Issue - meetings

The Committee was provided with a report which provided details of the work undertaken by the Corporate Fraud Investigation Team (CFIT) from April to May 2016.

Members were informed that Corporate Fraud Investigation Team activities since April 2016 included the following:

·   Social Housing fraud

·   Council Tax/Business Rates inspections

·   Single Person Discount (SPD)

·   Residency and Verification checks

·   Right to Buy investigations

·   Proceeds of Crime investigations

·   Housing Waiting List

·   Enhanced Recruitment Verification

·   Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTR)

·   Trading Standards

·   Blue Badge

·   Bad debts

·   Students

·   Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers

The Corporate Fraud Investigation Manager reported that in relation to the Social Housing Fraud project, 18 properties had been recovered from April to May 2016.

Reference was made to the Residency and Verification checks, which was a project to prevent false claims for housing from people who did not qualify for housing support from the Council. Members were informed that this initiative was providing savings to the Council.

The Committee was informed of the variety of opportunities which existed for the Team to investigate the work area of Bad Debts. The project suggested that it would be productive in terms of generating additional revenue for the Council.

Discussion took place on how the Team's performance was measured and the Corporate Fraud Investigation Manager agreed to include suggested targets in the next report to the Committee's  

RESOLVED –

1.   That the Committee considered and noted the Corporate Fraud Investigation Team report.

The Committee was provided with a report which provided details of the work undertaken by the Corporate Fraud Investigation Team (CFIT) from April to February 2015.

Members were informed that Corporate Fraud Investigation Team activities since April 2015 included the following:

·   Social Housing fraud

·   Council Tax/Business Rates inspections

·   Single Person Discount (SPD)

·   Temporary Accommodation and Housing Needs Reception

·   Right to Buy investigations

·   Proceeds of Crime investigations

·   Housing Waiting List

·   Enhanced Recruitment Verification

·   Blue Badge

·   Procurement fraud

·   Mobile working

·   Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTR)

The Corporate Fraud Investigation Manager reported that in relation to Social Housing Fraud, since April 2015, the Team had recovered 74 properties which were now available to be re-let to residents in genuine housing need.

Reference was made to the work carried out in relation to Single Person Discount for Council Tax which had resulted in successful results, with overpayments of around £69,000, which would be recovered as additional revenue to the Council.

The Committee was provided with details of the work which had been carried out in relation to Temporary Accommodation and the Housing Needs Reception. Officers from CFIT were training Housing Officers on the identification of possible fraudulent claims.    

RESOLVED –

1.   That the Committee considered and noted the Corporate Fraud Investigation Team report.