home visit to someone who’s a victim of domestic abuse.

“I need them to have confidence that I can deal with that and deal with it properly without any sort of fear that I haven’t had a criminal record check. I feel that the enhanced DBS check should be obligatory for all elected members.”

A questionnaire was circulated to all councillors seeking clarification on their roles and contact with vulnerable persons and children and the outcome of responses

Not all of Sandwell’s 72 councillors responded to the questionnaire, however. When asked if they currently have a DBS check in relation to a role outside of the council, 28 said yes, and 14 said no. 16 councillors said they do not have contact with children or vulnerable adults on their own, while 12 councillors said they did. And when asked if they as a councillor would consent to a voluntary DBS check, 39 councillors said yes while three councillors said no.

The papers will be discussed at a Ethical Standards and Member Development Committee next Tuesday (November 1).