A POOLE councillor is suggesting that all members should undergo checks to discover if they have criminal records.

Cllr Mark Howell, leader of Poole People, aims to propose to council that all members should have DBS checks, formerly known as CRB checks, which reveal records of convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings.

He said Poole People insisted candidates were checked by the Disclosure and Barring Service before selection and was surprised that other parties did not insist on it.

“We feel that all councillors should be DRB checked because it is important that councillors act with integrity and because the role involves contact with vulnerable people,” he said.

“We will therefore be putting forward a motion to council to such effect,” he added.

However Borough of Poole proposes to have checks made on members involved with vulnerable people.

Jan Thurgood, strategic director said: “In view of the raised awareness of safeguarding issues nationwide, it is essential that the council leads by example in terms of undertaking DBS checks for relevant elected members as well as staff.

“It is therefore proposed that elected members whose roles involve them in working in proximity with children, children’s services issues, adult social services and health will be required to undertake a standard DBS check.

“Lead members across parties and senior officers will be agreeing which roles require such a formal checking process.”

Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Mike Brooke, who as a school governor has undergone a check said: “This is a debate we have been having for some considerable time.

“I have personally been in favour of it, simply because councillors end up often going into elderly people’s homes, many of us are governors and we ought to be checked if we are visiting care homes.”

Conservative Cllr Karen Rampton, DRB checked social care portfolio holder said: “Personally I’m in favour because we are corporate parents and we do deal with vulnerable people.”

She said she was not sure she would agree with forcing people to undergo criminal checks and her party would be discussing the matter at their next group meeting.

“If it was considered to be good practice and other councils were doing it, it would be quite hard not to,” she added.