Councillor Mark Fryer (St Johns and Great Clifton, Labour) was responding to a question from Brian Graham, from Botcherby, during Tuesday’s (September 9) meeting of the full council at Carlisle’s Civic Centre.
Mr Graham asked that ‘honesty, accountability, integrity, leadership, openness, objectivity and selflessness’ were to be made foremost in the interest of the public and by UK law, in all of the main UK public authorities.
He added: “This was the vision that came from the Nolan report after the cash for questions scandal that UK MPs were involved with back in 1995.
“So far only the NHS has been told to strictly observe and strictly follow these high public-spirited ethics and are now accountable for any wrongdoing.
“At the present time, these seven excellent ethics are still only guidance for UK authorities such as, the UK Judiciary, the UK Police Force and the various local authorities, such as Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council and their individual departments.”
He described that the recent move by Westmorland & Furness Council to introduce the checks on its members as ‘a step in the right direction’.
He added: “Will the Cumberland Council leader ensure that the Cumberland Council councillors also follow the Westmorland & Furness Council in their leadership, Integrity, openness and objectivity, by committing to introducing criminal checks for our own Cumberland Council councillors to ensure that the ethical standards of all holders of public office, such as within Cumberland Council, are of the highest standard?”
Cllr Fryer said the Nolan principles were ‘at the heart of everything we do’ and confirmed that the move to introduce criminal checks for councillors was due to be discussed by members of the council’s standards and governance committee at Carlisle’s Civic Centre on Monday (September 15) and that it would come back to the full council.
The report asks the committee to consider whether the council should introduce a policy requiring all councillors to undergo a DBS check.
It is recommended that members agree the development of a policy for consideration by executive and provide an indication as to matters for inclusion within the policy.
According to his Independent Review of the Disclosure and Barring Regime, Simon Bailey made recommendations concerning the eligibility of local councillors for criminal record checks.
The council report states: “The purpose of the review, commissioned by the Home Office, was to provide assurance about the effectiveness of the disclosure and barring (DBS) regime in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.”
