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Agenda item

Annual Corporate Fraud Report 2019/20

Minutes:

The Audit Client Manager presented the joint report of the Interim Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change & the Head of the Regional Internal Audit Service on the Annual Corporate Fraud Report 2019-20.  The report provided the Committee with details of the actions undertaken in respect of counter fraud during 2019/20 including an update on the National Fraud Initiative (NFI) Exercise.

 

The Audit Client Manager reported on the arrangements in place for managing the risks of fraud with the aim of prevention, detection and subsequent investigation and reporting of fraud.  She stated that the Council sets high standards for both Members and Officers in the operation and administration of the Council's affairs and has always dealt with any allegations or suspicions of fraud, bribery and corruption promptly.  The Council has in place policies, procedures, and reporting mechanisms to prevent, detect and report on fraud, bribery and corruption, which include the Fraud Strategy and Framework, a Whistleblowing Policy, ICT Code of Conduct and the Anti-Fraud and Bribery Policy.  The Fraud Strategy and Framework 2018/19 to 2020/21 continues to underpin the Council's commitment to prevent all forms of fraud, bribery and corruption, whether it be attempted externally or from within.

 

The Audit Client Manager summarised the counter fraud work undertaken within the Authority during 2019/20.  She stated that the Council’s Fraud Strategy and Framework includes reactive and proactive work with the proactive work included in an action plan which sets out the developments the Council is undertaking to improve its resilience to fraud and corruption and she outlined the progress made against the action plan.  A Fraud Prevention e-learning module has been developed and rolled out to staff, fraud information is being updated and being made available to staff on the intranet and a more detailed fraud risk assessment process is being developed that will link to the corporate risk management process. 

 

The Audit Client Manager also reported on details of the last data matching exercise which was based on data extracted in September 2018, wherein a total of 484 frauds or errors had been identified equating to £41,700 of recoverable funds which are mostly council tax or housing benefit related. She stated that the next data matching exercise will commence in 2020/21, data is to be extracted in October 2020 and the new matches will be returned in January 2021.  She also provided the Committee with detail of the internal counter fraud work undertaken by Internal Audit and the Council’s Fraud Investigator including internal investigations and council tax reduction investigations.  She stated that joint working was also undertaken during 2019/20 with Bridgend CBC working with the Single Fraud Investigation Service on any appropriate benefit investigations and working in partnership with Portsmouth City Council to undertake blue badge enforcement action.  Local networking is also in place which has enabled intelligence to be shared particularly in respect of new scams since the outbreak of COVID-19. 

 

A member of the Committee commented on the need for the framework which was last considered by the Committee in January 2019 to be refreshed.  The Interim Chief Officer Finance Performance and Change informed the Committee that a refreshed strategy will be presented to the Committee in November.  She informed the Committee that the emphasis on the Annual Corporate Fraud Report had been changed to mainstream fraud and corruption work.  She also informed the Committee that the newly appointed Senior Fraud Officer was attending Committee today.

 

RESOLVED:            That:

 

·                     The Committee noted the report, the measures in place and the work being undertaken to prevent and detect fraud and error.

A refreshed fraud strategy be presented to the next Committee.  

Supporting documents:

 

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