2.1 The purpose of this Strategy is for the council to set out clearly for Councillors, employees, contractors, the council’s partners and the public:
- its commitment to tackling fraud, corruption and bribery
- the actions it promotes to prevent any such acts
- the responsibilities of Members and employees in minimising the risk of fraud, corruption and bribery and reporting any suspicions they may have
2.2 We all have a special responsibility for dealing with public funds and assets.
The council takes very seriously its important stewardship role and, as such, is committed to meeting the high expectations and scrutiny to which the affairs of the council are quite rightly subject.
2.3 Proper accountability, achieved through probity, internal control and honest administration is therefore an essential aspect of public service.
2.4 Thankfully acts of dishonesty associated with Dorset Council is rare and our zero-tolerance approach provides our clear and continuing commitment to dealing with any acts robustly.
2.5 In seeking to eliminate public sector fraud a number of key actions have been pursued and these form an active part of the council’s anti-fraud, bribery and corruption arrangements:
- a zero tolerance approach
- collaboration and data sharing with other agencies
- better assessment of risks and measurement of losses
- greater focus on fraud prevention activity
2.6 Widley recognised national guidance in terms of an effective fraud strategy provides three key themes to help focus the public sector approach to eliminating fraud.
The council is fully committed to each of these:
- acknowledge. Establishing a clear recognition and understanding of fraud risks
- prevent. The active prevention and detection of fraudulent activity
- pursue. Being stronger in seeking to punish fraudulent activity and recovering losses
2.7 To ensure success we all need to maintain constant vigilance in order to safeguard the resources with which we are entrusted.
2.8 We must raise awareness, deter and identify fraud and seek the support and ownership of others to help us to achieve this. As such, we must provide mechanisms and reporting lines that enable people to raise legitimate concerns.
2.9 The principles in this strategy apply to councillors and all employees of the council (including school-based staff) and they are designed to clearly communicate to the wider community of Dorset and beyond the council’s clear commitment to the prevention, deterrence, detection and investigation of all forms of fraud, bribery and corruption wherever it is found.
As such, the council’s key principles in respect of fraud, bribery and corruption can be summarised as follows:
- take a zero-tolerance approach to any such matters
- introduce appropriate measures designed to minimise the risk
- operate a procedure to enable genuine concerns to be reported and to protect those who do so
- adopt formal procedures to investigate situations when it is suspected
- aim to reduce losses to an absolute minimum
- work closely with the Police (and other appropriate agencies) to combat fraud and seek appropriate redress through legal proceedings
- use powers to work with others and share information to identify potential areas of concern
- deter people from making malicious or unfounded accusations
2.10 The council also expects that any individual, associated or outside organisations, including suppliers, contractors and claimants, will act honestly in their dealings with the council.
2.11 Where concern exists that this is not the case, the council actively encourages any such matters to be reported.