Telford & Wrekin Council has requested more than 25,000 criminal record checks in the last six years.

The requests for checks have been submitted by the council for staff and volunteers working with vulnerable people and children.

The statistics, revealed following a Freedom of Information request, show the number of Criminal Record Bureau checks submitted for staff in education and culture and voluntary service.

In 2004 to /2005 the council submitted 3,137 checks, with the figure rising to 3,320 by 2005 to 2006.

In January 2006, following controversies resulting from cases where staff had been hired by schools before a full CRB check had been carried out, all school staff had to have a check carried out.

Hundreds more checks were carried out in Telford and the Wrekin 2006 to 2007 as 3,922 were submitted by the council.

Russell Griffin, of Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “Checking is a good thing because of our protection and safeguarding responsibilities for all vulnerable people which we take very seriously.

“We have to apply stringent government requirements in the checking of staff working with vulnerable people and have little choice in this.

“The requirement applies to all people, including volunteers and were tightened considerably after the Soham murders.

“We’ve not increased every year but the more stringent approach accounts for some of the increase.

“Costs are determined by the Criminal Records Bureau and are on its website.

“There are different levels of check for different jobs and the enhanced check is for unrestricted sole access to children.”

A CRB check searches an individual’s details against criminal records and other sources, including the Police National Computer.

The check may reveal convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, or whether the person has been barred from working with vulnerable groups

Checks must be carried out if someone work regularly with children or vulnerable people, works in health care, has applied to be a foster carer, adoptive parent or childminder and in some other professions.