Issue - meetings
SAFS PROPOSED ANTI-FRAUD PLAN 2024-25
Meeting: 13/03/2024 - Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (Item 37)
37 SAFS PROPOSED ANTI-FRAUD PLAN 2024-25 
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REPORT OF THE SHARED ANTI-FRAUD SERVICE
To review and approve the Shared Anti-Fraud Services (SAFS) Anti-Fraud Plan 2024-25.
Additional documents:
Decision:
RESOLVED: That the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee reviewed and approved the Anti-Fraud Plan for 2024-25.
Minutes:
Audio recording – 39 minutes 44 seconds
Darren Bowler, Shared Anti-Fraud Service, presented the ‘SAFS Proposed Anti-Fraud Plan 2024-25’ and advised that:
· There were four external reports highlighted in the proposed plan.
· The Lost Homes, Lost Hope report related to tenacity fraud, and was particularly relevant to the housing allocation team and the temporary accommodation team, providing support and assistance to ongoing issues within this sector.
· The plan was similar to the current year and outlined the roles of Officers, Members of the FAR Committee and had agreed KPIs.
· In-depth work had been undertaken on high risk service areas, developing plans and identifying project risks.
· The details of the KPIs could be found in appendix A of the report.
The following Members asked questions:
· Councillor Tamsin Thomas
· Independent Person John Cannon.
In response to questions the Counter-Fraud Manager SAFS stated:
· The main purpose of the plan was to prevent fraud, however when fraud occurred the team needed to establish how to resolve the matter and to identify if there was an error or fraud.
· When an allegation occurred, the team considered the intelligence, the supporting information and an understanding of the allegation. This may then lead to an appropriate disposal option.
· Council Tax fraud was a civil matter and involved penalties at a local level, although this changes with more serious and persistent allegations.
· More serious allegations, over a period of time are dealt with appropriately.
· Details are sent to Service Heads and Legal are consulted to advise on a course of either criminal or civil action.
· Executive reports are produced when a fraud has been identified to assist with the prevention and detection.
· The decision to prosecute was discussed with Senior Officers and the Head of Legal. When cases were prosecuted in court the decision to sentence was through the juridical system.
· The recent prosecution resulted in a custodial sentence, initially this was a non-custodial sentence however, there were further allegation of falsifying character documents for the court hearing.
· The ultimate disposal at court was a matter for the court to decide, housing matters were treated differently.
In response to a question the Service Director – Resources stated that they would email the Committee with the National Fraud Initiative costs.
Councillor Tamsin Thomas proposed and Councillor Chris Lucas seconded and following a vote, it was:
RESOLVED: That the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee reviewed and approved the Anti-Fraud Plan for 2024-25.