Council fury over vetting fees

Devon County Council had 13,000 employees vetted in 2002

Local authorities in Devon have been angered by a big increase in fees to vet workers.

The Criminal Records Bureau is increasing its charges by at least 100%.

Local councils say it will hit schools, care homes and charities hard.

The CRB is responsible for carrying out vetting checks on people who want to work with children, the elderly and other vulnerable members of society.

Financial implications

Healthcare workers, teachers and bus drivers are some of the positions which have to be checked.

The Bureau will double its fees from next month, with charges rising from a flat rate of £12 to £24 for standard checks.

Devon County Council had 13,000 employees vetted last year and expects the financial implications to be significant.

Torbay Council and Plymouth City Council are both assessing what impact the increase will have on their budgets.