Issue - meetings

Report of the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services.

The Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services introduced Mr Gurpreet Dulay from BDO, the Council’s new internal Auditors.

Mr Dulay presented the Fraud Annual Report 2019/20, which summarises the incidence of fraud and fraud prevention at the Council during the year and also provided the Group with a revised Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy for 2020-2024.

Mr Dulay explained that the Council does not have a dedicated fraud and prevention resource, it is the responsibility of managers to ensure internal controls are in place to mitigate the risk of fraud. In addition, the internal audit may also identify fraud through their reviews and are available to support manager to investigate any allegations of fraud.

Mr Dulay advised the Group that the Council’s Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy has been reviewed during the year to ensure it is up to date and appropriate against the best pratice guidance by BDO and following the new Function Standards for Counter Fraud published in June 2020. The review highlighted the need for the Council to complete a Fraud Risk Assessment, which BDO will undertake over the coming year. Mr Dulay advised that there had been no incidents of fraud in the last year.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    The Annual Fraud Report for 2019/20 be noted.

b)    The Group approve the revised Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy for 2020-2024.