Prevention of fraud and corruption

How the council actively seeks to deter and prevent fraud and corruption.

Our zero-tolerance approach to fraud

The council is committed to the highest possible standards of openness, probity, honesty, integrity and accountability and take a zero-tolerance approach to fraud.

The council will actively seek to deter and prevent fraud and corruption to ensure that all possible risks in these areas are minimised.

Where fraud and corruption are suspected or detected it will be thoroughly investigated and any proven cases dealt with in a consistent and proportionate manner.

Appropriate sanctions and redress will be pursued against anyone perpetrating or seeking to perpetrate fraud and corruption against the council.

How to report fraud

Contact us to report a fraud, discuss a fraud-related concern or need further information.

What fraud and corruption means

Fraud means depriving someone of something by deceit (by misuse of funds or other resources, or more complicated crimes like false accounting or the supply of false information). Corruption is the offering, giving, soliciting, or acceptance of an inducement or reward that may influence any person to act inappropriately.

The council's anti-fraud and corruption policy sets out our approach to the prevention, detection and investigation of fraud and corruption.

Reporting and investigation procedure

The fraud reporting and investigation procedures in the policy are as follows:

  • Employees of the council should report any irregularities or suspected irregularities to their line manager and if this is not appropriate to the head of service, service manager or any officer detailed in the policy.
  • Councillors who receive any type of fraud or corruption allegation should report this promptly, as detailed in the policy.
  • The Manager who receives the allegation must refer the matter to the relevant people, as detailed in the policy, for consideration and investigation.
  • The investigating officer must follow the Guidelines for Managers on Investigating Allegations as well as the Protocol for Investigating Irregularities.
  • Where appropriate, the council will report irregularities to the police for investigation and prosecution.

The council also has arrangements in place for dealing with general complaints as well as separate, statutory procedures for complaints from users of adult and children social services. Visit the complaints page to find out how to make a formal complaint. Also, visit the Whistleblowing and serious concerns page.

Download the policy