All residents of Hemsworth, Kinsley and Fitzwilliam would expect their councillors not only to be upright and honest citizens, but also would expect them to readily demonstrate this by simply agreeing to a Disclosure Barring Service check on their criminal history to be able to reassure their community.
Background checks are carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service, also known as DBS.
A DBS check is a record of a person’s criminal convictions and cautions.
Ferret is astonished and disappointed to find out that not all our councillors have agreed to undertake the check.
Particularly of concern is any councillor who may interact with children or vulnerable groups.
Ferret believes one such councillor is Jim Kenyon, not only because he is a councillor and the former Chair of the Council but because he likes to play Santa Claus at Hemsworth Town Council Christmas events.
Ferret would like to ask, as a matter of urgency, to reassure everyone concerned, Jim Kenyon and all those councillors who haven’t done so already, to submit to a DBS check as soon as is possible.
Hemsworth Town Council: Who’s Been A Naughty Santa?
Your guess is as good as Ferret’s
Would have thought it was a requirement by a public body to have its employees do a DBS check, because these people come into regular contact with the general public and hold other important positions in office( what is HTC policy on DBS checks ,as it got one , if not why not perhaps someone from HTC would like comment as after all we want people who are representing us to be Trustworthy/Honest and have the community’s intrest at the forfont of any personal agenda.
Would be good to see a councillior propose at the next meeting that DBS checks be mandatory to all existing and new councillors/staff to be imposed immediately let’s see how many councillors would second it, come on councillors be brave and do it.
If a councillor as nothing to hide then full DBS checks should prove to be no problem.Strange at a meeting that councillors were asked who was willing to have one or update their previously held certificate (not those up in a loft ) was met by must resistance to avoid having one done ,cannot think why lol the cost of having them done was even discussed also and the Town Clerk quoted prices so wonder what excuse the non DBS checked councillors have submitted for their refusal especially as the HTC would be footing the bill again.To all you true community DBS checked councillors maybe you should let the parishioners know who as one and then it will be clear to the voting parishioners who hasn’t maybe we should all submit FOIs to the Town Clerk .
DBS checks were discussed at full council in February.
I can’t remember, but I think it might have been Cllr Middleton, Moran or Hird who put it on the agenda for discussion, and the vote that was carried was that this would NOT be compulsory, but would be paid for by the Council for any Cllr who wanted to take one.
From reading previous post I believe that people are saying DBS checks should be compulsory and not put to a vote, remember these councillors are here to represent us and we need good quality representation.
In many other organisations where people interact with public its compulsory to have a DBS to get the post and it isn’t up for discussion , why is HTC different
Will a Councillor put it back on the agenda.?
Totally agree DBS checks should be compulsory and it is needed to be put on an agenda,nothing to hide then nothing to worry about.