Issue - meetings

To consider a report by Councillor Barbara Smith, Lead Member for Modernisation and Housing (copy enclosed) presenting the revised strategy for the prevention and detection of fraud, corruption and bribery for approval.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves the draft Strategy for the Prevention and Detection of Fraud, Bribery and Corruption as attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

Councillor Barbara Smith presented the revised strategy for the prevention and detection of fraud, corruption and bribery for approval.  The previous strategy had been adopted in 2006 and the latest draft had been updated to take into account new legislative, technological and professional developments and included a clear message that the Council would not tolerate impropriety.

During debate questions were raised regarding actions to deal with a range of fraudulent activities together with any revisions in terms of identified best practice.

The Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services responded as follows –

·         explained that the Council would continue to adopt a proactive approach to countering fraudulent activities with the revised strategy clearly setting out the Council’s position in that regard and the management controls in place

·         advised that the Department of Work and Pensions was responsible for dealing with prosecutions relating to benefit fraud but for the sake of completeness housing/council tax benefit fraud had been referenced with the strategy

·         since adoption of the policy in 2006 CIPFA had published new guidance with a greater emphasis on the identification of risk.  Reference was now made in the Corporate Risk Register to promote vigilance and minimise risk and work had also been undertaken to create an effective counter fraud culture with a range of other strategies in place promoting vigilance together with measures to be taken should fraudulent activities be identified

·         the Council had a range of measures to safeguard against internet fraud including secure IT and electronic procurement systems and identification checks.  As part of the Public Sector Network the Council had to satisfy stringent government standards in terms of security on an annual basis.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves the draft Strategy for the Prevention and Detection of Fraud, Bribery and Corruption as attached at Appendix 1 to the report.