ALL North Yorkshire county councillors are to face a criminal records check.

The move is included in a review of child safety measures launched following the murder of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman by school caretaker Ian Huntley.

The authority's 72 members will be asked to complete a form. The details will then be passed to the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

Judith Johnson, the county council's head of facilities management, said in a report: "A letter outlining the process and requesting members to state their willingness to undergo a CRB check will be sent out. The central unit will carry out the verification of identity and send the forms to the CRB.

"Forms will be returned and opened by the head of legal services. Any issues arising from the returns will be dealt with by the chief executive and the head of legal services."

Hambleton councillor Peter Sowray said the measures were necessary.

"We are being contacted by the county council and asked if we mind - I've certainly no objections," he said.

"We are corporate parents for all the children in care.

"It's very rare we come into contact with children, but the checks will be done just in case."

All new council employees who will work with children and vulnerable adults are given a CRB check.

Unions have also agreed that existing employees can be checked, or rechecked if they have not been checked in the last three years.

It has also been agreed that contractors and volunteers who work for the council should be checked.

On Monday, The Northern Echo revealed how non-UK European Union nationals were working as bus drivers for council contractors, despite not being covered by the CRB system.

Two different levels of checks are carried out.

A standard check looks for any convictions or cautions that apply to the individual. These are given to staff, volunteers and contractors who have supervised access to children and vulnerable adults

Anyone who has regular unsupervised access is given a enhanced check. These include police intelligence, suspicions or circumstantial evidence.