Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director of Finance.

Purpose of report

This report presents a summary of activity against the Annual Plan for the Counter-Fraud service at CDC for 2023/24, which was previously presented to the Accounts, Audit & Risk July 2023 committee. The Plan supports the Council’s Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy by ensuring that the Council has in place proportionate and effective resources and controls to prevent and detect fraud as well as investigate those matters that do arise.

Recommendations

The Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee resolves:

1.1         Comment and note the summary of activity against the Annual Counter Fraud Plan for 2023/24.

Resolved

(1)           That, having given due consideration, the summary of activity against the Annual Counter Fraud Plan for 2023/24 be noted.

The Assistant Director of Finance submitted a report to present a summary of activity against the Annual Plan for the Counter-Fraud service at CDC for 2023/24, which was previously presented to the Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee at the July 2023 meeting. The Plan supported the Council’s Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy by ensuring that the Council had in place proportionate and effective resources and controls to prevent and detect fraud as well as investigate those matters that did arise.

The Committee commended the work being undertaken by the service.

In response to a question regarding the resource required to receive the outputs, the Chief Internal Auditor explained that the work undertaken was discussed with the Assistant Director Finance to ensure it was in the best interests of the Council and it’s residents. The Assistant Director Finance highlighted that the work also served as a prevention tool as it demonstrated that the Council did investigate as part of its zero approach to fraud.

In response to a question regarding handover of work to the new provider, the Chief Internal Auditor explained that Oxfordshire County Council would cease to provide the service to Cherwell District Council (CDC) at the end of April 2024. There would be some residual work and a pragmatic approach would be taken as the new provider would be delivering both the Internal Audit and Counter-Farud service for CDC.

Resolved

(1)          That, having given due consideration, the summary of activity against the Annual Counter Fraud Plan for 2023/24 be noted.