Issue - meetings

The Shared Anti-Fraud Service (SAFS) submitted a report on the progress made against the Anti-Fraud Action Plan for 2016/17.  The report also sought agreement to the Action Plan 2017/18.  The Counter Fraud Officer apologised and corrected the erroneous title on page 49 of the 2017/18 Anti-Fraud Plan.  An updated version of the East Herts Council Performance against the 2016/17 Anti-Fraud Plan was circulated to the Committee.

The DCLG and CIPFA had issued guidance which included the need for Councils to be vigilant, to recognise fraud risks and to invest resources in counter fraud activities that delivered savings.  It was essential that the Authority had a robust framework to prevent and deter fraud, as well as plans to deal with the investigation and prosecution of fraud.

Members were advised that between April and December 2016, SAFS had received over 600 allegations of fraud across all of its Partners.  There had been 108 reported matters in East Herts in the year and a number of live cases had been carried forward from 2015/16.  A full report on cases dealt with in 2016/17 would be provided to the Council in the summer of 2017 and the 2018/19 Anti-Fraud Action Plan would be reported to Members in March 2018.

In excess of £30k of fraud savings or losses had been identified and a number of fraud cases were currently going through the judicial process as part of ongoing successes in countering fraud.  The Counter Fraud Manager detailed a number of good news stories regarding the work of the Shared Anti-Fraud Service.

The External Auditor responded to a number of queries regarding savings and the mitigation of fraud risks in East Herts.  The Committee received the report.

RESOLVED – that the progress of the Shared Anti-Fraud Service in respect of the 2016/17 Anti-Fraud Action Plan be noted.