Police checks and reduced powers for some Waitaki District Council staff are overdue, according to a councillor who regularly speaks out against the council's staff policy at council meetings.
Cr Guy Percival consistently votes against granting council officers what he calls ``draconian'' powers and has called for police checks in the past - and now he might get them.
Council staff and contractors were granted powers they did not need, lacked training for those powers, and did not receive appropriate screening, Cr Percival said.
The only councillor who voted against granting powers, including the power to enter private land and seize property, to, for example, the council's planning staff said it was ``a standing joke'' at the council he opposed them.
But council customer services group manager Lisa Baillie said increased vetting and screening was being phased in over four years for some council staff because of changes to the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
And during last month's council meeting, she said the council could consider expanding the police checks.
"I think it's probably a very sensible practice,'' she said.
A review of the powers granted to council staff was also under way, Mrs Baillie said.
Cr Percival wanted the council to amend warrants to ``suit the job or the position that the person has''.
"The reason that they have given me about having those powers is that if one of them [a council officer] is out in the boondocks and he needs some help he can call on another staff member to come and help him if he's close.
"That's why we have a police force.''
Staff were not trained ``on a psychological or a physical basis to handle these situations'', he said.
"When you're in a difficult situation you've got to be trained how to talk your way out of it.''
