Tens of thousands saved following corporate fraud probes over past year, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

Barnet Council investigated a “considerable number” of corporate fraud cases during the past year, saving nearly £100,000.

The council’s counter-fraud team probed 102 cases of alleged fraud against its services in 2022/23, according to a report presented to the authority’s audit committee on Wednesday (26th).

Of the 63 closed cases, nine were linked to the council tax support scheme and ten related to single-person discounts, with more than £48,575 earmarked for recovery. In addition, two administrative penalties linked to council tax support offences totalled £1,436.09.

Four applications for funding were denied – three of them bids for Covid grants for hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses – saving the council £46,674.

Counter-fraud officials also investigated 247 cases relating to alleged Blue Badge misuse, fraudulent appeals against penalty charge notices and alleged parking permit fraud. This resulted in 13 prosecutions, 50 cautions and 41 official warning letters.

The council’s tenancy fraud team investigated 525 cases and recovered 34 properties, with four more properties subject to ongoing legal proceedings. The report states that this represents a 171% increase compared to last year, when 14 properties were recovered.

Officials stopped 15 ‘right to buy’ applications, which would have led to the council offering a discount of £116,200 on each property if they had gone through. The homes were retained by the council, saving £1.74million.

Declan Khan, the council’s assistant director of counter-fraud, community safety and protection, described the number of corporate fraud cases investigated as “considerable”.

He told the meeting that travel fraud prosecutions had started to increase because the court system was “unclogging” following the Covid-19 pandemic. Declan added: “There are more cases that require prosecution, so there are more counterfeit badges […] coming to our attention.”

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