Agenda item

Report of Shared Services Director for Audit, Fraud, Risk and Insurance

9.1       Andy Hyatt, Tri-borough Head of Fraud, introduced a report that provided an account of fraud related activity undertaken by the Tri-Borough Corporate Antifraud Service (CAFS) from 1 April 2016 to 30 September 2016.

9.2       Since April 2016 CAFS identified 70 positive outcomes, including 12 prosecutions and ten recovered tenancies.  Fraud identified in the same period had a notional value of over £2.2 million.

9.3       The Committee noted that to date, CAFS had successfully prevented 13 Right to Buys (RTB) from completing, where suspicion was raised as to the tenant’s eligibility or financial status.  The prevention work undertaken in respect of RTB continues to protect a valuable Council stock.  In response to questions from members Mr Hyatt explained that while CAFS apply an enhanced fraud prevention process to all new RTB applications anti-fraud activity generally tended to be more reactive.  He explained that the service relies on referrals.  It did not previously want to publicise requests for referrals without having sufficient resource to investigate them.  However, since last year there has been an increase in CAFS resources which will provide additional capacity to enhance coverage and deferrals will be encouraged.  The service has previously visited each of the Council’s estate managers to raise awareness of fraud and RTB fraud and provided some guidance on issues to be aware of.  Members commented that CWH also has many street based properties and stressed the importance of similar awareness being applied to these properties.  Mr Hyatt advised that publicity around this matter will be included in newsletters that will be circulated to CWH.

9.4       In respect of disabled parking investigations, the Committee noted that the introduction of a dedicated resource, body cameras and a regular Blue Badge inspection regime had proven successful with 15 offenders apprehended who  had appropriate sanctions applied for misuse, including 12 successful prosecutions.  Members asked what they should do in the event that they suspected the fraudulent use of disabled parking badges.  Mr Hyatt advised that anyone who had concerns should contact CAFS which could undertake target monitoring.  He reported that following complaints by antique dealers in Church Street the service undertook some targeted monitoring of the use of blue badges in the area and subsequently prosecuted individuals who were witnessed to be misusing blue badges.  Mr Hyatt clarified that for a successful prosecution to take place an officer needs to witness the misuse.

9.5       The Committee also considered fraud related activity relating to resident parking investigations.  It noted that CAFS continues to investigate the misuse of resident parking permits and to date had successfully apprehended ten offenders. Positive outcomes included fraudulently obtained permits, height restricted vans and permits issued to commercial addresses.  Mr Hyatt was referred to the fact that when the committee last discussed resident parking investigations it was informed that CAFS would undertake some work to determine which addresses in the Council’s database were genuinely residential properties and subject to Council tax and which were in fact businesses.  Mr Hyatt advised that while some desk based enquiries had been undertaken which had enabled some of the database to be cleansed CAFS had not performed any bulk data matching.  This was an exercise it still aimed to undertake.  The committee asked what the Council could do to further lobby for a requirement that number identifiers are displayed on each residential address to stop fraud.  Members highlighted that the absence of numbers on many properties makes it easier for resident parking and other forms of fraud to be perpetrated.

9.6       RESOLVED: That the report be noted.