Audit, Standards and General Purposes Committee
Agenda Item 11
Subject: Counter Fraud Strategy
Date of meeting: 23rd June 2026
Report of: Director Property and Finance (S151)
Contact Officer: Georgia Steers (Counter Fraud Lead)
Email: georgia.steers@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Mark Winton (Acting Chief Internal Auditor)
Email: mark.winton@eastsussex.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: All
For general release
1.1 The purpose of this report is to present the recently updated Counter Fraud and Corruption Strategy.
2.1 It is recommended that the committee approve the Council’s Counter Fraud Strategy.
3.1 The purpose of this report is to provide details of the main changes and rationale for updating and amending the Council’s Counter Fraud Strategy (attached as Appendix 1).
3.2 This counter fraud strategy is aligned to ‘Fighting Fraud & Corruption Locally’ (FFCL), a strategy for the 2020s, which provides a blueprint for a robust response to fraud and corruption perpetrated against local authorities.
3.3 The amendments made to the Strategy include the following:
· Update to contact details;
· Refreshed links to external websites.
4.1 The report highlights key issues for the year, including a summary of investigations and proactive work.
5.1 Internal Audit and Counter Fraud engage with all directorates on fighting fraud and quarterly progress reports summarise counter fraud activities and investigation work.
6.1 There are no direct financial implications arising from this report. Counter Fraud activities are delivered within existing budgetary resources. Whilst it is not anticipated, should any additional pressures arise in delivering the strategy, this will be reported through the council’s Targeted Budget Monitoring (TBM) process.
Name of finance officer consulted: Haley Woollard Date consulted: 05/06/26
7.1 The recommendations contained within this update report are not considered to give rise to any direct legal implications.
Name of lawyer consulted: Victoria Simpson Date consulted (28/05/26):
8. Risk implications
8.1 The recommendations contained within this update report will help reduce the risk to the Council arising from fraud-related activity.
9.1 There are no direct equalities implications arising from this report.
10.1 There are no sustainability implications arising from this report.
11.1 There are no other implications arising from this report.
12.1 The Committee is asked to approve the Counter Fraud Strategy.
Supporting Documentation
1. Counter Fraud Strategy