CIPFA, the public finance management body, launched its Counter Fraud Centre in July 2014 and has been working with founding partners, and other partners since. Their work includes developing the tools and training needed to more effectively tackle fraud in public services in the UK and around the world. In December 2014 the Government brought out a 60-page UK Anti-Corruption Plan.
That document named CIPFA’s Counter Fraud Centre (CFC) as a provider of counter fraud and counter-corruption tools for councils and the public sector generally. CIPFA is the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.
CIPFA speaks of providing training and toolkits that place an emphasis on greater prevention and smarter enforcement.
CIPFA recently selected Coactiva as one of the founding partners of the centre. Coactiva, as part of the Callcredit Information Group, offers data analytics.
Andrew Davis, Director of Public Sector, Coactiva said: “Fraud is an issue that affects every honest citizen in the UK. Every pound we can help the public sector save by working with CIPFA and the public sector means more money for front-line services for those in need.”
Rachael Tiffen, head of the CIPFA Counter Fraud Centre, is former Deputy Director of the National Fraud Authority; and has managed the Ministry of Defence’s Counter Fraud Service. She has over 20 years’ experience in local government, heading up audit and fraud investigations teams at Islington, Lambeth, Waltham Forest and Enfield. She said: “As the landscape changes and new threats emerge, public organisations are facing increasingly complex risks. But through pooling our resources by working together, we can develop new strategies to tackle fraud.”
The accountancy firm Moore Stephens is a sponsor of its Counter Fraud Centre.
The centre has developed two new qualifications – the CIPFA Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist (CACFS) and the CIPFA Accredited Counter Fraud Technician (CACFT). Visit http://www.cipfa.org/services/counter-fraud-centre.
In December 2014 the institute brought out a code of practice and supporting guidance notes, on Managing the Risk of Fraud and Corruption, written by Alan Day, the former TfL counter-fraud manager. To see chapter headings visit – http://www.cipfa.org/-/media/Files/Publications/BGF11.pdf
Meanwhile the institute is to pull various public sector risk registers together into a first Global Fraud Risk Register, to be published in 2015.
This tool will allow the public sector globally to identify and react to current and emerging fraud threats to public sector organisations and help them to tackle to existing and new forms of fraud. It will allow organisations to improve their understand of what existing and emerging risks they face from fraudulent criminal activity so that authorities can better develop strategies on how to tackle the challenges.
On the launch last year Rob Whiteman, CIPFA’s chief executive said: “When fighting fraud, knowledge and understanding of the risks you face give you the power to act to prevent criminal activity and protect your organisation. CIPFA is committed to good public financial management across the world and as such are excited to be launching this new tool for the global public sector to contribute to and use. This new Global Fraud Risk Register will help protect precious public resources from criminals and fraud and will be an asset to all public bodies wherever they are based.”
The institute points to a ten-fold increase in fraud detected by England’s councils over the past few decades. While recent greater interaction and collaboration between the public and corporate sectors has improved efficiency, it has also created greater complexities and opportunities for fraudsters, CIPFA warns. Hence the bringing together of best practices.
