Issue - meetings

[To receive an update on counter fraud.]

Mark Wilkes, Audit Business Partner, presented the Counter Fraud Update. This included details on a range of counter fraud activities undertaken by the Council. That included reference to the work undertaken to recover a small number of Covid business grant payments that had been made to those who were later found not to qualify.

In response to a question raised regarding any identified themes associated with the recovery of the funds back to the Council. Mark advised that some businesses may have thought they were eligible but weren’t based on a matter of interpretation.

In response to a question raised regarding any local or national fraud indicators including around organised crime, the Committee were advised that the Council does receive and consider regular bulletins from the National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) and other government bodies and takes these into account in the work it undertakes in this area.

Resolved:

That the contents of the latest Audit Services Counter Fraud Update be noted.