Agenda item

The Committee received a report detailing the work being undertaken by the Business Assurance Counter Fraud Team (BACFT) in relation to 2019/20 Quarter 2 and assurances in this respect.

It was reported that, during Quarter 2 of 2019/20, the BACFT had achieved successful loss prevention outcomes totalling £493,073, a 19% increase over Quarter 1. A total of eight Council properties had been recovered, an improvement on 2018/19 in terms of half year results. In addition, BACFT had investigated and stopped three cases of Right to Buy fraud and three cases of suspected Housing fraud were being progressed for criminal prosecution

It was confirmed that, as of 30 September 2019, remaining staff vacancies within the Verifications and Intelligence sub-teams had been filled and the BACFT was now fully resourced for the first time in several years

Quarter 2 results of the Home Officer Immigrating Officer (IEO) within BACFT had resulted in £72,861 in loss prevention, and figures were on track to exceed last year’s loss prevention contribution.

The proposal for the Council to join the London Counter Fraud Hub had received Cabinet Member approval and was pending, subject to communication from the lead authority before contractual paperwork could be signed.

Financial savings resulting from council wide data matches had recently been made available by the Cabinet Office and indications were that there were additional financial savings across the Council. To date, these savings totalled £301,322, though these figures had not been included in the loss prevention savings reported by BACFT as the Cabinet Office NFI figures were extrapolated across several years.

BACFT performance against KPIs had shown improvement, with 5 of 8 targets now being exceeded overall. When considering only Quarter 2, this figure rose to 6 of 8. Work to improve performance against KPI 5: investigation resulting in sanctions, as well as general work within Social Services, was continuing. The BACFT was planning a campaign to raise fraud awareness across the Council, and this would include training and workshop days.

Work to address ‘Beds in Sheds’ was targeted for Quarter 3, and would include a proactive, collaborative project, incorporating data from many departments including Exchequer Services, Housing and the Planning enforcement teams. This work could impact on the area of HMOs and private landlords, which meant that the Private Sector Housing Team would also be involved in this project. Work to ensure that HMOs were fulfilling the conditions of their licences had resulted in better outcomes. Further IA work to review private sector housing, including HMOs, was scheduled for Quarter 4.

Regarding Blue Badge Holder fraud, since last year, referrals and fraudulent behaviour identified during officer visits had been seen to have declined. Resources had therefore been reduced in line with the identified risk, though this could be reviewed if complaints were seen to rise. The Counter Fraud Team would be conducting one proactive project this year and would continue to investigate referrals of serious misuse of a Blue Badge.

RESOLVED: That the Counter Fraud Progress Report for 2019/20 Quarter 2 be noted.