Criminal records checks on elected members of the Council

Richard Moore made this Freedom of Information request to Lambeth Borough Council

The request was successful.

From: Richard Moore

10 March 2010

Dear Lambeth Borough Council,
I understand that all elected Cllrs have a Corporate responcibility
as gardians of all children in care of the Council. Is this
correct?

If this is correct how many elected Cllrs have basic criminal
record checks?

How many have the advanced criminal record checks?

Do any elected cllrs have a criminal record check that would debar
them from acting as a corporate gardian for those children in care?

Yours faithfully,

Richard Moore

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From: Gardner1,Richard
Lambeth Borough Council

11 March 2010

Dear Mr Moore

FOI Acknowledgement

Thank you for your FOI Request, as below. Please quote our ref 126942 in
any further correspondence about this request.

We anticipate responding within the statutory period of 20 working days
following the date of receipt, in this case by 09/04/10.

Thank you for your interest in Lambeth Council.

Richard Gardner

Information Compliance Adviser

London Borough of Lambeth

ICT Services

Finance & Resources

tel: 020 79267741

www.lambeth.gov.uk

3rd Floor, Ivor House, 1 Acre Lane, London, SW2 5BF

Lambeth - Making a difference

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From: Richard Moore

11 March 2010

Dear Gardner1,Richard,
Thank you for your responce

Yours sincerely,

Richard Moore

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From: Gardner1,Richard
Lambeth Borough Council

13 April 2010

Dear Mr Moore

I must apologise for the delay in responding. Our reply was due on 9th
April 2010 but was held up whilst we checked with both Children's Services
and Democratic Services.

FOI 126942 Response: Enhanced CRB checks for Councillors

Reply from Children's Services

Really sorry for the late response on this one, but I have now received
feedback that we definitely do not have this information.

Reply from Democratic Services

The Council has taken the view that all elected members should be enhanced
CRB checked in their role as corporate parents.

This requirement has been introduced during the course of the current
administration and therefore the Council took the view that all
councillors should apply for an enhanced CRB check on a voluntary basis.
In fact only one member has refused to comply with the requirement to
apply for a CRB check (although there are one or two stragglers who have
still not applied or whose applications seem to have gone astray/are
incomplete etc). This will be taken up again after the elections and we
can apply for all new members and the one or two outstanding (if they are
returned to office).

All Councillors are required to have an enhanced CRB check before sitting
on any committee or panel performing a social care or education function.

All CRB checks returned have been clear.

Right to Review

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which your Freedom of Information
request has been dealt with you can request an internal review by
emailing: [email address] (Please quote the reference number
above) or by writing to:

Corporate Complaints Manager

Lambeth Town Hall

Brixton Hill

Brixton

SW2 1RW

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the review you have a
further right to appeal to the Information Commissioner, who regulates the
implementation of the Freedom of Information Act. The Commissioner can be
contacted at the following address:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Enquiry line: 01625 545745

Thank you for your interest in Lambeth Council.

Richard Gardner

Information Compliance Adviser

London Borough of Lambeth

Legal Services

Finance & Resources

tel: 020 79267741

[1]www.lambeth.gov.uk

Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1RW

Lambeth - Making a difference

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References

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Stephen Ashfielde left an annotation ( 5 October 2010)

Hi I been told by the crb itself that it is a Criminal Offence to check all elected councils as you can not ask an except question for all of them. Only those on
on certain bodies etc

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Richard Moore left an annotation ( 5 October 2010)

Hi
If you have been informed correctly the issue is with Lambeth council not me for breeching for what I can only guess at guide lines . However there is such a thing as corporate responsibility as defined under the local government act.Used in such matters as children in care where the Clls act as the corporate parent and act as a group. In Lambeth this lead to actions by Cllrs investigating there care homes called the barret report. leading to all there care homes being closed down. To be able to do the investigation as the council officers would not they had to enter care homes often unannounced. It would seem sensible to have a CRB check and has now become Lambeth council policy, Sadly a little late as a newly elected Labour Cllr of many years standing has been arrested for child porno.

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