Database move to protect councillors

VIOLENCE: Newly-elected members can check constituents

Fife’s incoming councillors are to be given access to a controversial database highlighting violent or hazardous constituents to keep them safe in the job.

Amid a rising tide of threats and personal abuse directed at public officials, the 75 local members will be allowed to use the violent marker system.

It gives information about potentially dangerous people and addresses so workers can take extra precautions when visiting them.

Access to the system, granted at different levels, is currently only given to employees who have a direct need as part of their job.

Officials have set aside data protection concerns to confirm councillors will be included as meeting constituents is part of a councillor’s role.

Fife’s councillors are to be given access to potentially sensitive personal data about constituents amid fears for their safety.

The 75 individuals elected by the public on Thursday will be given the same access rights as Fife Council employees to the violent marker system (VMS), set up a year ago in response to incidents or threats directed at local authority staff.

The Courier understands the move comes after one Fife councillor, who asked not to be named, received a death threat earlier this year and in light of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox last June.

It has also emerged that North-East Fife MP Stephen Gethins had a newspaper cutting put through his door, though there was no direct threat to him.

The VMS, which highlights warning “markers” against the names of the public classed as being potentially violent or hazardous in any way, was put in place in March 2016 at the request of trade unions and employees.

They were concerns that as workers become more mobile and cover larger areas, they would be less familiar with addresses and residents, putting them at greater risk of potentially violent situations.

It comes in spite of concerns the local authority could potentially face sanctions should there be any breach of the Data Protection Act 1998, which says personal data must be processed fairly and lawfully. Eileen Rowand, executive director of finance and corporate services, said: “Legal services and the council’s data protection officer consider this approach likely to be a lawful and proportionate response to the challenge of protecting elected members. ”

It has also emerged police have been made aware of the delivery of a newspaper cutting to Mr Gethins in recent days.

The cutting, put through the letterbox of his home near Cupar, is understood to have included comments which were critical of the SNP and Mr Gethins, although it did not contain any specific threats towards him.

He said: “We have a very important election coming up and it is vital we all conduct ourselves in a way that is respectful of all views even if they differ from our own. That is the essence of any democracy.”

Picture: PA. The killing of MP Jo Cox last year has led to new worries over the safety of elected MPs and councillors in Fife, one of whom received a death threat earlier this year.