Blog • Vetting

Grandfather needs CRB check to have his grandson to stay

This email reports that a grandfather is only allowed to have his grandson to visit if he has a CRB check: ‘Social services have said that my Dad is not allowed to have his grandson come and stay with him unless he has a CRB check. Social services are working with the boy’s mum to try to resolve issues with his behaviour and her parenting style, but even so, this seems a bit full-on.’ As we outlined in the report, Vetting Tree Surgeons, social services are often guilty of over-vetting. It is common practice to vet, not only foster parents, but also…

Blog • Vetting

Enhanced CRB checks for social work academics

I just received this email from a social work academic – about the growth of enhanced CRB checks within academia, even when academics have little contact with children or vulnerable adults. It shows the continuing confusion about when CRB checks should and should not be carried out – as well as about the interpretation of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. ‘I am a social work academic and one area that I am particularly concerned about is the requirement by many universities for academic social work posts (and related areas) to be subject to enhanced CRB checks. ‘For example, in today’s Education…

Blog • Vetting

Vetting from the EU

I had always thought that over-vetting was a peculiarly Anglosaxon disease: it is only England, Australia and America who employ CRB checks ritually for all adults who have contact with children. It seems that vetting is now seeping into Europe, through EU institutions. This email came from a French lady who works with Brussels organisations – and reports that they are now asking for CRB checks. ‘The European Community now ask their suppliers tendering for public contracts to supply a CRB. I had the case a few months ago: to sell eBooks to Bruxelles, surely it is essential to be CRB checked.…

Blog • Free movement - visiting artists

US pianist falls foul of UK immigration rules

Statement by Manick Govinda, on a cancelled tour by a US pianist The Manifesto Club was informed of a cancelled recital by the US pianist Christopher Atzinger who was billed to perform in Woking on Saturday 14 April. The recital is promoted by the Breinton Recital Society a non-profit, member society passionate about hosting top class musicians to perform in an intimate, informal and enjoyable surrounding. Atzinger was forced to cancel his UK tour due to “a tightening of UK immigration rules.” Lionel Smith-Gordon, Secretary & Treasurer of the Breinton Recital Society informed us that that “Christopher Atzinger had come to the…

Blog • ID checks

Why should a 27-year-old have to carry their passport to the supermarket?

A blog post by Sarah Boyes I was recently asked for ID at the till of a large London supermarket after a weekly shop that included a few bottles of wine. The cashier explained that she had just finished her training and had been sternly warned to ask for identification from anybody looking under 25, or else face a potential fine and criminal record. She added that the standards agency regularly send around underage shoppers to check cashiers are complying with ‘Think 25’ legislation, so was sorry but had to be very careful. Since I decided to argue the point, her supervisor…

Blog • Freedom hotline

Glasgow council charges thousands of pounds for arts licence

Under the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act of 2010, free arts events will have to pay up to £7500 for an ‘arts licence’. This appears to be an even more draconian version of the UK Licensing Act 2003, which has had a devastating effect on the live music scene in England and Wales. The idea that free, grassroots arts events need to buy a council licence before they can put on a show means the death of independent civic life. We need a licence before we can leaflet, sing, dance, or show art. This sort of rule penalises the smaller and…

Blog • On-the-spot fines

1000 people fined for dropping cigarette butts in Exeter

This is Exeter finds that 1000 people have been fined for dropping cigarette butts – many of them were fined £100 or more. Of course, people shouldn’t drop cigarette butts. But fines on this level look less like a reasonable penalty, and more like a money-making venture. Many councils are now making thousands of pounds from littering fines, and the tighter their finances become the more predatory wardens send out on the street to nick people. In fact, the issue of littering is better dealt with through public provision of (cigarette-butt-friendly) litter bins – and public education, encouraging people to take pride…

Blog • Vetting

20 year old cannot become teacher because he stole bikes aged 11

A 20 year old has launched a battle to have information removed from his criminal records – in his case, youthful waywardness and the theft of bikes aged 11. This came up on his CRB check and could prevent him from becoming a teacher. Thousands of people have such incidents in their past – either real misdemeanors as a child, or accusations, or encounters with the police that didn’t proceed to an arrest or prosecution. And all of these people are affected by the enhanced CRB check, which brings up all information on police files – unlike the standard check, which returns…

Blog • Football Fans Not Criminals

Portsmouth v Southampton – Another ‘bubble’ football match

A follow up post from Manifesto Club member, Peter Lloyd, on the phenomenon of ‘bubble football matches’ (where away fans are banned from travelling to a match under their own steam, and must instead take approved coaches at defined pickup places and times)… If you are a Portsmouth Football Club supporter you will probably be aware that you will only be able to see your team play on 7th April at local rivals Southampton if you travel by designated coach from a designated pick up point at a designated time to a designated drop off point. That’s because the fixture is a…

Blog • Leafleting bans

Political leafleteers asked for leafleting licences in London

This email came from a political leafleteer, who is increasingly being stopped and asked for a licence. Yet the boroughs concerned have not, so far as we know, enacted a leafleting licence system. The context is growing powers for London councils and PSCOs, to be granted by the London Local Authorities Act. A worrying case, which we will investigate… ‘I’ve leafleted for several years (from a stall) without ever contacting the authorities – under the auspices of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (CNEA) 2005 (*) – in Islington and Camden (and Westminster). I’ve not had any bother from the police, and…