Dear Phil Spring
 
Thank you for your request for information received by Staffordshire
County Council on 19/07/2023.
Your request is being dealt with and a response will be sent to you within
twenty working days. 
If you have any queries about this request do not hesitate to contact us.
Please remember to quote the case reference number above in any future
communications.
Yours sincerely

Access to Information Team

Corporate Services

1 Staffordshire Place

Tipping Street Stafford ST16 2DH

Email: [1][Staffordshire County Council request email]

[2]www.staffordshire.gov.uk

References

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1. mailto:[Staffordshire County Council request email]
2. http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/

Dear Phil Spring

Thank you for your request for information.

Please find information provided by the relevant service below / attached.

1. The net Revenue Cost for the whole Council:

£621.132 million as shown in Appendix 5 on page 209 of the Final Outturn report to Cabinet (see the below link):

https://moderngov.staffordshire.gov.uk/d...

2. The total cost (Staff salaries, on-costs, system costs, supplies costs, transport costs) of your Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Function:

The total cost is £1,217,736

3. Number of FTE staff in your Internal Audit and Counter Fraud service:

See attached structure chart for ease. There are 16 FTEs in the Internal Audit & Counter Fraud Team.

4. The number of Audit days undertaken by the Internal Audit and Counter Fraud service:

As per the published Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Plan for 2023/24, the number of IA days undertaken by the Internal Audit and counter fraud service is 2,120 days (1,660 Internal Audit days and 460 Counter fraud days) for Staffordshire County Council. In addition, it is planned to deliver 360 days of IA and Counter Fraud services to external partners in 2023/24.

See link to IA Plan paper presented at the Audit & Standards Committee on 25th April 2023:

https://moderngov.staffordshire.gov.uk/d...

5. The productive days per FTE Internal Audit and Counter Fraud staff
member:

The average productive days per FTE is 155 days for 2023/24.

6. Number of FTE Internal Audit and Counter Fraud staff members:

i. Qualified - Of the 16 FTEs, we have 11 qualified FTEs. (Of the 16 FTEs we have a further 3 x Audit Assistants not qualified and two vacancies) ii. Part Qualified - 0 FTEs iii. % of High/Medium Audit recommendations agreed and management actions Implemented

The Internal Audit Service (including counter fraud) is currently tracking as at 26th July 2023, 689 (high and medium level agreed audit recommendations). Of these:

469 recommendations have been closed - implemented - 68%
220 recommendations remain open and agreed with management - 32%

7. When was Counter Fraud plan last updated:

The counter fraud plan is reviewed and updated as part of the annual audit planning process. This was presented and endorsed by the Audit & Standards Committee at its meeting on 25th April 2023 - see previous link. The Counter Fraud Plan 2023/24 may be amended in year to take account of emerging risks and priorities.

8. Number of FTE staff dedicated to Counter Fraud promotion:

1 x FTE dedicated counter fraud resource. However all members of the Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Service undertake counter fraud promotion as part of BAU.

9. Number of FTE staff dedicated to Counter Fraud investigations:

1 x FTE dedicated counter fraud resource. However, this dedicated resource is supplemented by Internal Auditors as required. All investigations are overseen by the Audit Manager - Counter Fraud who is an accredited counter fraud specialist.

10. Number of Fraud incidents reported:

For 2022/23, Staffordshire County Council received 35 fraud referrals.

11. Number of Fraud incidents investigated:

Of the 35 fraud referrals received in 2022/23, 19 did not relate to Council business and one other one was passed on the service. All of the remaining 15 fraud referrals were investigated.

12. Number of Fraud prosecutions initiated:

In 2022/23, there has been one fraud prosecution initiated.

13. Identified value of fraud savings/recovered:

In 2022/23, total financial losses- fraud/error to be recovered/recovered amounts to £166,253. The majority of this total relates to one fraud investigation which is currently in the process of prosecution, so recovery of funds misappropriated is in progress.
If you have any comments relating to how your request has been handled by our authority you should contact us in the first instance. Send your comment or complaint to:

Access to Information Team Manager, Access to Information Team, Staffordshire County Council, 1 Staffordshire Place, Stafford ST16 2DH or email [Staffordshire County Council request email]

If you then have any further comments relating to how your request has been handled by our authority, please contact the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, or FOI and EIR complaints | ICO

Regards
  
David Portch

David Portch │Information Asset Officer
Access to Information Team – Corporate Services
1 Staffordshire Place
Tipping Street Stafford ST16 2DH
Email: [email address]
www.staffordshire.gov.uk

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