Issue - meetings

The Shared Anti-Fraud Service (SAFs) submitted a report on the progress of the SAFs and East Herts draft Anti-Fraud Action Plan for 2020/21, which had been carried forward from the cancelled meeting in March 2020.

Members were advised that the report provided details of the Council’s anti-fraud and corruption arrangements for 2020/21. The Anti-Fraud Plan ensured that the Council considered and acknowledged the risk of fraud and had in place appropriate policies and processes to investigate fraud.

The Officer said that a new and emerging risk was “phishing” emails which were intended to look exactly like legitimate correspondence from the Council.  This resulted in a significant fraud risk to the Council and to the recipient of the email.

The SAFs Officer provided an update on the current situation regarding Covid-19 and Members sought and were provided with clarification on a number of issues including:

·               Increases in reported fraud;

·               Grants being issued to the Community;

The SAFs Officer explained that he had been working closely with team that was managed by the Head of the Revenues and Benefits Shared Service.  He said that the Council was performing well for an Authority of its size in dealing with suspected cases of fraud.

The Head of Strategic Finance and Property said that grant monies were being moved along as quickly as possible to avoid cases of bankruptcy.  Members were reminded that a new Monitoring Officer had been appointed and that controls were in place to control, detect, prevent and mitigate fraud.

The Head of Strategic Finance and Property confirmed to Councillor Curtis that the reclaim of fraudulently claimed benefits was integral part of the normal anti-fraud activity.

It was moved by Councillor Bull and seconded by Councillor Pope that the recommendations, as detailed, be approved.  After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that the SAFs / EHC Anti-Fraud Plan 2020/21 be approved.