As with any other big organisation, Wrexham Council has to protect itself against fraud.
We have to make sure we have the right checks and procedures in place to stop theft, swindles and bribes – we need to make sure tax-payers’ money is properly managed and accounted for.
So, does the council have the right checks in place?
This is the question our Audit Committee will ask when it meets later this week.
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Fighting fraud
The council won’t tolerate fraud of any type – whether it’s committed by an employee, councillors, customers, suppliers or anyone else.
And we always look to prosecute fraudsters, or take disciplinary action or other measures to recover losses.
The Audit Committee will look at what we’ve been doing to prevent and tackle fraud over the past year, and how we’ll continue to manage the risks.
The committee is chaired by Jerry O’Keeffe. He isn’t a councillor or an employee, but an independent member of the public.
He says: “As well as robbing councils of precious funds for services, fraud and corruption can also damage morale and undermine confidence in public bodies.
“There’s no evidence that fraud is a major problem at Wrexham Council, but the risk is high nationally, so it’s essential we continue to control that risk.”
The committee will also be asked to approve the council’s Annual Statement of Accounts, and to consider where the committee’s attention should be focussed in the future.
Come to the meeting
The meetings are open to the public, so why not go along if you get the chance?
Mr O’Keeffe says: “The committee looks at serious matters, but the meetings aren’t scary or stuffy. We welcome members of the public attending.”
Interested? The meeting takes place this Thursday, July 25 at the Guildhall in Wrexham, starting at 4pm.
View the agenda on the council’s website.
If you want to comment on any of the issues mentioned in this article, you can get in touch with Mr O’Keeffe by email.
