Arun's major showdown over data collection

The tense two-and-a-half hour session involved the Audit Commission's assistant director, Peter Yetzes.

He faced the wrath of council members and employees who face having their personal details forcibly transferred to the Audit Commission from October under the national fraud initiative.

A new law passed by MPs just last month (July) '“ the Serious Crime Act 2007 '“ gives the commission the right to demand that council staff and councillors provide details of their bank accounts and sort codes.

Joint accounts with partners unconnected to the council are also included. Information about the council's pensioners and their dependents will have to be passed over as well.

Bill Smee was the Unison union representative at the meeting. He said the council's employees were angry at the fact they would be forced to hand over their personal details.

But he stated it was obvious the government had framed the new law to overcome human rights and data protection objections.

"All the councillors and staff are completely against this but I don't think we are going to win. I just can't see there is anything we can do about it. Every point we put up was shot down," he said.

Cllr Barbara Oakley, chairman of Arun's audit committee, said councillors were not persuaded the requirement for everyone on the council payroll to hand over details of personal bank account and sort codes was acceptable.

"While members fully support the national fraud initiative, as any fraud affecting the public purse is a serious matter, we consider these demands a step too far.

"Members also consider that the requirement to provide bank details is a disproportionate intrusion into individual's private lives given the information that the Audit Commission is already provided with," she stated. She pledged the council would continue to fight the measure.

Failure to provide the requested facts will result in a court case with a fine of up to 1,000 plus a 20 a day penalty while the legal action continues.

All serving and previous councillors as well as staff and pensioners are included in the information handover. The numbers add up to 655 current staff and 63 councillors and independent panel members. A further 387 former employees and 114 individuals receiving dependents' pensions are also included.

The personal information gathering is being justified as part of the latest national fraud initiative. All the facts gathered can be shared with other government departments.

Arun's councillors have united to react angrily to the demand which they called outrageous. They vowed to fight it all the way. There is even talk of taking the issue to the European Court in Strasbourg though two test cases are already on their way there.

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