Who is watching the council watchers?

It is entirely sensible that councils hold records of members of their communities who pose a potential risk to their employees. Public-facing local authority workers are forced to place themselves in situations which can easily become volatile and arming themselves with as much information as possible is inarguably wise.

The news that thousands of people are on so-called “watch lists” held by councils in Tayside and Fife should, therefore, come as no surprise.

However, such dossiers should be closely monitored if they are to remain free from abuse.

It is unclear from the answers provided to this paper – often with reluctance – by some councils that that is always the case.

It is only fair if a person appears on one that he or she should be made aware of the fact.

And a statute of limitations should operate – a 40-year spell on a list must be open to question.

Council employees have the right to expect every available protection, including forewarning that they may be entering potentially dangerous situations.

Equally, members of the public have the right to know if their names are on any list which can affect their day-to-day lives.

It is a fine balancing act and one which councils must ensure they are regularly reviewing.