Criminal record checks for councillors: letters to local authorities and the Local Government Association
Letters sent to leaders of unitary and upper tier authorities in England and to the Chair of the Local Government Association.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
Local Government Minister Simon Hoare MP’s letter to leaders of unitary and upper tier authorities in England and his letter to Cllr Shaun Davies, Chair of the Local Government Association.
The letters draw attention to recommendation 5 of Simon Bailey’s Independent Review of the Disclosure and Barring Regime (18 April 2023) which concerns the eligibility of local councillors for criminal record checks.
The letters call for unitary and upper tier authorities to adopt as best practice enhanced criminal record checks provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service (‘Enhanced DBS checks’) for all councillors being considered for appointment to any committee which discharges education or social services functions.