Things you need to know

Some jobs with Colchester Borough Council and Colchester Borough Homes may require additional checks on the successful applicant. This will be stated in the advert. Candidates should also be aware that both organisations periodically ask employees to complete new checks and the frequency of this depends upon the nature of the role.

We are committed to protecting the use of official and/or sensitive information, including use of the Public Sector Network (PSN). There are national security requirements for all users of the PSN to ensure the identity and integrity of an employee who will access to official/sensitive information using a PSN or who need a secure .GCSX e-mail address. These requirements include checking references for the last three years of employment, and also an independent check to confirm that they have no unspent convictions.

Users must meet the criteria and clear the checks as set out in the national Baseline Personal Security Standard (BPSS) before they can send, receive or administer PSN data.

Please also note that legally we are unable to make an offer of employment to the successful candidate/s for such jobs until the checks have been cleared.

For more information about national Baseline Personal Security Standard, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bpss-requirements-for-users-of-psn-connected-networks

A Basic Disclosure is a document containing information held by the police and government. The independent check on unspent convictions is provided by Disclosure Scotland, an executive agency of the Government. The disclosure service offers organisations a means to check the background of job applicants to ensure that they do not have a history that would make them unsuitable for vacant posts, which helps us to make informed recruitment decisions and official/sensitive information can continue to be protected.

The Council's policy on the handling of DBS information

If you are applying for a job that involves working with official/sensitive data using a PSN, information about this will be included in the application pack. This also means that you will be required to give us certain information about yourself (for example, date of birth and unspent convictions) on the Equality and Diversity monitoring form.

As part of the disclosure process we have to release this information to a third party supplier to obtain an external electronic ID validation check. This process will be undertaken with strict regard to our Data Protection Policy.

The Council's policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders