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«Forename» «Surname»
«Status»
«Dept»
Your Ref |
|
Our Ref: |
CodeOfConductLetter |
Enquiries to: |
Simon Watts |
Ext No: |
3347 |
Direct Line: |
(01494) 421354 |
Fax No: |
(01494) 421343 |
EMail: |
[email address] |
Date: |
29 May 2009 |
Dear «Forename»
Wycombe District council Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit Anti-Fraud Investigators/
Visiting Officers Code of Conduct
Wycombe District Council expects its Investigators, Authorised Officers and Visiting Officers (hereafter called “Officers”) to comply with the Council's generally agreed Codes of Conduct. In addition to the Codes of Conduct, the Council Officers will observe the following additional rules:
The Officer will declare all cases of alleged fraud where an Investigator has an interest. An interest is defined as ownership of property involved in the alleged fraud, or a personal relationship with any persons involved in the claim for benefit.
The Officer will treat all persons accused of Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit fraud with respect and courtesy at all times, in line with the council's standard policies on equal opportunities, customer care and Human Rights.
The Officer will follow at all times the Home Office Code of Conduct under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE), CPIA , HRA & Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
The Officer will at all times ensure that information held by the Council is only disclosed in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the procedures concerning confidentiality.
At all times during an investigation, the Officer should consider and observe the rights of any individual that they are interviewing or investigating. It is the duty of the Officer to establish the facts of the case and not make conclusions base on intuition or supposition.
The Officer will at all times be aware of the possibility of compromising their integrity, or that of the Council, by carrying out unaccompanied visits. The Officer will seek advice from a Senior Officer prior to carrying out unaccompanied visits in the following circumstances:
visits after dark or outside office hours
visits to hostels or accommodation providing Care in the Community
visits to young persons, at the discretion of the Officer
visits to women living alone, at the discretion of the Officer
The Officer must comply with the section procedures and the Council's Lone Working Policy including use of the VIP Solo System where appropriate, when conducting unaccompanied visits.
The Officer must be aware of the potential for violence from persons under investigation and should not place themselves in a situation where there is a risk of attack. In particular, the Officer should check all records to see if a person is registered as potentially violent prior to an interview. The Officer should not carry out unaccompanied interviews or visits to potentially violent persons.
Any Officer breaching the above rules may be subjected to the Council's disciplinary procedures.
Yours sincerely
Simon Watts
Visiting & Investigations Team Leader
Please sign below to confirm you have read and understood this Code of Conduct.
Signed: Date:
Name: (Block Captials) «Name_Caps»