Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Corporate Services

RESOLVED THAT

1.    the Counter Fraud and Anti-Corruption Policy (appendix 2) be approved.

2.    Internal Audit be authorised, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, to update the Policy with any additional comments resulting from the on-going counter fraud project.

The Cabinet Member Corporate Services introduced the report and explained that the policy required updating to reflect the changes to the counter fraud arrangements at the Council, since the 1 April 2015, with the development of a new counter fraud unit within Internal Audit.

He explained that the draft Counter Fraud and Anti-Corruption Policy had been developed to conform to latest legislation and to reflect the changes brought about by the creation of the Single Fraud Investigation Services (operated by the Department for Work and Pensions) which subsumed the Council’s responsibilities for investigating Housing Benefit Fraud.

The draft policy had been developed in consultation with other Gloucestershire authorities and West Oxfordshire District Council to provide a platform for the operation of the counter fraud unit.

The Cabinet Member reported that the draft policy was considered by Cheltenham Borough Council’s Audit Committee on the 13 January 2016.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    the Counter Fraud and Anti-Corruption Policy (appendix 2) be approved.

2.    Internal Audit be authorised, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, to update the Policy with any additional comments resulting from the on-going counter fraud project.