Meeting the standards you expect
We know that you expect us to continue delivering efficient and
value-for-money services, and to do so by maintaining the highest
standards of professionalism, honesty and good governance. To meet
these expectations we are committed to protecting the services we
provide to and for you by stopping fraud and corruption, after all,
every pound lost through fraud and corruption is a pound that
should have been spent on your services.
Where we find instances of fraud or corruption we will keep all
options open, including prosecution and we will seek to recover
every pound defrauded to ensure the dishonest few do not
profit.
What are fraud and corruption?
Fraud is concealed stealing; using dishonest means to gain for
yourself or another, or to cause loss to another, whilst corruption
involves the abuse of a position of trust for personal gain, for
example, seeking or accepting a bribe.
Despite instances of non-benefit fraud and corruption being
virtually unheard of within our organisation, Suffolk Coastal has
in place strong anti-fraud and anti-corruption measures designed to
protect our resources by deterring and preventing such actions and
detecting them at the earliest opportunity where the do occur.
Benefit fraud accounts for in excess of 90% of all fraud
committed against local authorities and it is estimated that £100
million is lost through Housing and Council Tax Benefit fraud every
year. Benefit fraud occurs where individuals provide false or
misleading information when they apply for benefit or fail to tell
us about changes in their lives that affect the benefit they
receive. Most people who claim benefit are honest but we are
determined to catch, and where appropriate, prosecute the dishonest
minority. Follow this link for more
about benefit fraud and how to report it.
How you can help
If you think someone is defrauding the council or acting in a
dishonest or corrupt way regarding the Council please tell us:
- Call our 24 hour fraud hotline on 01394 444444
(answer phone out of office hours).
- Email us at
fraud.investigation@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk.
- Write to us at: Counter Fraud, Suffolk Coastal District
Council, Melton Hill, Woodbridge IP12 1AU.
The more information you provide the better able we will be to
investigate your concerns.
Any information you give will be treated in the strictest
confidence and you do not have to tell us your name.
Whistleblowing
Whistleblowing refers to reporting suspicions of wrongdoing. The
Council's whistleblowing policy applies to all employees,
councillors, suppliers, agency staff and those contractors working
for the Council and to organisations working in partnership with
the Council.
The Council expects the highest ethical standards from those who
work for and with us. If you believe that anyone has fallen short
in this regard please report it to us by calling the whistleblowing
hotline on 01394 444222.
If you are an employee of Suffolk Coastal District Council and
you are making a whistleblowing disclosure we will not be able to
provide the safeguards detailed within the whistleblowing policy if
we are unaware of your identity.
Further information
Policy documents