For RBWM to engage in the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit

RBWM currently has gaps in the capability to cover some of the specialist areas that are covered by the CFEU. This has been acknowledged by officers and it has been agreed that it would be much more cost efficient to outsource this to a larger organisation who have a wide range of specialists on hand to support than to try and hire all of these skillsets into the organisation.

Fundamentally, not having access to some of these skills would leave RBWM exposed and would mean that we would struggle to address some potential issues were they to be raised. This will give the borough that specialist support and capability.

Do nothing - this would leave gaps in the borough's governance and capability.

The CFEU is a known quantity to the Council's Section 151 Officer due to work within a different local authority.

The CFEU also works across a wide range of Councils, taking on new business based on their strong reputation and having long standing Council partners who are very pleased with the work that they do and have seen resultant savings in areas of review.

It is deemed cheaper to outsource this organisation who cover a wide range of specialisms, rather than to hire the equivalent members of staff in house. Also,
where the CFEU are tasked with reviews of discount schemes or eligibility, the money likely to be saved by their interventions will far outweigh the cost of the service.

Elizabeth Griffiths
Date advice given: Wed, 24th January 2024

Elaine Browne
Date advice given: Wed, 24th January 2024

None

In order to comply with any requirement of the Contract and Tendering Procedure Rules set out in Part 8A of the Council’s Constitution