Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES

To consider Fraud Prevention Policy.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the words ‘that are reported’ be removed from the first sentence of paragraph 5 within point 2, entitled Reporting on Page 63 of the Fraud Prevention Policy and would now read “The Council will investigate all suspicions, and where deemed appropriate the matter raised may be……”; and

(2)       That The Fraud Prevention Policy be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION: The new policy provides all of the information in relation to fraud and similar offences.

Audio Recording – 22 Minutes 35 Seconds

The Service Director – Resources presented the report entitled Fraud Prevention Policy.

The following appendices accompanied the report:

Appendix A – Fraud Prevention Policy

The policy itself has two toolkits and two appendices:

·         Appendix A – Disclosure Report to the Money Laundering Reporting Officer

·         Appendix B – Role of the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO)

The Service Director – Resources explained to the Committee that the Fraud Prevention Policy, attached at appendix A, replaced the existing policies and guidance that covered fraud, corruption, money laundering and bribery and also served to cover additional requirements in relation to tax evasion.  The Service Director – Resources stated that the fundamental content of the new policy had not been changed, but sought to simplify. 

The Service Director – Resources informed the Committee that unrequired references to legislation had been removed, it would be the responsibility of the policy author to ensure that the policy was updated if legalisation changed.

The following Members took part in the discussion and asked questions:

• Councillor Sam North
• Councillor Michael Weeks
• Councillor Kate Aspinwall

In response to questions raised by Members, the Service Director – Resources provided the following information:

·                The £3,000 was the limit set on cash payments made to the Council;

·                Fraud and bribery E-learning was mandatory for staff;

·                There was currently no reason for the Council to accept foreign currency payments, however, if the Council were to ever accept foreign current transactions, the policy would be amended accordingly.

Councillor Kate Aspinwall stated that the Policy used plain English and was easy to understand, she expressed her compliments and gratitude to the Policy Author.

It was recommended by Councillor Sam North that the first sentence in paragraph 5 within point 2, entitled Reporting on Page 63 of the report, that the words, ‘that are reported’ be removed from the sentence ‘the Council will investigate all suspicions that are reported’.

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the words ‘that are reported’ be removed from the first sentence of paragraph 5 within point 2, entitled Reporting on Page 63 of the Fraud Prevention Policy and would now read “The Council will investigate all suspicions, and where deemed appropriate the matter raised may be……”; and

(2)  That The Fraud Prevention Policy be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The new policy provides all of the information in relation to fraud and similar offences.