Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services.

The report presents the work carried out during the past year to minimise the risk of fraud, bribery and corruption occurring in the Council. This supports the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations (England) 2011, which state that the Council must have measures in place “to enable the prevention and detection of inaccuracies and fraud.” In this context, we have taken fraud also to refer to cases of bribery and corruption.

The Audit Committee are invited to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: John Pearsall on Tel: 474 4033 or email: john.pearsall@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) presenting the work carried out during the previous year to minimise the risk of fraud, bribery and corruption occurring in the Council. This supported the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations (England) 2011, which stated that the Council must have measures in place “to enable the prevention and detection of inaccuracies and fraud.”

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The report set out planned work for 2015/16, highlighted some of the areas of fraud risk and provided a conclusion on the effectiveness of the Council’s arrangements to minimise the risk of fraud;

·         The Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Strategy was extensively updated in 2014 as part of a major overhaul of all people related policies throughout the council resulting in the merger of the strategy and policy documents and the streamlining of supporting procedures;

·         The Authority had engaged in a number of awareness raising activities during the year including training sessions to Audit Committee members, benchmarking and fraud workshops;

·         Members sought guidance on the Whistleblowing Policy in the circumstances that the accusation is sent to the press.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.