Agenda item

Members of the Committee heard from the S151 Officer, who presented the report. It was confirmed that the policy had been reviewed following an Internal Audit recommendation concerning the Council’s fraud function. The S151 Officer explained that the revised policy had been approved by the Joint Staff Consultative Committee and was brought before the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee for final approval.

It was stated that while fraud could not be entirely eliminated, the associated risks could be managed and minimised. High-risk areas had been identified, and appropriate measures had been implemented to mitigate exposure. The importance of ethical conduct among staff and members was emphasised, with mechanisms in place for reporting concerns to designated officers. Regarding benefit fraud, it was confirmed that the Council participated in the National Fraud Initiative and employed an Officer to analyse data in collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions.

A Member of the Committee raised a number of points regarding Member conduct and transparency. It was noted that, under the Localism Act 2011, powers to disqualify members for breaches of the Code of Conduct had been removed. Concerns were expressed about the limited sanctions available and the potential for misconduct in areas such as expenses. A suggestion was therefore made that Councillor expenses be published more frequently and prominently, such as on individual profile pages on the Council’s website, in order to promote transparency.

In response, it was confirmed by the Deputy Monitoring Officer that all Member expenses were already published annually in accordance with statutory requirements. In addition, the Monitoring Officer added that expenses were subject to Freedom of Information requests and that the Council’s remuneration scheme was overseen by an independent panel, although the feasibility of publishing expenses quarterly would be reviewed.

The Monitoring Officer also confirmed that the Council had a refreshed Whistleblowing Policy, which had recently been approved and promoted internally, providing an additional mechanism for reporting concerns. It was reiterated that the Code of Conduct and other relevant policies were also in place to support ethical standards and transparency; the Interim Head of Paid Service later added that the Council’s approach was consistent with some other councils, and likely a range of councils across Lincolnshire.

The Chairman expressed reservations about increasing the visibility of personal information, noting that many Members had opted not to publish details such as home addresses due to concerns over personal safety.

Committee Members expressed the view that additional publication of Member expenses data was unnecessary. It was stated that Members undertaking substantial duties, including travel for meetings and training, were entitled to claim expenses, and that Officers applied rigorous checks to all claims. It was suggested by another Member of the Committee that the process could be further improved through the adoption of electronic systems for travel claims, which would automatically calculate distances and enhance efficiency.  Similarly, another Committee Member requested that the current expenses process be reviewed to assess whether it represented value for money, given the time and effort required of Officers.

Praise was then given to the Officer responsible for processing Member expenses, with recognition of the volume of work and the efficiency with which it was handled. The Chairman concurred and acknowledged the Officer’s contribution as exemplary.

In response to a query regarding the process for handling allegations of inappropriate expense claims, the S151 Officer explained that an Annual Whistleblowing Report was submitted to the Governance and Audit Committee. It was stated that while data protection considerations limited the level of detail provided, the number of cases could be reported. It was noted that no whistleblowing incidents had been recorded in the most recent report.

With regard to further training, a Committee Member suggested that Members of the Council, in addition to staff, should receive training on anti-bribery and corruption.

A Member of the Committee expressed concern that local Councillors had been unfairly treated, despite receiving modest remuneration and generally exercising restraint in expense claims. It was noted that while some Members chose to make their addresses public, others had valid reasons for withholding such details. The importance of individual judgement and public accountability through democratic processes was emphasised.

Cllr Bridgwood, Visiting Member, noted that fraud could be difficult to detect and often remained hidden due to organisational complacency. The importance of maintaining vigilance and robust procedures was emphasised, with systems in place to verify claims and detect irregularities.

The Monitoring Officer highlighted that potential updates on changes to the standards regime were being monitored, and Members were to be kept informed. It was proposed that training be offered to Members in conjunction with the Section 151 Officer, following the adoption of the revised policy.

Having been proposed and seconded, it was unanimously

RESOLVED that

a)    the recommendation from the Joint Staff Consultative Committee, be accepted, and the revised Counter Fraud, Corruption and Bribery Policy, be approved; and

b)    minor housekeeping amendments be delegated to the Section 151 Officer following consultation with the Chairmen of the JSCC and CP&R Committees.